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Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Azura Power commissions two pivotal community projects in Orior-Osemwende, Edo State
In yet another significant commitment to the socio-economic development of its host communities, Azura Power West Africa Limited (APWAL) on Wednesday, 28 May, 2025 inaugurated two pivotal projects in Orior-Osemwende Community, Benin City, Edo State: the reconstructed Orior Primary Health Centre and the 1.1km Orior Community Road, thereby scaling up access to qualitative healthcare and improved connectivity for the residents of the community. The two key projects executed through the "Power to Change" (PTC) initiative – the company's strategic Corporate & Social Responsibility vehicle – address the critical needs within the host community, the company stated. The Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who performed the formal commissioning of the projects, commended Azura Power West Africa Limited for its investment in initiatives that tangibly impact the lives and well-being of Nigerians, emphasising the benefits of partnership and collaboration between the government and the private sector toward accelerating the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The governor stated that Azura Power's sustained commitment to making a real difference in the lives of the residents of the Orior-Osemwende community was exemplary and worthy of emulation for other businesses. In his welcome speech, Managing Director, Azura Power West Africa Limited, Mr. Edu Okeke, disclosed that the two projects, culminating in a total cost of 1.66 billion Naira, were aimed to significantly enhance healthcare infrastructure by providing a modern and improved primary healthcare facility for the residents of its host communities - Orior-Osemwende, Ihovbor and Idunmwowina – and adjoining communities, as well as improve community connectivity by delivering vital road infrastructure to facilitate movement, access, and overall quality of life. 'For us at Azura Power West Africa Limited, the reconstructed Orior Primary Health Centre and the 1.1km Orior Community Road in Orior-Osemwende community not only exemplify APWAL's continued dedication to our host communities but also highlight the tangible impact of the 'Power to Change' programme in fostering sustainable development and empowering lives at the grassroots level,'' he stated. He said further that Azura Power's PTC programme was a positive example of how corporate entities can meaningfully contribute to the development of their host communities, showcasing a model of responsible corporate citizenship. Okeke expressed deep gratitude to Governor Okpebholo-led administration for providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, and noted that the governor's commitment to improved security, road and general infrastructure across the state would go a long way in attracting more investors into Edo State. 'The reconstructed primary health centre will directly improve healthcare access and outcomes for the residents of Orior-Osemwende. Similarly, the newly built community road will enhance connectivity, ease of movement, and overall quality of life for the community members, potentially impacting economic activities and social interactions. If we take our modest contribution to community development as examples of incentives to attract more investors, the impact will be more when it is done on a large scale,'' Okeke affirmed. He assured of Azura Power's long-term commitment to the socio-economic advancement of its host communities, stating, 'We will position the 'Power to Change' programme as a testament to this long-term vision of creating positive and lasting change, demonstrating that APWAL is a responsible and invested partner in the community's progress.''
The Journal
4 days ago
- The Journal
Thousands of images of Irish women and girls uploaded to site containing sexual threats
GARDAÍ HAS BEEN urged to investigate an online forum where thousands of images of girls and women from across Ireland have been posted without their knowledge. The pictures appear to have been taken from both the public and private social media accounts of those targeted, with some posted alongside sexual threats. They appeared on content sharing site Reddit in an Irish subgroup which encourages its 3,200 plus members to 'trade' images of 'IRL (in real life) girls' for sexual gratification. Many of those images include teenagers in their school uniforms, alongside their names, ages and locations. Their schools are also easily identifiable. Other pictures were of women, some clearly taken without consent. Most of the content was published alongside misogynistic, sexist and explicit comments, most of which is too offensive to publish. One post included an image of a woman getting into a car, clearly taken without her knowledge. It was uploaded to the Irish subgroup, where one user encouraged others to share similar images. The group specifically targeted women and girls from the north and south of Ireland, with some posts listing victims by county. Requests were also made to upload images of females from specific towns and cities. After being made aware of the forum by The Journal Investigates , Clíona Saidléar, Executive Director of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland urged gardaí to investigate. She said that due to the seriousness of the content involved, she would be unable to provide further comment. 'This is a matter for gardaí and I would urge them to investigate,' Saidléar said. In a statement issued to The Journal Investigates , a Reddit spokesperson confirmed it had now taken down the group, which had been active since August 2024. 'Non-consensual intimate media has no place on Reddit,' a spokesperson said. 