Yearly Archives: 2016

Nigeria bans importation of vehicles through land borders

The Federal Government of Nigeria has banned the importation of vehicles into Nigeria through the land borders. The ban takes effect from 1 January 2017. According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Customs, Wale Adeniyi, “The prohibition order covers all new and used vehicles.” He added, “The ban is sequel to a Presidential Directive restricting …

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Donald Trump appoints Nigerian member of his economic advisory team

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named a Nigerian, Adebayo Ogunlesi, as a member of an advisory council that will help the incoming president implement “his plan to bring back jobs and Make America Great Again.” Ogunlesi is the Chairman and Managing Partner, Global Infrastructure Partners, a private equity firm with more than $35bn in assets under management. He has …

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Using training and technology to help women entrepreneurs in Africa grow their business

Njideka Harry, in commemoration of this year’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, writes on how Youth for Technology Foundation in partnership with Mastercard supports two women’s journey to self-fulfillment and financial freedom in Africa’s most populous country. Statistics show that female entrepreneurs in Africa serve as the backbone of the economy and have the power to drive incredible growth. A Global Entrepreneurship …

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Fake US Embassy in Ghana discovered after issuing counterfeit visas for more than 10 years

A fake US Embassy operated by organized crime gangs has been shut down in Ghana’s capital city Accra after a decade of operations, issuing counterfeit US visas. The US Department of State revealed in a statement that the sham embassy was run by Ghanaian and Turkish criminals as well as a Ghanaian lawyer, specializing  in immigration and criminal law. The …

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Gambian leader Yahyah Jammeh in election loss shock after 22-year rule

Gambian leader Yahyah Jammeh, who vowed to rule the tiny West African nation for “a billion years”, was handed a shock election defeat on Friday 22 years after seizing power in a coup. The electoral commission head declared Adama Barrow president-elect on state television, with 45.5 percent of the vote against Jammeh’s 36.7 percent. “Having received 263, 515 votes out …

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What you should know about HIV and AIDS

World AIDS Day, marked on 1 December every year since 1988, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection, and mourning those who have died of the disease. Government and health officials, non-governmental organizations and individuals around the world observe the day, often with education on AIDS prevention and control. Here are …

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Dutch parliament backs ban on burqas

Lawmakers in the lower house of the Dutch parliament have backed a partial ban on “face-covering clothing”, including Islamic veils and robes such as the burqa and niqab. The legislation still requires Senate approval before it becomes law. Studies suggest that only a few hundred women in the Netherlands wear such clothes, but successive governments have attempted to ban the …

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Scepticism greets Zimbabwe’s new bond notes

Struggling with a shortage of cash Zimbabwe has introduced a new currency, a “bond note”, redeemable against US dollars, which has been the country’s official currency since 2009. However, many people fear the bond note will wipe out savings and trigger printing of money, which raged out of control in 2008, leading to the adoption of the dollar. The secrecy …

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President Yahya Jammeh vows to deal ruthlessly with opponents as Gambians vote

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has warned that anyone involved in violence or unrest during the country’s presidential election on 1 December would be dealt with harshly. “There will be zero tolerance of violence and anyone disregarding public order will face the full force of the law,” Jammeh told supporters at a rally broadcast on Gambian TV on Sunday. “I am …

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Prague-based organisation honours Presidents Mahama of Ghana and Kagame of Rwanda

For granting visa-on-arrival to all Africans in their respective countries, Ghana’s President John Mahama and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame have been bestowed an award for African Leadership and Excellence by Humanitas Afrika. According to the African-Czech organisation based in Prague, “Boundaries and borders barricading African countries into sovereign states as in present-day Africa is no doubt a legacy borne out …

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Apprehensions as Ghanaians go to the polls

Ghanaians will go to the polls on 7 December to elect a president and 275 members of parliament. The Electoral Commission (EC) has released a final voter’s register of 15,703,890 eligible persons to participate in the country’s general election, which will be contested by seven political parties. However, the two most popular parties are the ruling National Democratic Congress or …

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Remembering how Fidel Castro and Cuba helped to defeat Apartheid

As the world mourns the death of the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, it’s fitting to recall the pivotal role Cuba played in ending Apartheid and why Castro was one of only five world leaders invited to speak at Nelson Mandela’s funeral. While Angola won its independence from Portugal on 15 January 1975, internal political conflicts escalated between the People’s …

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Interview: “The Diaspora should be considered the 37th State of Nigeria,” – Kenneth Gbandi, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe

Kenneth Gbandi was elected the new chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) at the body’s annual general meeting in Athens, Greece, on 11 November. The Germany-based migration expert, communal politician, business consultant and media entrepreneur spoke in an exclusive interview with Femi Awoniyi on the challenges facing NIDOE and how he plans …

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South Africa’s anti-corruption fighter receives prize in Berlin

Thuli Madonsela, South Africa’s Public Protector who famously took on President Jacob Zuma over the use of taxpayers’ money to upgrade his country home, was honoured at a lavish ceremony on Wednesday in Berlin. Ms Madonsela, who resigned from the office only last month after completing her 7-year term, received the prestigious Africa Prize awarded annually by the German Africa …

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German-South African Binational Commission meets in Berlin

On 15 and 16 November, the 9th session of the German-South Africa Binational Commission took place in Berlin. High ranked representatives from both countries come together every other year to debate on global challenges and establish an agenda for future joint co-operation. The Binational Commission (BNC) is an important instrument to steer intra-governmental relations between Germany and South Africa. On …

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