“NO ELECTRICITY, NO VOTE,” SOUTH AFRICANS THREATEN TO SHUN RULING PARTY ANC. (PHOTO)

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 “No electricity, no vote,” South Africans threaten to shun ruling party ANC Residents in Katlehong, a township outside Johannesburg, have resolved to boycott South Africa's upcoming local elections on November 4 due to long-standing failures by authorities to provide basic services like electricity. For over 20 years, around 180 households in the community have relied on illegal electrical connections pulled from neighboring areas to power their homes. Angry over the lack of formal grid infrastructure, residents are directing their frustration at the ruling African National Congress (ANC). "We have made a collective decision: no electricity, no vote," said community leader Lesiba Rankapole, 59. "We know it is illegal, but we had no choice because we cannot live without electricity. Our children cannot progress without electricity." "I was born ANC, but today I do not want anyone to tell me about the ANC because I am suffering," added 57-year-old resid...

EX-MILITANTS PETITION EFCC OVER ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION IN AMNESTY PROGRAMME. (PHOTO).


 Ex-militants petition EFCC over alleged misappropriation in amnesty programme


Some former Niger Delta militants have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged misappropriation of funds at the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

In a petition sent to the EFCC on Friday, the ex-militants, under the banner of the Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum, demanded a probe into the activities of the programme led by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Niger Delta Affairs, Dennis Otuaro.

The forum asked the EFCC to investigate the award of contracts to moribund companies and the misappropriation of over 50 billion naira of public funds meant for the development of the Nigeria Delta region.

In a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Saturday, the forum convener, Odey Otunu, claimed that the award of contracts to moribund companies was in clear violation of procurement regulations.

He said, “We all acknowledge the interest of the President Tinubu-led government in the development of the Niger Delta Region through the release of funds for Niger Delta-oriented Government parastatals like the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Presidential Amnesty Office.

“As a group, we cannot fold our hands and watch those who are supposed to be beacons of hope and pilots of the development in the Niger Delta Region become our nightmares, hence this to amplify the plight of the region before things get out of hand.

The former militants vowed to embark on a protest if no probe was initiated into the allegations and the programme coordinator was not investigated.

“If nothing is done, we will mobilise for a peaceful protest to drive home their request to ensure accountability, ” Otunu warned.

However, as of the time of filing the report, the programme coordinator, Dennis Otuaro, has yet to respond to the message sent to his mobile phone.

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