BABILOWN~Mawolè

Dialogue on branding Ghana, South Africa held in Accra

Yoruba Community To Celebrate 200-Years In Ghana

Nigerian Navy to Export War Ships

Lagos – The Nigerian Navy says it is building commercial war ships for export within the African countries. The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Dele Ezeoba, said this on Tuesday when he inspected the second indigenous patrol ship under construction at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos. Ezeoba expressed confident that the Nigerian Navy was skilled enough to build patrol ships between 10 and 38 metres in size for export. “The Nigerian Navy will no longer buy a ship of between 10 and 12 metres in size, because we have the capacity and capability to build them in our dockyard,’’ he said. According to him, the ship under construction is in the same class with first indigenous 31 metres patrol ship, NSS Andoni, but was redesigned and upgraded to 38 metres. Ezeoba said that the ship building business would not only attract economic value but create job for hundreds of thousands of Nigerians in the maritime sector and beyond. He assured that the second indigenous ship would be delivered to Nigerian Navy by the dockyard for its inauguration into the fleets latest by June 2014. At the NSS Beecroft, the Naval Chief also inaugurated four new patrol shaldag mante boats to enhance operational capability of the base in addition to the six of their class which were inaugurated in December 2012. Earlier, while addressing officers and rating at the Naval Training Command, Apapa, Ezeoba announced plan to build a new Navy barrack in Abuja in order to address the accommodation problem in the service. He said that the Naval Headquarters was looking at the possibility of channelling the lodging allowances of officers and ratings, which amounted to N3.6 billion annually, into building more houses within a year.(NAN) source

La Fourmi et l'Acacia : Mutualisme ou Manipulation ?

Le mutualisme, ce n'est pas qu'une histoire de banque et d'assurance. En biologie, ce terme désigne une association équilibrée entre deux partenaires qui en tirent un bénéfice. Un accord gagnant-gagnant, pour reprendre une expression de l'époque. Un des cas les plus cités est celui de la mycorhize, une symbiose entre les racines des plantes et le mycélium des champignons, c'est-à-dire leur réseau de filaments souterrains : le champignon sert en quelque sorte d'extension aux racines de la plante et lui apporte de l'eau ou des éléments comme le phosphore tandis qu'en contrepartie, son partenaire l'alimente en sucres par exemple. Il se peut aussi que le mutualisme associe un végétal et un animal, comme dans le cas instructif de l'acacia et des fourmis. L'acacia a besoin de défenseurs, soit contre les herbivores que ses épines n'effraient pas, soit contre les plantes qui viennent pousser trop près de lui. Défenseur, c'est donc le rôle que les fourmis ont endossé en échange du gîte et du couvert. Le gîte est constitué par des épines creuses où les insectes installent leurs colonies et le couvert par du nectar sucré et de minuscules nodosités riches en protéines et en lipides. Pour leur part, les fourmis attaquent impitoyablement les herbivores qui veulent se nourrir de la plante et sont d'une efficacité si redoutable qu'en Afrique, même les éléphants se détournent d'une espèce d'acacia tant ils craignent les morsures des fourmis qui la protègent ! Le cas d'un acacia d'Amérique centrale, l'acacia corne de bœuf, semble encore plus raffiné. Son hôte, la fourmi Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus, est en effet affectée d'une petite carence digestive. Adulte, elle ne sécrète quasiment pas une enzyme, l'invertase, qui brise la molécule du saccharose (celle qui compose le sucre du commerce), en deux molécules plus petites, une de glucose et une de fructose qui, elles, sont ensuite assimilées aisément par l'organisme. Pour le dire autrement, cette fourmi ne digère pas le sucre de table. Eh bien, la plante pousse l'amabilité jusqu'à synthétiser elle-même de l'invertase et ne propose donc dans son nectar que du fructose et du glucose, que ses insectes locataires-défenseurs peuvent manger sans problème. Magnifique ? Pas si simple. Une équipe de chercheurs allemands et mexicains a été intriguée par le fait que l'évolution ait conduit cette fourmi à "perdre" l'invertase, alors qu'il lui arrive, lorsqu'elle s'en prend aux plantes voisines, d'être en contact avec du miel ou de sève sucrée. Pourquoi se priver de cette source facile de sucres ? Leurs soupçons ont été éveillés lorsqu'ils se sont aperçus que les larves de fourmis produisaient normalement de l'invertase et ils se sont posé la question suivante : et si l'acacia n'était pas aussi serviable qu'il y paraissait de prime abord ? Et s'il manipulait le métabolisme de la fourmi adulte pour l'empêcher de synthétiser l'enzyme et la retenir prisonnière ?… suite

Nigeria: FG Replies Amaechi On 'Missing' U.S.$5 Billion

The Federal Ministry of Finance yesterday denied making secret withdrawals from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) without the knowledge of state governments. It was reacting to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi who claimed at the weekend in Sokoto that $5 billion was missing from the account. In a statement in Abuja yesterday, the ministry said the monies were shared over a period of months among the three tiers of government with the express approval of state governors. "Governor Amaechi... has been closely involved and actively participated in making requests to the Presidency for the ECA to be shared for the purpose of augmenting the regular allocations from the Federation Account whenever there is a shortfall," the statement said. "The $5 billion in the ECA which Governor Amaechi referred to in his statement has been shared to the three tiers of government to make up for the revenue shortfalls during the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee process. Part of this fund also went for SURE-

P payments and the balance for subsidy payments to oil marketers." It said Rivers State received N56.2 billion, the second highest share among the states, for January to September from the account. "It is therefore curious that Governor Amaechi seems not to know the whereabouts of the N56.2 billion which Rivers State has received from the ECA this year," the ministry said. Amaechi had also accused Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of refusing to sign the African Development Bank (ADB) loan for a water project in Port Harcourt. continued

Fresh outrage at alleged Chime’s detention of wife

Fenêtre sur le Monde : Par-dessus le Bien et le Mal de Haiyan

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Fenêtre sur le Monde : Feu de l’Espoir en Palestine

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Ghana, Ivory Coast agree on resolving maritime dispute

Ghana and Ivory Coast have agreed to constitute a joint team to establish the geographical boundaries of a disputed area off the coast of Ghana, rich in oil and gas. Ivory Coast recently renewed its efforts to claim the oil-rich C100 maritime area, which Ghana said is part of its territorial waters. Ghana thought it had exclusive possession and occupation of the territory until April this year, when Ivory Coast announced it had struck oil on a block off Ivory Coast and adjacent Ghana’s Jubilee Field. The territory is estimated to hold about 2 billion barrels of oil reserves and another 1.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Ghanaian and Ivorian officials held a two-day meeting in Accra on Monday and Tuesday, and agreed to send a joint team to the area to clearly demarcate the boundaries. Ghana’s team was led by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, while Ivory

Coast Ambassador to Ghana Bernard Ehui-Koutoua led his country's side. At the end of talks the two countries set June 2014 to conclude the delimitation. Alhaji Inusah Fuseini told Joy News Fred Smith that a joint team will visit the disputed area on November 26. Meanwhile, a law lecturer, Mr Kofi Abotsi said the issue was a complex one that required a cross national trans-boundary committee to address the concerns of both countries to prevent any dispute from escalation. …. continued

L'Amour est quelque chose

Quand il n’y a plus d’amour entre un homme et une femme, c’est là qu’on se rend compte que l’amour est quelque chose, et non pas seulement une vue sociale ou sexuelle de l’esprit

Troisième édition du Tour cycliste Cedeao au départ de Lagos

Le 3ème tour cycliste de la Communauté économique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Cedeao) va prend son départ ce jour pour Abidjan le 17 novembre prochain. Quatre coureurs béninois s’alignent dès le départ de cette compétition qui s’annonce d’ores et déjà relevée. Ils seront au total 70 cyclistes de l’espace Cedeao qui prendront part au lancement de la 3ème édition du tour international de la Cédéao. Ils seront, entre autres, des pays comme le Bénin, le Burkina Faso, la Côte d’Ivoire, le Ghana, la Gambie, la Guinée, la Guinée-Bissau, le Libéria, le Mali, le Niger, le Nigéria, le Sénégal, la Sierra Léone et le Togo. Ces cyclistes venus de 14 pays vont rivaliser d’ardeur pour décrocher le précieux sésame final. Comme la précédente, cette 3ème édition du tour cycliste sera courue en quatre étapes couvrant deux pays : le Nigéria et la Côte d’Ivoire. Les quatre étapes se présentent comme suit : Lagos-Cotonou (117km), Ouidah-Lomé (115km), Accra-Cape Coast (120 km) et enfin, Aboisso-Abidjan (120 km). Lancée en 2009 et organisée par le  Centre pour le développement de la jeunesse et du sport (Cdjs) de la Communauté économique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, le tour cycliste international de la CEDEAO est une extension du tour cycliste de l’union du fleuve Mano. Le président de la fédération ivoirienne de cyclisme qui aura l’honneur de conclure à Abidjan la

dernière étape estime que « c’est un privilège pour le cyclisme de son pays qui aura un concurrent lors de la compétition qu’est le Burkina Faso ». La délégation béninoise Le Bénin va compter sur quatre cyclistes notamment Augustin Amoussouvi, Arnaud Tituiga, Robert Kponha et Guillaume Fassinou. Ils seront accompagnés par le directeur technique national, Fernand Gandaho, le mécanicien, le représentant de la fédération béninoise de cyclisme (FéBéCy), Félix Zinsou et le représentant du ministère des sports. Selon le président de la fédération béninoise de cyclisme, Réthice Dagba, « le Tour cycliste international de la CEDEAO sert de préparation pour les championnats d’Afrique de cyclisme qui auront lieu en Egypte du 29 novembre au 05 décembre 2013 ».  … suite

