Welcome to the Development Diaries weekly roundup of top stories for Sunday, 06 November, 2022.
It was another eventful week as Nigeria’s education minister admitted his failure to solve the problem of out-of-school children; the government of Ethiopia and the TPLF completed a crucial peace agreement; South Sudan’s hunger crisis got another global mention; commercial bus drivers in Lagos Nigeria halted their operations; the redesigning of naira continued to generate concerns; and Africa celebrated its youths with calls to action.
Minister Admits Basic Education Failure
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, admitted his failure to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the country despite the issue being one of his key priorities in over seven years. Read more.
‘Agberos’: Nightmare of Lagos Drivers, Commuters
Strike by commercial bus drivers in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, left schoolchildren stranded and unable to meet up with their school time. The association of commercial drivers was protesting against harassment and intimidation of drivers on the road by law enforcement agencies such as the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS). Read more.
Tigray Peace Agreement Excites UN
The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, called on the international community to support the bold step taken by the government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) towards ending the war in the region. Read more.
Naira Redesign: What Are the Concerns?
Some Nigerians say upgrading the value of the naira should be a better problem for CBN to handle, not rebranding the naira notes. Read more.
African Youths Get ‘Breaking of Obstacles’ Challenge
The African Union has called on African youths to break down all obstacles that limit their vitality and their energy in the transformation of the continent. The union’s Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, made the call as he focused on the efforts expected of the youths in respect of their participation and their inclusion in development efforts. Read more.
Poor Response to Fire Incidents in Nigeria
Recurrent fire outbreaks are not new to Nigerians. Major fire incidents are reported at least twice a year across the country and in most cases, the affected structures are markets. Read more.
UN Agencies Raise Hunger Alarm in South Sudan
United Nations (UN) humanitarian agencies have jointly warned that flood, drought, and conflict-affected communities in South Sudan are likely to starve if humanitarian efforts are not sustained in the country. Read more.
Uganda: WHO Raises Ebola Concerns, Makes Call
The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned of the further spread of Ebola virus to neighbouring countries after the virus spread to Kampala, Uganda. The WHO urged neighbouring countries to boost their preparedness against the deadly virus. Read more.
Alleged Assault on Nigerian Policewoman and VAPP Law
In a short video that surfaced on Facebook on Tuesday, the inspector claimed that after inflicting injuries on her, her superior officer also brought a gun from his office threatening to shoot her. Read more.
Cameroonian Refugees Get Medical Support
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has delivered an advanced cardiac and trauma life-support ambulance in Cross River State, Nigeria, to support refugees from Cameroon in the state. Read more.
Libya: HRW Reacts to New Children Decree
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged the authorities in Libya to ensure equality and nondiscrimination for Libyan women and their children. The rights organisation made the call after raising concerns that women in the North African country still had no effective legal protection against domestic and sexual violence. Read more.
That is the roundup of some stories that made headlines last week. More newspapers headlines are available on Development Diaries.
Photo source: UNHCR