'We prohibit this content and have teams, tools, and processes dedicated to dedicating and removing it. In line with our policies, the community in question was banned.' PSNI 'will take action' The Journal Investigates also contacted gardaí about the activities of the online forum. However, at the time of publication, it had not responded to requests for comment. However, in a statement issued to The Journal Investigates , the PSNI said it will 'take action if images of women and girls of an explicit nature are shared online' and vowed to investigate 'any harmful threats made'. PSNI Detective Superintendent (DS) Lindsay Fisher said: 'We recently launched our Power to Change campaign which is aimed at placing a societal focus on those who objectify and disrespect women. Advertisement 'The main purpose of this campaign is a call to action, where boys and men are asked to speak out against misogynistic behaviour and talk to friends or family who may be engaging either in person or online in this way. DS Fisher added that 'all women and girls should be free and feel safe' to use social media without being 'the subject of abuse and objectification'. 'As a Police Service we will take action if images of women and girls of an explicit nature are shared online, and will investigate any harmful threats made.' Reddit, where users can create niche online communities called 'subreddits', allows users to share content, discuss topics and interact with others who share similar interests. Each subreddit has its own set of rules, and is moderated by self-appointed 'community members'. The subgroup in question was set up and moderated by one account since August last year. That account, under an anonymous username, claimed to be a male from Ireland who had just celebrated his 18th birthday. Some using the group also claimed to be still in school, with some organising 'trades' of images on other platforms. One disturbing post, named a school in the north of Ireland and requested 'stories' of girls aged '15 or 16'. In another, users were asked to upload pictures of their female relatives. File image of the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. In 2020, gardaí launched an investigation into the alleged uploading of images and videos of Irish women and girls, without their consent, to a number of online forums. It was after advocacy and lobbying group Victims Alliance claimed tens of thousands of images had been shared, many including minors. However, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris later said there have been no formal complaints made of image-based sexual abuse in relation to the images. He also confirmed that around 10,000 images had been assessed, but none contained 'images of child abuse within them'. — Patricia Devlin is an investigative reporter with The Journal Investigates . Our investigative unit is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. This takes time and it takes resources. Find out how you can help: Support The Journal Investigates Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Victim with 'hole in her face' says former partner blamed her
A woman who suffered a broken jaw and teeth after being assaulted by her ex-boyfriend said she was blamed by him for the attack. "I went to the mirror. My teeth were hanging on by threads from my gums...I could hardly speak; I could only just use my lips. I said to him, 'Do you realise you have ruined my life?' and he said, 'You can thank yourself'." Eva Komuves was speaking at the launch of a new campaign aimed at ending violence against women and girls (VAWG). The Power to Change campaign aims to address the attitudes of men and boys towards women and girls in Northern Ireland. The campaign is being backed by the PSNI, the Department of Justice (DoJ), and the Stormont executive. Warning: This content contains images and descriptions that some readers may find upsetting Ms Komuves is a survivor of physical and psychological violence at the hands of her former partner, who has pleaded guilty to a number of charges and will be sentenced in February. She said her abuse didn't start with violence; it began with words. "He was criticising my work, my hobbies, my daily routine, and my eating habits. He was controlling my circle of friends. He criticised the way I dressed." "When I raised it as an issue, he said I was attacking him. He made me feel guilty." Eva said her former partner would "raise his voice", and "when he didn't like what I said he started to punch a chair, a wall". She said when she confronted her partner about being on dating sites, he punched her for the first time. "He said he would never hit me again," she said, but added that he would raise his fist to her face during confrontation. "In a text message he said, 'I would never hit you again, but I enjoy watching you flinch.'" She recounted another attack when he punched her and she fell. "I had bruises on my legs and hip. I stood up...I felt I was bleeding...I felt that my mouth was full, that I had a hole in my face. The campaign has published a series of films and advertising, urging men and boys to reflect on their actions and language to promote a cultural change. One film shows a man harassing a woman in the gym and being challenged by another man. Another depicts two friends discussing online interactions with a girl and sending her unsolicited sexual images. Ms Komuves has had numerous treatments and dental surgeries due to the attack in which her jaw and some of her teeth were broken. But she told the audience at the launch of the campaign that when she looks in the mirror now she sees "a strong woman who stood up and broke the cycle". Speaking about the culture of abuse in Northern Ireland, she said "lad culture" is accepted and "it shouldn't be". "It has gone unchallenged for too long. "We assume that boys are educated on how to speak to women and not treat them as objects, but they are not," she added. Between January 2019 and December 2024, 32 women and girls across Northern Ireland were killed by men. PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher said there had been a blind spot in how policing dealt with domestic abuse in the past, but the force is now committed to ending VAWG. "This is about empowering men and boys, not isolating them. "It's time that we men reflected on our own behaviours and attitudes." Boutcher said: "Women are not responsible for preventing harassment or misogyny against not right." Justice Minister Naomi Long said "much work has been done" by the DoJ to "help make Northern Ireland a safer place for women and girls". She added that we need to change "attitudes that permit and enable unacceptable behaviours". First Minister Michelle O'Neill praised Eva for speaking out and said the campaign is "another important step forward in our collective effort to end violence against women and girls".