U.S. to name Nigeria's Boko Haram as terrorist group: sources

(Reuters) - The State Department will formally designate the Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram as a "foreign terrorist organization" on Wednesday, congressional sources and others briefed on the matter said. The designation is significant because it directs U.S. law enforcement and regulatory agencies to block business and financial transactions with Boko Haram, which wants to impose Islamic law in northern Nigeria and has ties to al Qaeda. The move makes it a crime under U.S. law to provide "material support" to the group. A State Department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Boko Haram and other splinter Islamist groups are seen as the biggest security threat in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country and top oil exporter. In May, President Goodluck Jonathan increased a military campaign against Boko Haram. His government said last week that it has killed 70 civilians. The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which a source said has been notified of the decision, has scheduled a hearing on the group for Wednesday. "The likelihood of more hearings on this issue may have been a final straw in encouraging the State Department to acknowledge something which has been apparent for some time - the growing

relationship between Boko Haram and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula," said U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, a Pennsylvania Republican who convened his own hearing on the issue. "MAJOR CONCERN" Meehan chairs a Homeland Security subcommittee, not a Foreign Affairs committee, and has not been briefed by the State Department. "Boko Haram is of growing influence and of major concern," he said. Last year, the Justice Department's senior top national security official, Lisa Monaco, sent a letter to the State Department arguing that Boko Haram met the criteria to be listed as a "foreign terrorist" group because, she said, it either engages in terrorism that threatens the United States or has a capability or intent to do so. continued

The Curse Of The Broken Vessel & Nigeria At The Crossroads

Bénin : A quand la Thaïlandisation de nos Populations ?

Candide Azannaï, ou la Démocratie Épisodique

Dans une interview fort édifiante, CANDIDE AZANNAÏ se montre combatif contre la perpétuation au pouvoir de Yayi Boni, dont l'un des moyens et des artifices--certes pas les seuls--est la révision opportuniste de la constitution. Le trublion du landerneau politique béninois, l'homme qui sait tirer à hue et à dia, fait croire, la main sur le cœur, que sa motivation principale est ancrée dans son éthique démocratique, son attachement viscéral à la démocratie. Il se fait fort de faire remonter cette éthique à sa biographie, ses combats de jeunesse et le rôle qu'il a joué durant la conférence nationale, où son action était placée sous le signe de la démocratie. CANDIDE AZANNAÏ parle aussi de la fidélité aux engagements, et de sa liberté d'action dès lors que ceux-ci ne sont pas respectés. Il livre de lui-même le portrait d'un croisé de la démocratie qui n'a pas peur des contradictions apparentes, et qui n’hésite pas à faire feu de tout bois, pourvu que brûle la flamme de la démocratie. Mais dans cet élan lyrique passablement rationalisant, un gros point noir est perceptible : comment un démocrate digne de ce nom peut-il avoir été du côté de ceux qui, en 2011, ont éreinté la démocratie à travers la confection d'une Lépi truquée et le K.-O. électoral subséquent ? Y aurait-il deux poids et deux mesures dans sa passion pour la démocratie ? D'où vient cette cécité sélective qui ne voit pas la nuisance démocratique  du K.-O. électoral dont il fait partie des

bénéficiaires politiques, distorsion frauduleuse qui continue d'étendre sa malédiction sur la Lépi, alors que tout à coup, dans une de ces résurrections éthiques miraculeuses dont il a le secret, plus prophétique que lui des dessous secrets de la révision tu meurs ? Malgré la satisfaction que peut éprouver tout démocrate de voir l’adepte du zig-zag politique rentrer dans le giron éthique de la continuité démocratique qu’il n'a pas toujours habité, on reste perplexe devant ce qui est devenu chez CANDIDE AZANNAÏ une habitude et une méthode : la rationalisation médiatisée de prises de positions paradoxales, justifiée par la revendication de la vérité, au risque de faire des actes d'hier de troublants mensonges d'aujourd'hui. Adenifuja Bolaji

La Ministre Perdue par ses Fantasmes s’en Prend à son Chauffeur

Lawrence Quayeson, le chauffeur de Victoria Hammah, la vice-ministre ghanéenne des communications limogée, a été libéré par la police après 24 heures de détention. Le chauffeur de 34 ans a été arrêté par une patrouille hier soir et détenu au poste de police de Mile 7, d’Achimota à Accra. Le Prefet de police de la Région du Grand Accra, M Freeman Tettey , a déclaré à la radio Joy News que le sieur Quayeson a été arrêté à la suite d'une plainte officielle déposée par la vice-ministre sortante pour enregistrement secret de sa conversation. La diffusion par les media de l’enregistrement secret a eu pour conséquence le limogeage de la ministre par le président, le vendredi matin. Kwakye Afreh Nuamah de Joy News, qui était au poste de police où le chauffeur a été libéré vers 5h, a déclaré que celui-ci avait l'air déçu après avoir été libéré sous caution grâce à la diligence de son père.

Le commandant du poste du poste de police du district de PK 7, DSP Peter Yembilla a dit à Joy News que Lawrence Quayeson a été libéré sans qu'aucune charge spécifique soit portée contre lui. Le chauffeur a quant à lui dit à Joy News qu'il habitait avec Mme Victoria Hammah et qu’il allait tout droit chez elle pour ramasser ses affaires et quitter la maison. Pendant ce temps, un avocat, Samson Lardi Ayenini a déclaré que l'arrestation du chauffeur de la vice-ministre limogée était illégale. Amené et Trad. par Binason Avèkes

Ghana Grabs $1bn From Brazil For Energy & Agric Projects

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday said Ghana would soon receive a one billion dollar loan facility from the Brazilian government to undertake projects in energy, agriculture and other development projects. He said the government, through the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, would complete all the 4,900 affordable houses started by the Kufuor Administration. “The houses, when completed, would be sold to public and civil servants all over the country to reduce the housing deficit,” he said. President Mahama said this when he cut the sod for start of work on the Republic of Ghana and Construtora OAS Housing Project at Saglemi, near Old Ningo, in the Greater Accra Region. The company is expected to build 5,000 housing units within a four-year period. Ghana Home Loans would be in-charge of the mortgage system of the housing units. President Mahama said public housing was becoming necessary on account of high advance payment demanded landlords and

landladies. He said public workers would, in the next three years, become comfortable as the government was working around the clock to build more housing units throughout the country. The President pledged to provide a leadership that would sustain Ghana’s position as the pride of the African continent in the coming years. President Mahama said the government’s failure in the STX Housing Units gave the government the opportunity to search for alternatives, hence the coming on board by the Brazilian Construtora OAS company. continued

Nigéria: une Chef Service Accusée de Détournement de 17 Milliards

La Commission des crimes économiques et financiers , EFCC , a le jeudi 7 Novembre  2013 traduit une ancienne chef de service de l’Etat d'Oyo, le Mme Kudirat Iyabo Adeleke et 11 autres suspects devant la Haute Cour l'Etat d'Oyo sur des accusations d’association de malfaiteurs, de vol et d’abus de confiance criminel . Les autres suspects qui seront déférés aux côtés Mme Adeleke sont Muili Hakeem Aderemi , ancien Secrétaire exécutif de la Commission des pensions d’Oyo State ; Adedutan Johnson ; Oguntayo Banji , ancien auditeur interne, de la Régie des rentes de l’État d’Oyo , et Kareem Rasheed . D'autres sont : Muili Adedamola ; Adesina Jimoh Ayoade , anciens caissiers de la pension de l’Etat d’Oyo ; Adebiyi Olasumbo

Musendia , ancien officier d'administration, Johnson Bosede ; Iyabo Giwa , anciens caissiers, Adewale Kehinde et Olujinmi Adebayo . Les suspects sont accusés d'avoir volé la somme de 17 Milliards de FCFA (cinq milliards six cent millions de nairas soit 17.028.700.000 , rien que ça !) destinés au paiement des pensions et primes des diverses catégories d'enseignants retraités de l'État d'Oyo . amené et trad. par Binason Avèkes

