Business
#EndSARS: Timing of social media regulation is suspicious – Olumide Akpata
The NBA president has noted his suspicion over the timing of the government’s proposed plan to regulate social media.

Published
4 months agoon

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, said the Federal Government’s plan to introduce regulation of social media after the #EndSARS protests are suspicious, as the social media space is already regulated.
Mr. Akpata disclosed this in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday.
What you should know
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, last week said the Federal Government has no plans of shutting down social media but must regulate it to prevent the spread of hate speech.
“They (#EndSARS protesters) mobilized using social media. The war today revolves around two things. Smartphones and data and these young men don’t even watch television or listen to the radio or read newspapers.
“We are sitting on a time bomb regarding this issue of fake news. Unfortunately, we have no national policy on social media and we need one,” Lai Mohammed said.
Mr. Akpata said in his interview that social media is already regulated, as he struggles to see if Nigeria wants to regulate or shut down social media.
“I struggle with the terms that we bandy around. As I said, I think the social media space is regulated already.
“Are we saying regulate or shutdown? What are we saying because we hear them using regulate? We hear the minister of Information use the word ‘sanitize.’ I just say to myself, ‘what are we trying to do?’ The timing is suspicious.
“And if we need to tweak the laws here and there, as we amend our laws every day to meet with issues that may come up, which were not previously contemplated, we are all well and good,” Akpata said.
He also added that going overboard would not be advisable, as the government’s plans may not work.
“But it is not throwing out the baby and the bathwater approach like I suspect is in contemplation by those who are handling the levers of power today. That is not going to work,” he said.
Business
AfDB signs $400k grant with SEC to strengthen securities market regulation
The AfDB has signed a $400, 000 grant with Nigeria’s SEC to strengthen securities market regulation.

Published
2 hours agoon
March 8, 2021
The African Development Bank, AfDB, has signed a $400, 000 grant with Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission to strengthen securities market regulation.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Federal Government on Sunday, as it stated that the grant would also be used to broaden market instruments.
SEC boss, Lamido Yuguda said: “This collaboration further underscores our mutual goal to grow our markets and create viable avenues for sustainable economic development for Nigeria and the region.”
READ: AfDB to assist West African countries deliver on carbon emission reductions
What you should know
Nairametrics recently reported that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the African Development Fund (ADF) – the concessional arm of the African Development Bank signed a loan agreement of 73.6 billion Japanese yen ($668.1 million) to support the 15th replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-15).
Business
Lagos seals 11 event centres, night clubs, in Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Ikeja, others
The Lagos State Government has shut down 11 facilities in the State for contravening Covid-19 directives.

Published
7 hours agoon
March 8, 2021
The Lagos State Government, on Saturday and Sunday, shut down 11 facilities which include event centres, lounges and night clubs among others, for contravening Covid-19 directives.
This follows the reported gathering of a large number of people, beyond the expected number, at those facilities.
This disclosure was made by the Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSC), Mr Lanre Mojola, after the sealing exercise in Lagos on Sunday.
According to a report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mojola said though the affected event centres originally informed the agency of their intentions to organise parties and events, they failed to meet the expectations of the agency on complying with Covid-19 protocols.
READ: Lagos moves to reopen cinemas, bars, tourism centres as it issues guidelines to be met
He said that those facilities were sealed for non-compliance with Covid -19 Health Protection Regulations of the State and Federal Government.
Mojola, who was represented at the sealing of the property by Dr Wale Adeboje, the Events Safety Administrator of LSC, maintained that the enforcement exercise saw event centres, bars and lounge sealed between Saturday and Sunday.
The event centres, bars and lounges sealed between Saturday and Sunday include UBC Club, VGC, Sapearz Lounge, Awolowo road, Ikoyi, Bravo event centre, Ogba, Ronite Event Centre, Iju Road, Agege.
Other sealed centres are All Season Event Centre, Ipaja, OlaideAdeoluwa Memorial Hall, Carabana Lounge/Bar Isolo, Ajao Estate, DNA Victoria Island, Twist Lounge Kofo Abayomi Victoria Island, Carlsbad Lounge Adeniyi Jones Ikeja and Darts Event Centre, Grammar School, Ifako Ijaiye.
READ: Lagos, Chinese firm to rollout 1,000 SUVs as taxis, to complete auto assembly plant in 12 months
Mojola said, “The facilities were sealed for non-compliance with the Event Safety Clearance that was issued to them by the commission.
“The commission will continue to monitor and enforce compliance across the state while warning that all the Covid-19 violators and perpetrators will be summoned to the commission’s office in Alausa for further directives on what to do as far as their negligence and non-compliance is concerned.’’
He urged event owners to register and obtain permits on www.lasgsafetyreg.com, adding that the event facilities visited applied for 50 guests inside and 150 guests outdoor.
The LSC boss said that to the commission’s surprise, they had 150 guests inside and more than 200 guests outside, without following the use of face masks and hand sanitisers.
What you should know
- In a bid to curb the spread of the virus in the state, the Lagos state government has taken stern actions which have affected the operations of key relaxation hubs.
- The government, through the Lagos State Safety Commission, has been on an enforcement drive with the sealing of event centres, night clubs and even religious centres over non-compliance of Covid-19 protocols.
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