Hello everyone!
We are back with another roundup of some top stories from last week.
From the abduction of schoolchildren in northern Nigeria to the budget padding controversy, as well as an update on the country’s Port Harcourt refinery, not forgetting the arrest of human rights activists in South Africa and the growing school dropout rate in Uganda, it was indeed another eventful week to prompt attention and demand action.
School Abduction: Another Failure of Intelligence Gathering in Nigeria
After the abduction of over 200 children in Kaduna State, 15 others were reportedly kidnapped in Gidan Bakuso, Sokoto State. This is sad. The renewed abduction of schoolchildren in Nigeria is a grave concern that requires urgent and decisive action from the government. While we reiterate our call on the Nigerian police and other security operatives to secure the safe return of the abductees, President Bola Tinubu needs to order the strengthening of all of Nigeria’s intelligence agencies to be more effective in detecting and preventing attacks. Read more
Budget Padding Allegation: Senate Response Widens Trust Gap
The Senate suspended Senator Abdul Ningi for three months over his claims that the 2024 budget was padded by three trillion naira. But as we said during the week, the suspension of Senator Ningi without investigation leaves much to be desired, especially concerning transparency and accountability. This is where our anti-graft agencies must come in. Therefore, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) must begin a special investigation into Senator Ningi’s charges and make their findings public. And as citizens, we must monitor and question our representatives at the National Assembly on how funds allocated for constituency projects are utilised throughout the year. Read more
Government Spending: Accountant-General Office Showing Bad Example
Nigeria’s accountant-general’s office held a workshop on public financial management and international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS) in London, United Kingdom. For a country whose president continues to urge citizens to make sacrifices and endure hardship, it is quite scandalous to see that the office of the accountant-general of the federation held a workshop abroad. The Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, must ensure that the office adheres to fiscal prudence in all its activities. For his part, President Tinubu needs to exercise political will and begin to implement measures to cut down on the cost of governance. Public officials must begin to show their ability to manage the country’s finances responsibly during these difficult times. Read more
Port Harcourt Refinery: Government Must Match Words with Action
The Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Mele Kyari, announced that commercial production of refined products at the Port Harcourt refinery will begin in two weeks. Therefore, Nigerians must begin an accountability countdown on this latest promise and hold the government accountable when the time elapses and the refinery is still not operational. Read more
Plateau Child Abuse: Beyond Enforcing Child Protection Law
It is heartbreaking to hear that a housewife in Plateau State, north-central Nigeria, poured hot water on the children of her husband’s second wife. Reports say that the police have arrested the husband, identified as Abubakar, for interrogation on where his first wife can be located. The police in Plateau State must ensure that the culprit is arrested and brought to justice. But beyond ensuring the enforcement of the child protection law in the state, the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development needs to carry out an awareness campaign across the state to end violence against children. Read more
South Africa: Arrest of Activists Undemocratic
About 80 activists were recently arrested by security operatives outside Standard Bank headquarters in Rosebank, Johannesburg, during a protest against the bank’s funding of fossil fuel projects. The wave of arrests targeting human rights activists in South Africa is deeply troubling. The South African government must uphold its obligations under international human rights laws and respect the rights of individuals to peacefully assemble, express their opinions, and participate in civic activities without fear of reprisal. Read more
Kenya: Women Need Community Support in Fight against Land Disinheritance
Despite various legal frameworks and international conventions that advocate for women’s rights in Kenya, poor implementation at the ground level remains a significant concern. The issue of land ownership and inheritance rights for widows in the East African country has been a longstanding challenge, with the government often criticised for not doing enough to protect widows. The Kenyan government needs to provide free or affordable legal aid services to widows to help them navigate the legal system and secure their inheritance rights. Read more
Uganda: Urgent Action Needed as School Dropout Rates Grow
More than 9,000 schoolchildren in Uganda’s Oyam District are being driven out of school every year, according to a recent study by the district’s education department. This worrisome trend must be addressed immediately. The government providing meals for schoolchildren will go a long way towards addressing the high dropout rates and ensuring schoolchildren stay in classrooms to complete their education. Read more
Sudan: Urgent Support for Women, Children Facing Hunger
Nearly 230,000 children, pregnant women and new mothers could die in the coming months due to hunger, according to reports by Save the Children. The Sudanese government must ensure women, especially new mothers, and children are prioritised for immediate food and health service support, as it is critical to respecting their rights and ensuring their survival. Read more
That is the roundup of some stories that made headlines last week. More headlines are available on Development Diaries or dev_diaries on IG and X, and development diaries on Facebook.