Nigeria’s unspoken pedophilia epidemic

There is a tendency to assume that some social ills do not, or cannot happen in Nigeria. The broad trend of thought is that some of those ills only happen in Europe or America and that they are the products of sick minds or at worst, symptoms of mental illnesses. And because of this assumption, it is easy to close our eyes and even pretend that some very untoward things are not happening before our very eyes. Yet, we cannot deny the fact that child sexual abuse, or pedophilia is growing to epidemic proportions in Nigeria. It is easy to use tradition to disguise some of these acts, and often, the perpetrators – who are often the rich and powerful go scot-free after causing serious physical and psychological damage on the victims, who conversely are usually on lower economic and social pedestals. The damage is often life-long, but how many have paused to reflect on the impacts of child sexual abuse on the lives of the victims? Some cases may have been visible and well publicized of late, but many others go unnoticed in our society and even our homes. For those affected by this Issue, the effect is that they often feel stigmatized and therefore reluctant to bring the abuse to public attention. Child sexual abuse does not only involve body contact but also exposing the child to sexual materials or sexual situation. It is a form of abuse that many children are subjected to, but which society conveniently ignores…. [continued…]

African art star Samuel Fosso returns to boyhood home Nigeria

Fosso, a Cameroonian national, is known for taking chameleon-like photos of himself dressed as a range of figures from black African and American life -- from musicians to pop-culture icons to political leaders. Nicknamed the "Man of a Thousand Faces", his pictures have been shown in major museums across Europe, in a career that has taken him far from Nigeria, his mother's homeland. "It's very emotional for me to be here," the 51-year-old told AFP as he premiered his latest work at the fourth edition of Lagos Photo, an international photography festival. Fosso's appearance is a major coup for organisers of the annual festival, which began last week and this year brings together some of the greatest names in contemporary photography, including Britain's Martin Parr and Spain's Cristina de Middel. "When I suggested bringing Samuel Fosso, everyone told me, 'You're too late', or 'He's too well-known'," said the founder of the exhibition, Azu Nwagbogu. "Then I contacted him via Facebook and he spoke to me in Igbo. I was shocked! I didn't know about this part of his life with Nigeria." Fosso needed nearly a year of preparation to produce "The Emperor of Africa", his piece for the exhibit -- a collection of five self-portraits in which he dresses as former Chinese Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong and through which he explores the relationship between China and Africa. He also needed a production director and about 10 other people, including make-up artists, technicians and a costume designer for a day's shoot in the French capital, Paris.

This is a far cry from Fosso's first studio, in the Central African Republic, where at the age of just 13 he began photographing himself using the unused ends of the rolls of film brought in by his clients. "But it was already a major production at the time," said gallery owner Jean-Marc Patras, who has represented him exclusively since 2001. "Even in the 1970s, Samuel left nothing to chance, be it make-up, costumes or lighting." Uprooted by Biafran war Fosso has no photos from his own childhood but says he has never forgotten the traumatic images of the Biafran war, which claimed nearly one million lives between 1967 and 1970 after the southeastern region broke away and declared itself a republic. Aged barely five, Fosso lost his mother and found refuge in the forest with his grandparents, both of them from the Igbo ethnic group at the centre of the conflict. continued

La Jeunesse Ghanéenne doit Exiger la Reddition de Compte - Kufuor

L'ancien président John Agyekum Kufuor a exhorté les jeunes à demander des comptes aux dirigeants du pays. Il a déclaré que le Ghana a droit à un leadership de qualité, surtout lorsqu’il devient un phénomène banal de nos jours de se plaindre de ce qui ne va pas Le Président Kufuor a assuré que les objectifs du développement seront à portée de mains si les dirigeants sont rendus responsables de leur gestion. S'adressant à l’Amicale des Jeunes Adultes ( YAF ) à l'Eglise presbytérienne de Kanda à Accra hier, il les a exhortés à se mobiliser

pour la vérité, insistant sur le fait que c'était une vertu incarnée dans les valeurs de l'Église. « Pensez à vos rôles en tant que citoyens, je ne dis pas d’aller faire de la politique ou de rejoindre des partis politiques mais la politique est essentielle, car c'est par cela que nous voyons le leadership à l’œuvre, la reddition de comptes, et il faut être audacieux pour demander des comptes à quelqu'un que l’on a élu ». L'ancien Président de l'Union africaine (UA ) a fait remarquer en substance que « Ces jours-ci les gens se plaignent de difficultés, je dirais peut-être que nous devons blâmer nous-mêmes et non la providence ; la providence nous a donné des ressources naturelles et même des hommes de qualité, mais pas en quantité infinie, ce que nous n’avons pas souvent l’air de comprendre ». amené et trad. par Binason Avèkes

L'ONU appelle le Bénin à renforcer la protection des enfants

8 novembre 2013 – Une experte indépendante de l'ONU a exhorté vendredi les autorités béninoises à inscrire la protection des enfants parmi les priorités politiques nationales en vue de les protéger de la discrimination, de toute forme de violence, d'abus et d'exploitation, et de sanctionner lourdement les coupables. La Rapporteuse spéciale sur la vente d'enfants, la prostitution des enfants et la pornographie impliquant des enfants, Najat Maalla M'jid, qui vient de conclure une mission de dix jours au Bénin, exprimé en outre sa profonde préoccupation devant la « relative tolérance sociale » envers la violence et l'exploitation des enfants et l'impunité dont bénéficient les auteurs de ces crimes. « Il est inadmissible que sous le prétexte de la tradition, des coutumes ou encore de la pauvreté, des enfants béninois soient violentés, abusés ou exploités », souligne Mme Maalla M'jid dans un communiqué de presse. « Le phénomène des enfants vidomégons, par exemple, traditionnellement une pratique de placement solidaire au sein de la famille a complètement été détourné à des fins lucratives. De nombreux enfants sont aujourd'hui victimes de vente ou de traite, d'exploitation économique ou sexuelle, principalement sur les marchés, dans les carrières ou les champs », a-t-elle dénoncé. Au cours de sa mission, Mme M'jid a rencontré de nombreux représentants de l'État, des autorités locales, du système des Nations Unies, de la communauté diplomatique et des associations à Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi, Porto Novo, Parakou, Comè, Lokossa et Applahoué. Elle s'est également entretenue avec des enfants victimes et des organisations de jeunes. La Rapporteuse spéciale s'est alarmée du nombre d'enfants victimes de multiples formes de violences et abus: les infanticides des enfants considérés comme « sorciers », les mutilations génitales féminines, les enlèvements à des fins de placement dans les couvents vaudous, les mariages forcés, les châtiments corporels et les viols. « Bien que l'ampleur réelle de ces phénomènes reste difficile à évaluer du fait de l'insuffisance des signalements et des règlements à l'amiable, tous les acteurs rencontrés déplorent le nombre alarmant de violences et d'exploitation économique et/ou sexuelle dont les filles sont particulièrement victimes », souligne Mme Maalla M'jid. La Rapporteuse spéciale exprimé aussi sa vive préoccupation devant les violences sexuelles subies par les filles dans les écoles et la multiplication des grossesses précoces. « Il est impensable qu'à l'école, censée être un environnement éducatif et protecteur, des filles puissent être abusées impunément », s'est indignée l'experte. Si le Bénin dispose de nombreuses lois relatives à la protection de l'enfance, leur mise en œuvre laisse à désirer, en raison notamment des difficultés rencontrées par les enfants pour accéder à des mécanismes de recours garantissant leur protection et leur sécurité, mais aussi à cause de la corruption et de l'impunité. Les arrangements à l'amiable qui ont souvent lieu à l'échelle communautaire se font au détriment de l'intérêt de l'enfant, dont la voix reste négligée. De nombreux mécanismes de protection et actions ont été mis en place aux niveaux central et local, mais la plupart sont dysfonctionnels ou insuffisants, notamment en raison du manque de ressources. En dépit de l'engagement pris par certains acteurs, les actions lancées dans le domaine de la protection de l'enfance restent éparses, non coordonnées et non pérennes, car leur efficacité est suspendue au soutien des partenaires. La Rapporteuse spéciale souligne donc la nécessité de concevoir une réelle stratégie intégrée de protection de l'enfance, déclinée en dispositifs locaux aisément accessibles par tous les enfants et dotée de ressources humaines et financières adéquates. Elle encourage enfin la communauté internationale à …. lire la suite

Pollution detector designed to protect heritage sites

A simple detector could help conservators at World Heritage sites in the developing world understand and protect against atmospheric pollutants that can damage valuable artefacts. The pollutant-measuring device has been prototyped by Henoc Agbota, an engineer at University College London, United Kingdom, and presented last week (30 October) at a conference marking the end of a five-year funding programme for heritage science run from the university. Agbota’s work was prompted by last year's decision by UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) that its World Heritage Committee would begin asking their certified sites to provide yearly figures for atmospheric pollutant levels. In response, Agbota surveyed 25 correct developing world sites and found that few had the capacity to do this. At the Royal Palaces of Abomey, the historical seat of the rulers of the Kingdom of Dahomey in modern-day Benin, conservators care for artefacts such as stone bas-reliefs, wooden thrones and metal weapons. Urbain Hadonou, one of the conservators, tells SciDev.Net that he runs a project called museum school through which local cultural researchers come to study the artefacts. But such projects could be at risk unless artefacts are protected from harmful pollution.