BBC News
29-01-2025
- BBC News
VAWG: Victim with 'hole in her face' says attacker blamed her
A woman who suffered a broken jaw and teeth after being assaulted by her ex-boyfriend said she was blamed by him for the attack."I went to the mirror. My teeth were hanging on by threads from my gums...I could hardly speak; I could only just use my lips. I said to him, 'Do you realise you have ruined my life?' and he said, 'You can thank yourself'."Eva Komuves was speaking at the launch of a new campaign aimed at ending violence against women and girls (VAWG). The Power to Change campaign aims to address the attitudes of men and boys towards women and girls in Northern campaign is being backed by the PSNI, the Department of Justice (DoJ), and the Stormont executive. Warning: This content contains images and descriptions that some readers may find upsetting Ms Komuves is a survivor of physical and psychological violence at the hands of her former partner, who has pleaded guilty to a number of charges and will be sentenced in February. She said her abuse didn't start with violence; it began with words."He was criticising my work, my hobbies, my daily routine, and my eating habits. He was controlling my circle of friends. He criticised the way I dressed.""When I raised it as an issue, he said I was attacking him. He made me feel guilty."Eva said her former partner would "raise his voice", and "when he didn't like what I said he started to punch a chair, a wall". 'I had a hole in my face' She said when she confronted her partner about being on dating sites, he punched her for the first time. "He said he would never hit me again," she said, but added that he would raise his fist to her face during confrontation. "In a text message he said, 'I would never hit you again, but I enjoy watching you flinch.'"She recounted another attack when he punched her and she fell. "I had bruises on my legs and hip. I stood up...I felt I was bleeding...I felt that my mouth was full, that I had a hole in my face. The campaign has published a series of films and advertising, urging men and boys to reflect on their actions and language to promote a cultural change. One film shows a man harassing a woman in the gym and being challenged by another depicts two friends discussing online interactions with a girl and sending her unsolicited sexual images. ' I broke the cycle' Ms Komuves has had numerous treatments and dental surgeries due to the attack in which her jaw and some of her teeth were she told the audience at the launch of the campaign that when she looks in the mirror now she sees "a strong woman who stood up and broke the cycle". Speaking about the culture of abuse in Northern Ireland, she said "lad culture" is accepted and "it shouldn't be"."It has gone unchallenged for too long. "We assume that boys are educated on how to speak to women and not treat them as objects, but they are not," she added. Between January 2019 and December 2024, 32 women and girls across Northern Ireland were killed by men. 'Men must reflect on behaviour' PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher said there had been a blind spot in how policing dealt with domestic abuse in the past, but the force is now committed to ending VAWG."This is about empowering men and boys, not isolating them."It's time that we men reflected on our own behaviours and attitudes."Boutcher said: "Women are not responsible for preventing harassment or misogyny against not right."Justice Minister Naomi Long said "much work has been done" by the DoJ to "help make Northern Ireland a safer place for women and girls".She added that we need to change "attitudes that permit and enable unacceptable behaviours". First Minister Michelle O'Neill praised Eva for speaking out and said the campaign is "another important step forward in our collective effort to end violence against women and girls".
