Welcome to the Development Diaries weekly roundup of top Nigerian and African stories for Sunday, 09 July, 2023.
Last week, we reported some lessons from Mmesoma’s 2023 UTME result saga; the disbandment of the police team that ran over a handcuffed man in Edu State, Nigeria; hunger crises in West Africa; expulsion of at least 500 sub-Saharan African migrants and asylum seekers by Tunisian security forces; among other top stories.
Five Lessons from Mmesoma’s UTME Result Saga
JAMB and Mmesoma engaged in claims and counterclaims over the authenticity of Mmesoma’s UTME result. While Mmesoma insisted that she saw a 362 score on the JAMB portal when she checked her result, the examination body consistently insisted that the result did not emanate from them. Read more
Disbanding Police Team Not Enough to Restore Public Trust
The acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the disbandment of a team of police officers who recently ran over a citizen in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. A disturbing video of some police officers running over a handcuffed man with a Sienna vehicle went viral on 30 June, 2023. Read more
Appointments: Why Tinubu, Governors Must Emulate Kano
The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, placed the state’s newly inaugurated commissioners on a six-month probation period. The governor, who made this known during his first executive council meeting, said commissioners who performed well would be retained and those who underperformed would be sacked. Read more
Hunger Crisis Grips West Africa
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) called for immediate action to prevent a catastrophic hunger crisis in Africa’s Sahel region. The UN agency made the call following shortfalls in funding which had left millions stranded without humanitarian aid. Read more
AU Seeks Inclusion of Youths in AfCFTA
The African Union (AU) called on African governments to use the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a tool for the continent’s economic recovery from multiple crises. The commission commemorated the African Integration Day 2023 under the theme: ‘Accelerating Job Creation, Digital and Financial Inclusion in the AfCFTA market’. Read more
Tunisia: HRW Reacts to Expulsion of Migrants
Human Rights Watch (HRW) raised concerns over the expulsion of at least 500 sub-Saharan African migrants and asylum seekers by Tunisian security forces without due process. Tunisian security forces had been collectively expelling the migrants and asylum seekers, including children and pregnant women, since 02 July, 2023, to a remote, militarised buffer zone at the Tunisia-Libya border. Read more
Kenya: Climate Financing Gap Reaches 79 Percent
The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) said that the widening gap in climate change financing among African countries was increasing the dangers of global warming. The Climate Change Programme Lead for ACTS, Joel Onyango, highlighted the issue at the launch of the ACTS Pathways Academy. Read more
Cameroon: AI Releases Report, Highlights Killings, Rapes
Amnesty International (AI) reported rampant human rights violations and other crimes under domestic law committed by multiple actors in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. The organisation, in a new report, noted crimes committed by armed separatists, militias and members of the defence and security forces in the Northwest Region, mainly since 2020. Read more
South Africa: NGO Wins Water Pollution Case
Save the Vaal Environment won a major court order against several government officials in South Africa to stop Vaal River sewage pollution. Read more
AfDB Provides Funds for African Energy Project
The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a U.S.$7.88 million grant for the Africa Energy Transition Catalyst (AETC) programme. The programme aims to increase renewable energy generation across the continent. Read more
That is the roundup of some stories that made headlines last week. More headlines are available on Development Diaries.
Photo source: Save the Children