Almost three-quarters of the respondents to Agbota’s survey reported observing damage to objects that they attributed to pollution. This took the form of particle deposits, corrosion and the formation of ‘black crusts’ on artefacts. Agbota hopes his device will help to avoid this damage. His instrument consists of a series of so called piezoelectric quartz crystals — which generate electric currents as they expand or contact by minute amounts — coated with varying thicknesses of copper, iron, nickel or tin. As pollutants absorb to these metallic surfaces, they change the crystals’ mass, altering the electrical output and allowing pollution levels to be calculated.  continued

Ghana : une Ministre Limogée sur la Base de ses Fantasmes

Du Ghana au Bénin, ou de l’État de Droit à l’Homme-État

Voici une histoire qui, si elle était arrivée au Bénin, n’aurait pas amassé mousse. C’est l’histoire d’une Ministre qui avait des fantasmes d’Ali baba, et qui a été piégée. Rien que des fantasmes mais pas des faits avérés, mais mal lui en a pris. Alors qu’au Bénin, même avec des faits de corruption avérés, Monsieur Yayi fait la sourde oreille, privilégiant ses intérêts régionalistes à la justice nationale ou au bon fonctionnement d’un Etat de Droit. Tout le monde a encore en mémoire le forfait immonde des fraudes au concours du Ministère des Finances où la Ministre du Travail, Mme Kora Zaki, était impliquée. Mais le Ghana n’est pas le Bénin, et pour cause ! La vice ministre ghanéenne de la communication Victoria Hammah a été limogée après qu’un enregistrement de ses propos présumés laissait entendre qu'elle resterait en politique jusqu'à ce qu'elle se fasse une fortune de 1 million de dollars ( 600.000 €) . « Si vous avez de l'argent, aurait-elle dit, alors vous pouvez contrôler les gens ». L’enregistrement révélant ces propos présumés de la ministre a été largement diffusé. Mme Hammah, qui a joué un rôle clé dans l'élection du Président John Mahama l’année dernière, n'a pas encore fait de commentaire ni sur l’enregistrement encore moins sur son limogeage. En Août, la jeune femme bombardée ministre a reconnu qu'il y avait beaucoup de pression sur elle pour voler de l'argent public parce que les gens pensaient qu’en tant que ministre, elle était riche. Elle avait décrit de telles exigences comme « odieuses », rapporte le site de nouvelles Ghanaweb . «  Les politiciens corrompus sont le reflet d’une société corrompue ! » aurait-elle alors déclaré. Mme Hammah avait attiré l’attention des média lors d’un discours où, bafouillant à plusieurs reprises, elle a fini par s’excuser qu’on ne lui avait pas donné le bon texte. Sur la bande incriminée, qui n'a pas été vérifiée de manière indépendante, elle aurait dit: « Je ne vais pas quitter la politique jusqu'à ce que j'aie un million de dollars ». Elle y critiquait également une autre vice-ministre, la traitant d’« insensée, de laide, et d’ égoïste " .

Le Ministre de l'Information Mahama Ayariga n'a donné aucune raison pour le limogeage de Mme Hammah dans sa brève annonce. Mais ce limogeage intervient 24 heures après que la bande a contaminé les médias sociaux et a été jouée sur une station de radio locale. Le chauffeur de Mme Hammah a été interrogé par la police, sur une plainte de la vice-ministre faisant état de la violation de son droit à la vie privée. Le Porte-parole de la police Freeman Tetttey a déclaré à la BBC que la police enquêtait pour établir si une infraction avait été commise. Cette histoire est assez emblématique de la différence entre le Ghana et le Bénin. Au Ghana, les Ministres sont sanctionnés sur la seule base de leurs fantasmes de corruption ; au Bénin, même les faits avérés de fraudes ou de corruption laissent notre chef d’état parfaitement de marbre, stoïque et méprisant à l’endroit du peuple, et de la société civile qui demandent justice, et en appellent au bon fonctionnement de l’état de droit. Dans un cas, il s’agit d’un état dont les dirigeants s’efforcent de lui faire mériter le nom d’état de droit, même imparfaitement, et dans l’autre cas, l’état est un homme, lui seul et son bon vouloir… Binason Avèkes

Nigeria oil firms 'deflect blame for spills', says Amnesty

Amnesty International has accused major oil companies, including Shell, of failing to report the true picture of oil spills in Nigeria. Amnesty says oil companies often blame oil spills on sabotage in order to get out of paying compensation when in fact corroded pipes are the cause. The report says the process of cleaning up the oil spills is completely discredited. Shell said it "firmly rejects unsubstantiated assertions". It highlighted the issue of theft of crude oil, which it said "remains the main cause of oil pollution in the Delta". Oil spills are having an appalling environmental impact on the Niger Delta and they are happening at an alarming rate, says the BBC's Will Ross in Lagos 'Deflecting attention' In its report, Amnesty identifies a "staggering" 474 spills in 2012 in one area alone, operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company - a subsidiary of Italian firm ENI. Agip's head of operations in Nigeria, Ciro Pagano, told the BBC's Newsday programme that all the spills were recorded so there was little room for dispute. He also said that Eni paid all compensation due to local communities, according to Nigerian law. Working with a local human rights group, Amnesty studied the oil spill investigation process in Nigeria over six months. It claims there is "no legitimate basis" for the oil companies' claims that the vast majority of spills are caused by sabotage and theft.

Members of the local community together with oil company staff and government officials are supposed to investigate oil spills, but Amnesty calls this Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) process "wholly unreliable" because, it says, the companies themselves are the primary investigators and the process lacks transparency. It says this means that both the causes and severity of oil spills may therefore be misrecorded, sometimes meaning affected communities miss out on compensation. "Sabotage and theft of oil are serious problems in the Niger Delta," the report acknowledges. "However, international oil companies are overstating the case in an effort to deflect attention away from the many oil spills that are due to corrosion and equipment failure. Moreover, securing oil infrastructure against such acts is - to a substantial extent - the responsibility of the operator." It says the majority of the report's findings relate to Shell as the primary operator in the Niger Delta - though it acknowledges improvements to Shell's JIV process since 2011…. continued

Green groups worried about whale deaths along Ghana coast

Decomposed whale carcasses have been washing up on beaches in Ghana’s oil-producing west, raising the ire of environmental groups worried the country’s growing petroleum industry may be killing marine life. A total of 20 dead whales have been discovered along Ghana’s coastline in the last four years, including at least eight since September. What killed the marine mammals remains a mystery. But environmental groups say they are concerned, given the proximity of the discoveries to the country’s new offshore petroleum industry. “The fears are rising as to what is killing the … whales,” said Kyei Kwadwo Yamoah, program co-ordinator for Friends of the Nation, an environmental group that tracks the deaths. People living along the coast “want to know so they can rest assured if it would have impact on them or if it wouldn’t”, he added. Last week, the 20th whale carcass found since 2009 washed up on a remote beach in Western Region, where Ghana gets most of its oil, Yamoah said. Oil production did not start until 2010 but Yamoah said exploration intensified the year before. Friends of the Nation and other environmental groups raised the alarm in September, when five decomposed whales were discovered in Western Region and near the capital Accra in the space of a week. In October, two more bodies were found in Western Region. Ghana produces about 115,000 barrels per day, mostly from the Jubilee field off the coast of Western Region’s Cape Three Points, where the latest dead whale was found. The west African nation has been trying to avoid the mismanagement and pollution that has plagued other regional oil giants like Nigeria, where billions of oil dollars have been lost through corruption and spills happen frequently. Ghana’s government, which has downplayed the whale deaths, is counting on the riches from oil production

to build up the country’s infrastructure and improve the economy. It could do without any environmental scandal. The Anglo-Irish company Tullow — the Jubilee field’s main operator — declined to comment on the whale deaths and referred questions to Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At the EPA, spokeswoman Angelina Mensah said an investigation into the deaths was under way but did not respond to additional questions sent via email. The EPA said after the discovery of the five dead whales last year that the situation was “of much concern” but it was not unprecedented. “The incidence of whales being washed ashore is a global occurrence and not limited to Ghana,” the statement said, adding that whales die frequently worldwide. Nevertheless, collisions with ships, water pollution and seismic activity from oil drilling can kill or disorient whales, said the head of the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s whale program, Patrick Ramage. Last September, a scientific review panel determined that a 2008 mass beaching of whales in Madagascar was caused by the use of sonar by vessels exploring for oil. But that was not necessarily occurring off the coast of Ghana continued

Nigeria's Boko Haram could be war criminals

GENEVA: Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists could be classed as war criminals, the United Nations human rights office said Tuesday, as it condemned a bloody attack on a wedding convoy. "Members of Boko Haram and other groups and entities, if judged to have committed widespread or systematic attacks against a civilian population ... (could be) guilty of crimes against humanity," said Cecile Pouilly, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Islamist insurgents have killed dozens of people over recent days in restive northeast Nigeria, first storming a town on motorbikes and pick-up trucks and then carrying out highway ambushes. Boko Haram gunmen were blamed for Saturday's slaying of more than 30 people, including the groom, when a wedding convoy was halted on a road near the border with Cameroon. Pouilly called the wedding convoy "atrocious" and condemned Boko Haram's campaign of "cowardly attacks" against civilians, politicians, members of government institutions, foreigners and the security forces. In May, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency across the northeast and launched an offensive aimed at crushing at the Islamists' four-year uprising.