The Independent
29-01-2025
- The Independent
Domestic violence victim calls for end to lad culture as new campaign launched
A victim of domestic violence who had her jaw broken by an abusive partner has called for an end to the lad culture in Northern Ireland as she backed a new campaign to tackle misogynistic behaviours. Eva Komuves suffered severe facial injuries in the attack in August 2023. Five of her teeth were knocked out and her jaw and palate were fractured. Her ex-partner had previously broken her nose in an incident in 2021. He recently pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and common assault and is currently awaiting sentencing. Ms Komuves, from east Belfast, recounted her experiences in vivid detail at the launch of the Power to Change campaign in Belfast. She said she hoped sharing her story would inspire other victims to seek support. 'Unfortunately my story is far from unique,' she said. 'In Northern Ireland, too many women and girls have suffered terribly at the hands of men. Many others have faced harassment on the street or in the workplace or been the subject of sexist jokes. 'These behaviours tend to go unchallenged because we rationalise as a society that they aren't committing a crime. 'The lad culture in Northern Ireland is accepted and it shouldn't be. It only feeds the confidence that misogynistic men have to further their negative behaviours towards women and girls, and I'm speaking from experience.' Ms Komuves received a standing ovation from the audience at the Cineworld launch venue after sharing her story. 'I hope that this campaign helps men and boys to feel brave enough not to follow the crowds and to be the voice for women and girls,' she said. 'As a society, it's about time that we stood up for what is right. When I look in the mirror now, I see a strong woman, I see someone who chose to stand up and break the cycle. 'I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others to find the courage to do the same.' The Power to Change campaign, which is backed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Stormont's Department of Justice and Executive Office, aims to challenge men and boys to change their attitudes towards women and girls and call out inappropriate behaviour if they witness it. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher was joined by First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Justice minister Naomi Long and junior minister Pam Cameron at the event in Cineworld in the SSE Arena on Wednesday. The launch reflected on rates of femicide in Northern Ireland, where 32 women and girls have been killed by men in the last five years. The campaign focuses on negative male attitudes and behaviours towards females in society and challenges men and boys to help bring about a societal shift. It seeks to empower males to safely intervene to challenge inappropriate actions or unwanted comments. The campaign will see a series of graphics and four scenario-based videos showcased on social media through targeted ads aimed at men and boys. It will also be visible across the region on buses, in washrooms of hospitality venues, digital posters and billboards. The lad culture in Northern Ireland is accepted and it shouldn't be. It only feeds the confidence that misogynistic men have to further their negative behaviours towards women and girls, and I'm speaking from experience Eva Komuves Mr Boutcher said the aim was to empower men and boys, not isolate them. 'It's time that we men reflected on our own behaviours and attitudes – and those of our friends, family and colleagues – towards women and girls in order to prevent offending and make our society a safer place,' he said. 'Women are not responsible for preventing harassment or misogyny against them. For too long we have communicated ways in which they can keep themselves safe. It's not right. 'Yes, not all men behave in an inappropriate way towards women and girls but at some point, all have stood back and said nothing while it's happened right in front of them. 'What can men do? Power to Change asks them to think about the impact their behaviour or their friend's behaviour has on women and girls, and how to step in. Be the person who has that quiet word with a friend or checks if the woman is ok. Encourage them not to do something that they regret. 'This campaign is holding up a mirror to harassing and degrading behaviours that impact women and girls in our communities and focuses on a solution – it's up to men to step up now and to stop offending before it starts.' First Minister Ms O'Neill described the campaign as another 'important step forward' in the collective effort to end violence against women and girls. 'Initiatives such as this, and the Change Fund which was launched recently by the Executive Office, focus on bringing real change across our society,' she said. We need to focus on prevention and tackling the underlying causes of violence before it starts and this campaign is part of that wider society approach Emma Little-Pengelly 'Dealing with this issue requires tackling the root causes – such as the misogynistic behaviour and harmful attitudes that are all too prevalent. 'I welcome the fact this campaign will encourage men and boys to think about the way they treat and talk to women so that they feel safe and respected.' Deputy First Minister Ms Little-Pengelly, who was unable to attend the launch event in person, also welcomed the initiative. 'The recent murders of women here are a tragic reminder of the consequences of toxic attitudes and the devastating harm caused by violence against women and girls,' she said in a statement. 'We need to focus on prevention and tackling the underlying causes of violence before it starts and this campaign is part of that wider society approach. 'By working together, we can bring about the meaningful change we all want to see. We can create a better society where violence against women and girls is never accepted and where everyone is safe.' Justice minister Ms Long said while legislation could help police take action against abusers, it was vital to 'go upstream' and change the attitudes that 'permit and enable unacceptable behaviours in the first place'. 'A zero-tolerance approach to abuse, misogyny and harassment is essential and that can only be achieved when each of us steps up and intervenes when we see examples of inappropriate behaviour,' she said.
