AGN introduces new laws on welfare, safety of actors

The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has introduced new bylaws for the Nigerian film industry as it presented as the final report on the 10 April boat mishap that claimed the lives of actor John Odonwodo popularly known as Junior Pope and four other crew members while returning from set of Adanma Luke’s “Other Side of Life’ movie The boat crash raised concerns over safety issues on movie sets, prompting calls for thorough scrutiny and higher standards in the industry. The president of AGN, Emeka Rollas, made this known via his Instagram account on Tuesday, July 9. According to Rollas, actor, Emeka Ike, led the bylaws committee, with Jude Orhorha serving as the secretary. Other members of the committee includes Bimbo Manuel, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Joke Silva, Francis Duru, Patience Ozokwor, Hilda Dokubo, Abubakar Yakubu, Gideon Okeke, Anthony Ogbetere, and Femi Branch. He wrote: “Earlier this morning 9th of July 2024 I received two important reports from two special Committees set up for the following: 1. AGN BY-LAWS 2. ⁠BOAT MISHAP OF 10TH APRIL 2024 “The AGN bylaws committee led by its Chairman Amb Emeka Ike was set to draw up professional guidelines, standards work ethics, safety rules etc for members. “While the Boat mishap committee led by Mr Kevin Uvo was set to find out the immediate and remote causes of the boat accident which claimed the lives of 5 Nollywood practitioners including actor JNR Pope on the 10th April, 2024. “I commend members of the two commitees for the sleepless nights put into the committee work. I promised to speedily implement the recommendations of the committees. The reports were submitted by AMB. Emeka Ike, Chairman of the Bylaws committee and Kelvin Uvo Chairman of the Boat Mishap Committee, “The presentations were made in presence of the the chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Emmanuel Ogugua and the following members of the Bylaws committee and National Executive Council such as, Patience Ozokwor, Bimbo Manuel, Tony Ogbetere, The National Secretary of AGN, Abubakar Yakubu, Fin. Sec. Emeka Duru”

Flood Warning: NEMA identifies 19 states, 56 communities at risk in August

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a flood alert, indicating that 19 states and 56 communities throughout Nigeria are under the threat of heavy rainfall that could potentially lead to flooding in the upcoming month. In a statement released by Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA’s Lagos Territorial Coordinator, on Monday, this warning highlights the urgent need for preparedness and precautionary measures. The states and communities identified are as follows: Delta: Aboh, Ekiti State; Ado Ekiti, Ondo State; Akure, Idanre, Ifon, Iju Itaogbolu, Ogbese, Owo, Owena, Ondo Others he said include: Lagos State; Apapa, Badagry, Eti Osa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, Ojo Lagos, Surulere; Anambra; Atani; Ogun; Ifo, Ota, Sagamu; Nasarawa State; Lafia, Wamba and Cross River; Ikom, Ogoja Farinloye also listed Bauchi State: Jamaare, Misau, Azare, Itas ,Kafin Madaki,Kari, Kirfi, Tafawa Balewa, Katagum; Jigawa; Hadejia, Miga; Osun State; Ilesa, Oshogbo and Kwara; Kosubosu. The rest are Zamfara; Anka, Bungudu, Gusau; Sokoto State; Goronyo; Adamawa; Numan, Shelleng; Taraba: Serti; Benue; Ito, Katsina-Alan, Vande-Ikya; Imo State: Oguta, Orlu and Abia State; Ugba.  NEMA’s Farinloye further emphasized the critical importance of taking preventive measures and staying informed about weather updates to mitigate potential risks. Residents in these identified states and communities are advised to be vigilant and prepare for potential flooding situations as the rainy season continues this month.

FCTA inaugurates task force on safe handling of petroleum products

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has inaugurated a Ministerial Task Force on the safe handling of petroleum products in the capital city, Abuja. The Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, while inaugurating the task force in Abuja on Thursday, said that the measure was to curtail incidences of fire outbreaks in the nation’s capital. Adesola said that fire outbreaks in the FCT in recent times had resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of property. He vowed to sanction any fuel-filling station within the territory that failed to observe the necessary safety measures as required by law. “In 2022 alone, no fewer than four filling stations were reported to have been gutted by fire within the FCT. “Improper handling of petroleum products, as well as non-compliance with safety measures as it concerns operational guidelines of managing filling stations have been largely responsible for several fire outbreaks,” he noted. Adesola expressed optimism that the Ministerial Task Force would work assiduously to reduce occurrences of fire outbreak by ensuring that operators of filling stations adhered strictly to safety measures. He explained that inaugurating the taskforce was a proactive step taken by the government to secure the lives and property of residents. He said that part of the terms of reference of the taskforce was to monitor and ensure compliance to safe timing of uploading and offloading of volatile substances, including petrol and cooking gas. He said that the task force was also expected to monitor and ensure that all filling stations had functional, basic and relevant equipment. Adesola also said that the task force would ensure that filling stations had trained fire safety officers. “They are also to monitor and ensure that volatile substances are not off-loaded with vehicles or customers already waiting within the premises of the filling stations. “The task force is expected to clamp down on “black market” operators and the filling stations conniving with them. “The task force will be expected to recommend the closure of filling stations violating basic fire safety rules and those found colluding with black market operators. The members of the task force were drawn from the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Development Control, FCTA Fire Service Department, and FCTA Department of Security Services. Others, he said, were drawn from the Department of State Security Services, the Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the National Union of Road Transport Workers. The task force also has representatives from NNPC upstream and downstream sectors, major petroleum marketers’ associations, and independent marketers’ associations. Responding, the Chairman of the Task Force, Dr Idriss Abbas, Director-General, FEMA, thanked the FCTA for finding the members capable of handling the assignment. He assured the FCTA that the task force would work assiduously to deliver on the mandate.