The conflict has claimed thousands of lives since 2009 in Africa's most populous country and top oil producer. Besides condemning the Islamists' bloody campaign, human rights groups have also slammed government troops for killing civilians and for other violations in the battle zone. "We are also following up closely with the Nigerian authorities allegations of abuses and human rights violations which may have been committed by security forces when conducting operations," said Pouilly. She noted that the Nigerian military was in the process of finalising a report on people detained in connection with the insurgency, and urged the government to disclose its findings. continued

Bénin : la FAO au Secours des Localités Sinistrées du Nord

5 Novembre 2013 - Les Nations Unies ont lancé aujourd'hui un programme d'intervention d'urgence pour soutenir les agriculteurs dans le nord du Bénin qui ont tout perdu -- cultures, élevage et pêche -- lorsque la région a été frappée par des inondations en Août. «Il s'agit d' une aide d'urgence avec une vision à long terme, en ce qu'elle comporte la sensibilisation et la formation des membres de la communauté et des autorités locales à résister à ce genre de sinistre », a déclaré le directeur général de la FAO, José Graziano da Silva, qui était au Bénin pour lancer le programme. « Cela peut aider à façonner une nouvelle approche tournée vers l'avenir au-delà du court terme des urgences immédiates » a insisté le Directeur de la FAO. L'agriculture représente 70 pour cent de l'emploi au Bénin. Au nord, les familles sont encore plus tributaires de l'agriculture et moins aptes à faire face aux échecs répétés. La plupart des villageois qui ont été touchés par les dernières inondations de cette année se remettaient à peine des séquelles des inondations en 2012. Le gouvernement estime que les pertes en récoltes seules sont estimées à quelques 20 millions de dollars. En raison de l'ampleur de la destruction, le gouvernement a presque épuisé ses ressources en aide aux victimes pour nourriture, abris et transferts en espèces, et est à court de moyen financier pour aider à relancer le secteur agricole. Le programme d'urgence sera lancé immédiatement pour venir en aide à quelques 7.500 ménages les plus touchées par les inondations, en fournissant des semences de qualité pour le riz, les légumes de contre-saison et le maïs, des outils agricoles, des engrais, de la formation à la production de semences et leur conservation, et de l'infrastructure de stockage pour réduire les pertes de production . Les agriculteurs seront également formés dans les technologies

modernes et les meilleures pratiques, telles que les micro-dosage d'engrais, en vue d'augmenter la production, réduire les coûts et protéger l'environnement. Dimanche dernier, M. da Silva a participé à une cérémonie en vue d'activer immédiatement l'aide d'urgence dans les villages du nord de Malanville et Karimama, les localités les plus touchées par les inondations où la quasi-totalité de la production agricole a été anéantie, et les agriculteurs se sont retrouvés sans cultures et sans semences. La FAO a déclaré qu'une partie du financement d'urgence ira à la réhabilitation des activités commerciales de 1.300 jeunes qui avaient commencé à cultiver dans le cadre d'un programme national visant à créer des emplois en milieu rural et l'opportunité économique. Les ateliers d’adaptation du programme feront également bénéficier leurs services à la collectivité locale par la sensibilisation aux bonnes pratiques agricoles, la réduction des risques de catastrophe, l'adaptation au changement climatique et la gestion des ressources naturelles. amené et trad. Binason Avèkes

Nigeria's Outrageous Vehicles Importation Bill

editorial Recently, the director-general, National Automotive Council, Alhaji Aminu Jalal, said that last year, the country spent about N1.2trillion on the importation of various brands of vehicles. These vehicles ranged from fairly used cars, otherwise known as Tokunbo, to brand new cars. Jalal added that this is exclusive of the amount spent on tractors and military vehicles imported during the year under review. The breakdown shows that N550bn worth of vehicles, N500bn spare parts and N150bn worth of tyres were brought into the country, by the three tiers of government, private corporate organisations, as well as individuals. This is unacceptable in any market-driven economy. A nation desirous of freeing itself from dependency would have insisted on the manufacturers siting their companies here. A few years ago, assembly plants in the country were doing well and employing thousands of artisans, engineers and administrators. Curiously, the NAC helmsman made these revelations at the corporate headquarters of Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria in Kaduna. Nigerians' penchant for jettisoning home-made products is becoming legendary. Regrettably, this fad has had adverse effects on industrialisation. It is a notorious fact that PAN at the height of its glory in the 1980s had 4,000 permanent workers, several casual workers and many under indirect employment. It produced no fewer than 90,000 cars annually. Today it is a shadow of itself, producing only a miserly 3,000 cars a year, with a staff strength of only 250. Over the years, this lack of protectionism has stifled the economy. There has been no clear policy to halt this drift and the automobile sector, like most other promising sectors of our national life, has witnessed a free fall. Most government officials are guilty of this shallow preference for foreign-made goods and vehicles. Our finance ministers and the Customs top echelons often boast about the high revenue generated from imported cars. It is said to have raked in over N300bn in 2012.

Last year, the National Assembly alone paid richly for imported cars. The 109 senators got at least a Toyota Prado jeep each and the 360 representatives were bought Toyota Camry model cars. All Supreme Court justices are driven about in foreign-made Mercedes Benz cars, while recent events have shown that it seems some ministers are addicted to foreign-made armoured, luxury cars of different makes. We need no soothsayers to tell us that this year, the country's vehicles import bill will surpass last year's. This trend is not good for our country and it will not help the economy to grow or recover either. The country needs a policy to encourage automobile companies to locate at least their assembly plants in Nigeria. If pursued, this will enhance industrialisation, create healthy competition, improve production standards of vehicles at globally competitive prices and boost technology transfer in the transport sector, as well as the nation's local content and employment continued

Soutien au Peuple Sahraoui : le Bénin Abritera le Comité en 2014

« Déclaration d’Abuja » de la conférence africaine de solidarité et de soutien à la lutte du peuple sahraoui Création du comité africain

Un comité africain de coordination de la solidarité de la société civile du continent avec le Sahara occidental a été créé, mercredi à Abuja (Nigeria), à l’issue des travaux de la Conférence africaine de solidarité avec la lutte du peuple sahraoui. Ce “Task Force” regroupe un noyau de six pays, à savoir l’Afrique du Sud, l’Algérie, le Bénin, le Cameroun, le Kenya, le Nigeria, a-t-on indiqué dans la “Déclaration d’Abuja”. Selon cette déclaration, le secrétariat du Comité siégera au Nigeria qui en assurera la présidence jusqu’à la prochaine édition de cette conférence qui aura lieu en 2014 au Bénin, pays membre représentant l’Afrique de l’Ouest au “Task Force”. “Le Task Force est responsable de la coordination des activités du Mouvement africain de solidarité avec l’indépendance du Sahara occidental”, a-t-on encore précisé, indiquant que parmi les objectifs de ce mouvement, lancé par la même occasion, il s’agit de promouvoir la cause des Sahraouis pour l’indépendance en collaborant avec tous les mouvements de solidarité en Europe, en Amérique (nord et sud) et en Australie. Le Comité tiendra sa première réunion en marge des travaux de la quatrième Conférence internationale sur le droit des peuples à la résistance, cas du Sahara occidental, prévue à Alger les 14 et 15 décembre 2013, a déclaré à la tribune de cette conférence le président du Comité national algérien de soutien au peuple sahraoui (Cnasps), Mahrez Lamari. De plus, la “Déclaration d’Abuja” a lancé un appel pressant à l’Union africaine (UA) pour “imposer des sanctions économiques, militaires et diplomatiques contre le Maroc, à l’exemple de celles prises contre le système d’apartheid en Afrique du Sud”.

Les participants à la rencontre d’Abuja demandent “en urgence” au Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU d’élargir le mandat de la Minurso pour la surveillance et la protection des droits de l’homme au Sahara occidental occupé par le Maroc. Ils lui demandent également d’assurer l’organisation du référendum d’autodétermination du peuple sahraoui tel que prévu dans les différentes résolutions des Nations unies. Par ailleurs, les participants au rendez-vous africain d’Abuja ont condamné la position de la France dans la question sahraouie, affirmant que ce pays “fait obstruction à la résolution pacifique de la décolonisation du Sahara occidental”. Ils condamnent “fermement” la répression “systématique” et les violations des droits de l’homme et les crimes humanitaires commis par les autorités d’occupation marocaines contre le peuple sahraoui. source1/source2

Nigeria: Govt Spends N634 Billion On Kerosene Subsidy

The federal government has been accused of spending N634 billion, the equivalent of one-third of the country's capital budget, to fund deep seated corruption in the downstream sector in the name of paying for kerosene subsidy for the past three years. Speaking in Lagos Thursday at a seminar organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Hon. Dakuku Peterside, criticised the federal government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the scam in the kerosene subsidy. "We are all businessmen who want to outsmart each other but in a case where NNPC is the sole importer of kerosene, and yet the masses are paying for it, I don't know how many of us here go to the gas station to get kerosene to buy at N50. The implication of this is that the 11 million litres we import daily develop wings and fly out of our country," he explained. He stated that in 2010 Nigeria spent N110,068,533,988 just to subsidise imported kerosene. Peterside said in 2011, a whooping N324,089,961,319 was spent on kerosene subsidy, stressing that in the same year, corruption was democratised in the downstream sector. "Some investigations also showed that the downstream sector is entrenched in deep corruption in Nigeria. That year we spent N324,089,961,319 on kerosene subsidy. In 2012, although we are yet to reconcile this, we spent N200,000 billion subsidising kerosene.

