It’s another Sunday morning and a time to look back at some of the stories that grabbed our attention last week.

We reacted to the Nigerian government’s plan to restart direct cash transfers to the poorest and the senator president’s ‘unverified’ comments that N30 billion in food support was given to state governors; reported how the Lagos government can support vulnerable citizens; and the shutdown of an Abuja-based supermarket. We also covered the protests in Senegal; urgent water support for Qwaqwa residents in South Africa; and Tunisia’s unlawful detention of political opponents.

N30 Billion Food Support: Governors, We Await Your Response

Starting from Nigeria, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, quoted ‘unverified reports’ that in the last few months, state governors received an additional N30 billion each outside their normal allocation from the federation account to assist them in ameliorating the food crisis in the country. We then demanded that state governors across the country account for the N30 billion they reportedly received. Read more

Response to Hardship: How Lagos Can Support Vulnerable Citizens

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced a 25 percent discount on fares for transportation services run by the government, a reduction in working days for civil servants, and the opening of soup kitchens to feed residents across the 20 local government areas (LGAs) that make up the state. But it was unclear how vulnerable groups would benefit from the interventions. Read more

Nigeria Needs to Nurture SMEs, Scrap Cash Transfer Programmes

Nigeria’s plan to restart direct cash transfers to the poorest and most vulnerable citizens got us wondering what this would achieve given the high cost of living in the country. We called on the Minister of Finance to consider creating specialised credit products that can nurture more small and medium enterprises, which are the backbone of any economy. Inequality and poverty would be reduced in the process. Read more

‘Sponsored Protests’: Akpabio-Led Lawmakers Must Fulfil Constitutional Role

The senate president claimed that there were a lot of sponsored protests, but the protesters were not aware of efforts being made to tackle the rising cost of food in the country. We urged the senate president to ensure that the National Assembly effectively plays its constitutional role at all times in the interest of the Nigerian people they represent. Read more

Government Vs Sowore: Action Tinubu, Governors, Others Must Take

Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, submitted a notice of discontinuance to the Federal High Court in Abuja, confirming the government’s discontinuation of treasonable felony charges against activist Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant. While we noted this development as a victory for human rights defenders in the country, we encouraged Nigerians to actively participate in governance by demanding transparency, accountability, and policies aimed at improving their collective well-being. Read more

Sahad Closure: FCCPC Needs to Carry out Consumer Rights Awareness

The closure of an Abuja-based supermarket, Sahad Stores, by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) got our attention with respect to consumer rights. We called on the acting Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, to come up with mechanisms to educate the public on their rights. Read more

Senegal Protests: President Sall, Listen to Citizens’ Demands

Away from Nigeria, Senegalese demonstrated in the streets against the proposed extension of President Macky Sall’s term beyond 02 April, which is the constitutionally mandated date for the handover of power. We called on President Sall to adhere to the will of the people by upholding the country’s constitutional principles and showing commitment to democratic norms and the rule of law. Read more

Ethiopia: Silencing Peaceful Dissent Unacceptable

In Ethiopia, a nationwide state of emergency granted the government extensive power to restrict freedom of movement, impose curfews, arrest suspects without a court order, and prohibit public gatherings and associations. We demanded that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the government of Ethiopia stop disregarding due process under the country’s state of emergency law and release everyone detained. Read more

Congo Fighting: Government Must Protect Civilians

Reports emerged that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had 6.7 million people displaced within its borders, amid serious flooding emergencies and a resurgence of measles and cholera outbreaks. We called on the DRC government to prioritise the protection and assistance of civilians affected by the crisis. Read more

South Africa: Qwaqwa Residents Need Urgent Water Support

More than 140,000 families in Qwaqwa, a town in the Free State province of South Africa, struggle to get any tap water at all or very little water. We demanded the implementation of immediate interventions for these communities, which include emergency water deliveries, the installation of communal water tanks, and implementation of water-saving initiatives. Read more

Tunisia: Detention of Political Opponents Unlawful

Six political opponents who have been held for a year by the Tunisian government were denied their freedom. We called on President Saied to order the unconditional release of the detainees, ensure respect for human rights, and enhance accountability within security forces. Read more

That is the roundup of some stories that made headlines last week. More headlines are available on Development Diaries.