"And so in three years, we have spent N634 billion subsidising kerosene which is one-third of what we spend in a year on the capital budget," he said. "No country that spends most of its funds on consumption will grow. And so that explains why Nigeria is not moving forward. How can we move forward when most of our funds are spent servicing corruption?" he asked. "We complain that the roads are not working. Somebody will say we should pray to cast away demons and that demons are the ones affecting our roads. No demon is affecting out roads; we are the ones with the problems on our roads. "We cry about roads; we cry about one problem or the other, but if we have our way, we will buy more bulletproof cars than what we have now. That is the truth," Peterside said. He described the downstream sector as the "mother of corruption and fraud," adding that the sector is the beginning and end of corruption. continued

Ghana arrests Chinese over 'illegal mining'

Accra - Ghana has arrested 46 more foreigners suspected of illegal gold mining in the last week, including 43 Chinese, two Indians and an American, an immigration official told AFP Thursday. The latest raid in the crackdown on illicit gold mining in the central region, which included gunfire but no injuries, raises the number of those arrested to more than 600 since June, mostly people from China. More than 4 500 Chinese nationals, including those arrested, have left the west African nation since the authorities began enforcing a law that bars foreign nationals from engaging in small-scale mining. Many left voluntarily after the crackdown was launched. Regarding the latest arrests, it "seems that all these people were engaged in small scale mining", said Francis Palmdeti, spokesperson for the Ghana Immigration Service. Palmdeti, who provided the citizenship breakdown of those detained in the last seven days, said the American involved was of "Indian origin," and that this was the first US national arrested in the crackdown. The US embassy in Accra was not immediately available to comment.

Ghana is the continent's second-largest gold producer after South Africa. Chinese nationals, but also Africans, Russians and others had flocked to the country's central region in search of the precious mineral. President John Dramani Mahama in June sent a taskforce to the area made up of immigration officials, police and military to clear out the unauthorised foreign miners. In recent weeks, the foreigners who have stayed have taken to staying in guesthouses or hiding in the countryside, only travelling to their work sites at night, said Palmdeti. continued

Nigeria: BMW cars- O-Iweala Granted N10 Million Waiver

More revelations emerged yesterday during the resumed investigation of the House of Representatives into the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)'s alleged purchase of two BMW cars for the minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Finance directed that a waiver of N10.1 million be granted in the importation of the cars. This is just as the minister of aviation again failed to honour the invitation of the committee. The committee had last week adjourned the hearing to enable Oduah return from Israel and appear before the committee. However, she was absent from the meeting and a correspondence signed by the permanent secretary of the minister of the ministry of aviation, George Ossi and sent to the committee by NCAA stated that she was in transit at the time she was expected to appear yesterday, but would be available at 2.00 pm today. But the Committee on Aviation chairperson, Hon Nkiruka Onyejiocha, insisted that she appear unfailingly at 10.00 am today, stating that her failure to do so would be assumed an indication that she does not want to attend the hearing. "Tomorrow's date is sacrosanct, please communicate that to her," Onyejiocha said, after explaining that it was in the spirit of fair hearing that the lawmakers had shifted the dates to enable her state her case before the committee. Mr Manasseh Daniel Jatau, a deputy comptroller of modernisation, research and economic relations in the service, who represented the comptroller general of NCS, Abdullahi Dikko, who is in the

Netherlands on official assignment, said the point of entry of the cars was Tin Can Port in Lagos. He said that no import duty was collected from the owner of the goods, Coscharis Motors, as a one-year duty waiver for 300 cars was granted in the name of the company, for importation of cars for the 18th National Sports Festival, EKO 2012 Games in Lagos. Jatau said the exemption on the two BMW cars along with 298 others, was at the expense of the Lagos State Government, who would have been the beneficiaries of the payment of N772.132m for the 300 cars and N10.1m for the two BMW cars. Documents presented to the committee by the NCS showed that the Import Duty, VAT, ETLS, CISS and Port Charges Waiver Certificate was issued by the ministry of finance on November 20, 2012, and was signed by the director of revenue, Mrs Rose Ngozi Maranzu, on behalf of the minister of finance. continued

Mumo Kome ensemble makes Ghana proud

Mumo Kome led by Nii Addo Kpakpo an exciting, amazing and dance ensemble presents a high classic and energy performance featuring drumming, dance, percussion and soaring vocal harmonies. The group will be touring USA, Canada, Australia and Europe this year to promote their STUDY TOUR which will be held in Ghana - West Africa in June 2014. Mumo Kome has made a significant impact during their tours since 2007, surprising and delighting audience with their compassionate performances and motivating workshops. Mumo Kome`s previous tours include America (USA) featuring Kusun Ensemble, Israel featuring Nokoba Dance Company and Sweden. “We have taken part in festivals like Vallinby Festivals, Rinkiby Festivals, Nevada Festivals and more” leader Nii Addo told Flex newspaper. Mumo Kome excels at teaching percussion, dance and singing through their various workshops in their communities, at festivals, schools and intensive learning camps. “Private tuition classes are tailor made to the individual requirement of our students and are

suitable for all levels of experience from the amateur enthusiast to the professional. Mumo Kome also supports Cultural Heritage Foundation, an NGO 10% percent of the money they get at shows and workshops to keep the foundation running”. “Mumo Kome means One Spirit in the local language of our home town of Accra and the vibration of this name becomes clear as you experience us in action-joving and celebrating the life of togetherness with about twenty drums played with hands, stick and feet” he noted. M … continued

Ghana arrests 47 illegal Chinese, Indian miners

Ghanaian police have arrested 46 foreign nationals from China and India accused of illegally mining gold. They were detained in overnight raids in the country's Central region where they were operating small barges to dredge the bed of the River Offin. More than 4,500 Chinese nationals have been repatriated this year after a series of swoops on illegal goldmines. Officials says since the clampdown began, some illegal miners have been going out at night to avoid detection. Ghana is Africa's biggest gold producer after South Africa. Ghanaian law prevents foreigners from working in small-scale gold mines. The authorities say the illegal mining pollutes the rivers and destroys the environment.

Illegal miners use makeshift barges to dredge mud from river beds which is then sifted for gold. The BBC's Sammy Darko in the capital, Accra, says illegal miners also mine in the forest leaving behind huge holes and cutting down trees. The holes collect with water and chemicals like mercury used to sieve through the mud for gold drain into rivers. continued

Fighting fear by lighting Lagos's streets

BC World Service, Lagos Flying into Lagos at night, you would never know there are up to 21 million people down there. There is no orange glow, as you see on approach to cities such as New York or London (both with about eight million inhabitants). Waiting for you on the streets of Lagos is darkness. And with it, fear. I spent days and nights following electricity crews who are trying to change that. They are building big generators and installing lights that bypass what Nigerians call the "epileptic" offerings of the national power grid. At night the crews work with a security detail. On Lagos Island, the man in charge of it is called Mr Omo. He is short and beefy, not sculpted, like a body-builder, more rounded and somehow solid, like a large refrigerator. "You are the tough guy," I said when we met by the side of a darkened road. Above, the street lights were out. Below, an electrician was on his knees with a torch in his mouth and a nest of cables in his hands. "I am not the tough guy," Mr Omo said, with a shrug, but he said it with a demeanour that suggested he was not someone who would back away from trouble. I liked him immediately. And not just because I had already been in dark neighbourhoods where shouts and noises and people come from every direction; and when you walk you cannot see the ground, so you almost trip over children, or fall into storm drains; and you have no idea why that crowd of young men over there are yelling and fighting, or where to go if they come any closer. "Just a second," Mr Omo said. He raised a phone to his ear. "Go ahead," he said. Then, to me: "Soon the lights will come on." They did and there was a collective "Aaah". I looked around and was surprised. I had no idea there were so many people around me. The crew started to pack up and I asked Mr Omo why they needed a security detail in the first place. Continue reading the main story From Our Own Correspondent Insight and analysis from BBC correspondents, journalists and writers from around the world Broadcast on Radio 4 and BBC World Service Listen to the programme Download the programme The big problem, he said, was the "area boys" - gangs of young men who hassle the crews for money. They are a scourge across Lagos. I had once stopped to record the sound of children crowded under a street light. They were dressed in creamy white clothes, singing prayers with an imam. I was there maybe five minutes before a group of area boys came up and started demanding money from my guide. They spoke heatedly in Yoruba, the local language. My guide sounded firm, but soon he said to me in English: "Let's go." We did not give them any money, but I spoke with street traders who said they regularly paid 10% of their daily take to area boys, who would threaten to beat them up or wreck their stalls. The government in Lagos hopes light will change that. At the Iyana Ipaja market - a major trading centre in the north of the city - it has spent £750,000 ($1.2m) to install and restore lights. Broken electricity transformers are a common sight in Lagos I met a man there named Mr John, who sells alcohol from a small stall. He told me about the moment the lights came on, a week earlier. "There was a jubilation along this street - ask anyone," he said, waving his arm. "We opened drinks for people because of the light." He and the other traders used to close when the sun set around 6.30pm. "Now they stay open as long as they like," he said gleefully. Mr John says the area boys have vanished and profits are up. Others in the market say the same thing. On Lagos Island, Mr Omo is also starting to see change. "As more light comes, it is getting easier," he says. "The tension is going down, little by little." Electricity crews have yet to come to the street where Mr Omo lives. The plan is to do the main roads first, then work into neighbourhoods. So far, they have lit about 120 miles (190km) of road, in a place where there are more than 8,000 miles. Standing in the dark outside his house, Mr Omo and I began to hear shouts from the other end of the road, then crowds of men began to run past looking over their shoulders. "Come to the back," Mr Omo said, as he put himself between me and the continued

Nigeria : The dangerous mix of corruption and poverty

Ghana, others embark on $58b ECOWAS rail project

Five countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are to embark on a West Coast High Speed Rail Project to help bring development to the sub-region. The countries are Ghana, Cote D’ Ivoire, Nigeria, Togo and Benin, and the project will have its stations in Cotonou, Lome and Accra as well as terminals in Abidjan and Seme/Badagry in Nigeria. The 1178.84 kilometre project, which is estimated to cost 58.9 billion US dollars, will link Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana to Cote’ D’ Ivoire, to facilitate the movement of people, goods and services within the sub-region. About 13.1 million dollars is needed to undertake full feasibility studies on the project and funding would involve Public Private Partnership and governments of the beneficiary states. Addressing an Inter-Member –Country- Ministerial Summit on the project on Friday at Atimpoku in the Eastern Region, Ghana’s Minister of Transport, Mrs. Dzifa Attivor said the project had received tremendous political will and the strong desire of Ministers to see its realisation. Representatives of Ministers of Transport, International Funding Organisations, Directors of Hammco BTB of Canada and West Africa, experts from the rail sector, directors from the transport sectors attended the summit. Mrs Attivor stated that the private sector of the sub-region had now seen the importance of the rail infrastructure in the socio-economic development of the communities which would impact positively on the livelihoods of the people. “The partnership between the public and the private sector is very important and critical and it is against this background that I can say without any shadow of doubt that this project is here to succeed,” she pointed out. The Transport Minister noted that, of all the modes of transport, be it air, water and road, railway remains the cheapest, and efforts to develop the industry must be given the necessary support.

Mrs Attivor explained that political independence of the ECOWAS region is useless, unless the economic emancipation of the sub- region is fully realised, saying: “one of the surest ways of doing that is to see to the realisation of the Africa High Speed Rail Project”. She therefore urged participants at the summit to facilitate the transformation of the dreams and ideas into concrete decisions that will ultimately lead to the actual realisation and the implementation of the project. According to her, the upsurge in cross-border trade, as well as the thriving tourism industry among the 300 million population of the ECOWAS region, should serve as greater motivation for the various governments to accept that “the harvest is great but the labourers are few”. Mr. Idowu Obasa, Chairman of Hammco BTB, West Africa, said the greatest challenge of the time, was how to give substance and effect to the relationship in the true meaning of Union and as siblings for whom political, economic, cultural and social life means nothing but freedom, progress and development. continued

Essesien Ntekim Tells Story of Nigerian People in OKOBO

Author Essesien Ntekim carefully weaves an interesting, controversial and poignant book that passionately seeks out the author's own roots as he looks back at a place he once called home in OKOBO. With new eyes after some four decades of first impression, the author found a wonderful treasure trove of previously unknown information to share with readers. Okobo country rocks, its multiple waterways and vegetation, each had respective stories to tell. So also were its people and their traditional means of livelihood. At the core of this book is a passionate desire by the author to seek out Okobo and vividly share a story of the Nigerian people to the world. In a painstaking recollection of childhood memories, Ntekim started this book with a full-day homecoming journey to Okoboland from his place of work at Abuja, the new administrative capital of Nigeria in West Africa. The dramatic changes seen in one town known as Obufi was found replicated in all other towns and villages in Okoboland in domino. Anywhere, he visited bore unmistakable evidences of advance and decline, both in terms of physical and human content of society. A curious insight into its peculiarities threw more light on how Okobo as a frontier nation was able to survive among population hegemons of Efik, Oron, and Ibibio with whom it shared common borders at three fronts. Indeed, throughout the Efik-speaking communities of the Lower Cross River region, Okobo was the only meeting point of the three major ethnic groupings. Without any pretension, this book, in its concluding section, wishes to highlight the international conspiracy against OKOBO interest. The book declares in a very public manner that the people whose ancestral home was taken away from them were Okobo people. Matters became more bizarre when revelations in the book showed that Okobo inhabitants who constituted over 90 percent of the so-called Bakassi Peninsula were hardly consulted for their inputs before the Nigerian legal team boarded the plane on an ill-fated mission to the world court. In this epic write-up, real information about Okobo was reduced to moonlight storytelling, necessarily to loosen and broaden perceptions of readers and people interested in further research about Okobo.

In a vivid expression of intent, OKOBO represents an exploratory effort to address who Okobo people are in the context of the Nigerian federal state. It envisages a massive outpouring of better-informed opinion about Okobo phenomenon by the time the last page is flipped. For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com. About the Author Essesien Ntekim was born in 1954 to the family of Ntekim Abasi Nneyo of Obufi, Okobo. He received early education at the prestigious Methodist Boys High School, Oron and the University of Calabar in the southeastern part of Nigeria. While working as a career diplomat in the Nigerian Foreign Service, he enrolled and obtained a masters of arts degree in international relations from the City College, New York in 2004. Ntekim lives with his wife, Atim, and their four children in Tokyo, Japan. OKOBO* by Essesien Ntekim Story of a Nigerian People Publiaction Date: July 24, 2013 Trade Paperback; $23.99; 613 pages; 978-1-4797-9112-5 Trade Hardback; $34.99; 613 pages; 978-1-4797-9113-2 eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4797-9114-9 Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (812) 355-4079 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit http://www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.

Authority Stealing: Anti-corruption War in Nigeria

Authority Stealing: Anti-corruption War and Democratic Politics in Post-military Nigeria

 

Although Adebanwi’s book ranges broadly across recent Nigerian history, its central purpose is to assess postcolonial Nigeria’s most serious campaign to eradicate large-scale corruption. In 2003, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Nuhu Ribadu as chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a position he would retain until 2008, when Obasanjo’s successor, Umaru Yar’Adua, removed him. During his tenure, Ribadu became a hero to many Nigerians for transforming the commission into a relatively effective anticorruption vehicle, indicting hundreds of prominent Nigerians for various economic crimes. In 2009, following several attempts on his life amid fierce counterattacks by many of the powerful people he had taken on, Ribadu left the country. Although the book meanders a bit and could have been improved by some aggressive editing, it tells an engaging story, full of striking details about the numerous cases that marked Ribadu’s tenure. Readers will be rewarded with a thorough education in the personalities, practices, and political culture that allow billions of dollars of Nigerian state revenues to disappear every year. continued

Personne pour m’Accompagner

Ces images rappellent le roman de Nadine Gordimer :” Personne pour m’Accompagner”

C’est d’ailleurs le sujet qu’ils illustrent dans un point de vue  publié sur  NYT

Customs: Nigeria Loses N356bn Annually to Contraband

By Daji Sani  The Deputy Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Saka Yunusa Alao, has disclosed that Nigeria loses an estimated N1 billion on contraband rice daily which translates to N356 billion yearly. Alao, who was in Yola on an official visit, revealed this while taking journalists round the contraband storage facility of the Adamawa/Taraba states command. He revealed that the command had made 2,316 seizures of rice alone, whose value was estimated at hundreds of millions of naira this year. He noted that the NCS was determined in ensuring that the federal government’s fiscal policies were implemented religiously in order to safeguard the economy and prevent illegal export to other countries. Alao explained that in order to put an end to the activities of smugglers in the country, the customs had deployed aircrafts to all borders in the country,  adding that policing at border areas has also been intensified. These measures, according to him, were already yielding positive results. He said if rice smuggling alone could be tackled, the country would be able to produce aboutseven millions

jobs in the sector alone. The, he noted, was why the federal government directed that rice should only be imported via the sea. “Though importation of rice into Nigeria is not prohibited, by law, it is restricted from being ferried into the country through land borders,” he said. Alao maintained that the dexterity and determination of the command and its affiliate units led to seizures of rice, soap, second hand clothing’s, vegetable oil, motorcycles and sugar worth hundreds of millions. However, he said the Nigeria Customs had made seized of contraband, which amounted to N636, 222,600 during its operations this year in the Adamawa/Taraba states Command. continued

Ghana now fastest growing economy in sub-Saharan Africa

Mr Seth Adjei Baah, President of Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Monday noted that Ghana is currently one of the fastest growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa. He said the country’s business environment is also conducive and supportive of foreign investments. Mr Adjei Baah, who was speaking at a day’s business forum of Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Turkey IZMIR Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Accra, said Ghana is loaded with many trade and investment opportunities. The forum served as a platform for Turkish businessmen to meet with their Ghanaian counterparts to discuss trade and investment opportunities. It is also facilitated the establishment of an honorary consulate in Izmir to advance trade and development between the two countries. The visiting Turkish entrepreneurs would hold business meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts in areas such as agriculture and agro-processing, banking and finance, construction and real estate

development, tourism, telecommunications, information and communication technology, oil and gas extraction, mining and quarrying. Mr Ekrem Demirtas, President of IZMIR Chamber of Commerce, who led the delegation, said the visit sought to promote a working environment that would enable the two countries work together to fulfil the common objectives of regional economic development and social advancement.

Affaires Talon & Consort Paris dit non à l’extradition

Le Parquet général de Paris vient de déposer son réquisitoire dans l’affaire Patrice Talon et Olivier Bocco contre le Président Yayi Boni. Comme l’on devait s’y attendre, le parquet est contre toute extradition de ces Béninois vers leur pays, car, l’administration d’une bonne justice reste douteuse dans cette affaire. Mieux, le traitement déshonorant infligé au juge Houssou met carrément en doute la bonne foi des autorités béninoises. Le parquet général de Paris est défavorable à l’extradition vers le Bénin de l’homme d’affaires Patrice Talon, un ancien proche du président Thomas Boni Yayi, aujourd’hui accusé par Cotonou d’avoir ourdi un plan pour éliminer le chef de l’État, selon un document consulté lundi par l’AFP.Il reviendra à la cour d’appel de Paris de se prononcer sur un éventuel renvoi dans son pays d’origine de Patrice Talon et de l’un de ses collaborateurs, Olivier Boko, lui aussi réclamé par les autorités béninoises. L’audience devant la chambre de l’instruction de la cour d’appel est prévue mercredi après-midi et la décision devrait être mise en délibéré. Ancien proche de Thomas Boni Yayi, Patrice Talon, 55 ans, avait été arrêté à Paris début décembre 2012, puis laissé libre sous contrôle judiciaire, alors qu’il faisait l’objet d’un mandat d’arrêt international lancé par le Bénin. Fin octobre 2012, les autorités béninoises avait accusé cet homme d’affaires, longtemps incontournable dans son pays, notamment dans le secteur clé du coton, d’avoir fomenté depuis l’étranger un complot pour empoisonner Thomas Boni Yayi et l’éliminer de la vie politique. Plusieurs proches du président, dont son médecin personnel, sa nièce et gouvernante et l’ancien ministre du Commerce avaient été arrêtés et sont toujours détenus au Bénin. Ils ont fait l’objet d’un non lieu, confirmé par la cour d’appel de Cotonou, mais le Bénin s’est pourvu en cassation. Dans ses écritures, le parquet général de Paris s’inquiète notamment du sort qu’a connu le juge d’instruction Angelo Houssou, qui a ordonné le premier non lieu général le 17 mai. Ce dernier avait été arrêté le même jour alors qu’il tentait de franchir la frontière nigériane. Pour le parquet général, l’absence d’informations livrées par le Bénin à la cour d’appel sur cet incident fait planer des doutes sur le traitement que pourrait désormais subir M. Talon dans son pays. De plus, le parquet général de Paris note que le mandat d’arrêt visant Patrice Talon a été maintenu, du seul fait d’un appel du parquet béninois, alors que le juge ordonnait sa levée dans sa décision de non-lieu. Contacté par l’AFP, l’avocat de Patrice Talon, Me William Bourdon, s’est félicité de ce réquisitoire. "Le coup monté judiciaire apparaît de manière éclatante et dans toute son évidence. Les masques tombent", a-t-il commenté. Source Afp

Ghana : 39 Per cent of Children Malnourished

She said in Ghana, about 39 per cent of all two-year-olds were moderately or severely stunted as a result of malnutrition. According to Madam Amarchey, there was therefore the need to make sure that people got food which provided all the nutrients they needed to develop their full potentials and called on the government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to work towards improving the consumption of healthy food and also intensify education on the importance of healthy, balanced diet. Madam Amarchey said this at the Brong Ahafo regional celebration of this year’s World Food Day at Nsawkaw, the capital of the Tain District in the Brong Ahafo Region last Wednesday. The celebration, which is marked on October 16 every year, was on the theme: ” Sustainable food systems for food security and nutrition” and it was organised by the Brong Ahafo Regional Office of ActionAid Ghana and the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture ( MOFA). The day, which is to raise public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty, was attended by various farmer groups across the region as well as a cross section of the public.

It was also to create the platform for farmers and policy makers to come together to discuss contributions and the challenges of the agricultural sector. Madam Amarchey also used the opportunity to renew ActionAid ‘s commitment to leverage various stakeholders and support farmers and their households to tackle the challenges they face in growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consumption and disposal of food and food-related items. “When this is done in the overall framework of securing their right to food, the Millennium Development Goal One (MDG One) which aims at eradicating poverty and hunger towards building a healthy human resource for national development would be attained”, she stated….   continued

Nigeria: La Révision de la Constitution Passe par la Conférence Nationale

Le Président du Comité consultatif national sur la Conférence nationale, le sénateur Femi Okunrounmu, a laissé entendre que les conclusions et recommandations de l'organe qu’il dirige servirait comme matériau pour la constitution de la nation. Il a déclaré que le comité a pour fonction de recommander au Président Goodluck Jonathan la procédure de mise en place d' une conférence nationale et lui remettrait en retour les conclusions et recommandations sur les vrais problèmes du pays. « Les conclusions et les recommandations du comité sont des matériaux soumis à la Constitution. Le peuple est l’essence de la souveraineté du Nigeria, aussi, quelles que soient les conclusions et les recommandations du comité, elles devraient être soumises à un référendum national par le peuple », a-t-il dit . Sur les insinuations de certains milieux selon lesquelles la conférence nationale proposée pourrait conduire à la désintégration du Nigeria, M. Okunrounmu a dit qu'elle renforcerait plutôt l'existence du pays.

«Il n’y a pas de raison de penser que se réunir pour dialoguer sur les questions nationales conduira à l'éclatement du Nigeria, a-t-il dit aux journalistes. Prétendre que quand les gens s'assoient et parlent conduira à la désunion du Nigeria n'a pas de sens. En fait, cela ne peut être qu’un chemin pour cimenter l'unité du Nigeria » ; a-t-il conclu Le vétéran a également cherché à apaiser les craintes de certains Nigérians que le comité ne compromette leurs intérêts. Il s'est engagé à faire tout son possible pour que le comité réussisse sa mission et ne déçoive pas les Nigérians. amené et Trad. par Binason Avèkes

Abuja: Nigeria's unfinished capital built on 'stolen' land

Obasanjo a-t-il Perdu deux fois son Fils Gbenga ?

Phone Farming: How SMS is Changing Agriculture in Ghana

Just three years ago, Abdul Rahman Takoro could not afford to send all his eight children to school. Several dropped out, while he struggled to pay the fees for the rest. Takoro tried to work as a bicycle repairer, after the frustration of seeing his farm fail. Without any education or resources on farming, Takoro was losing money. “I could invest about GHC200 into my 9 acre farm and I would lose all of it,” Takoro said, speaking in Dagbani. “I have suffered in this world,” he said. “I could not see any progress in my life.” But Takoro found a lot of hope in a simple SMS technology. A private communication company, Esoko, is helping farmers like Takoro access tips on weather, better farming methods and market prices. Currently the only way most farmers get such information is through extension officers. The government employees meet with farmers to provide information, but they barely reach a quarter of the total number of farmers in Ghana. As well, according to information from  Ghana’s Finance Ministry, about 70 per  cent of extension officers will retire from active service in the next three years.

The Minister for Food and Agriculture Clement Kofi Humado said that farmers can face large challenges. “The Ministry has taken a serious view of market access to the extent that last year and this year for example small holder farmers particularly in Brong Ahafo, Upper East and Upper West regions have produced a lot of grains and are unable to send them to the market,” he said. The agricultural industry in Ghana has been struggling as farmers lack education and resources to grow their yields meet demands and subsist under rising prices. A decade ago, agriculture contributed 40 per cent of the country’s GDP, according to the country’s agricultural ministry. Now, it’s only 27 per cent. continued

Ghana To Produce 555 MW Of Power By 2016

Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has revealed that the country is on the edge of achieving its target of generating 555 MW of power by the end of 2016. To this end, he noted that the government had created an enabling environment for independent power producers to invest in the country. The Minister, who was speaking during a meeting with officials from Hunan Electric Power and Hunan Construction Engineering Group Corporation at the Ministry in Accra, over the weekend, said the country’s energy demand was growing fast and needed massive investment.

The Hunan officials are in the country to facilitate their plan to build a 555MW combined-cycle plant at the Domunli power enclave in the Western Region. According to Cai Pai, Managing Director of the Group, his company’s interest in the country’s energy sector stemmed from the seriousness Ghana attaches to ensuring that it has enough power generation to meet increasing demand. He said the project will be in two phases. The first will be a 370MW plant with the second phase being a 185MW p… continued