Month: August 2023

The Nigerian Youths in Politics, an NGO, has urged governments at all levels to provide enabling environment for Nigeria to fully transit from traditional industry to green economy.

The National President of the organisation, Mr Blessing Oyefeso, made the call at the Nigeria Youths Stakeholders Conversation with the theme “Green economy roadmap: Policymaking as catalyst for youth employment” in Abuja.

The conversation was organised by the organisation in commemoration of the 2023 United Nation International Youth Day celebration with the theme “green skills for youth”.

Oyefeso said that transiting to green economy would help the country to address the challenges of unemployment and dwelling revenue generation.

Oyefeso, who is also the Convener of the conversation, said that Nigeria economy lost over 12.5 million job opportunities and $250 billion worth investment opportunities for not yet transiting from traditional industry to green economy.

“In spite of the huge opportunities in the green economy to create jobs and develop Nigeria economy, the sector still remained untapped.

“We discovered that the green economy alone has the capacity to generate 12.5 million job opportunities that we have not being able to tap into.

“Also, we are losing over N250 billion investment opportunity of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) that green economy presents, just like to other developed nations that transited from traditional industry to green economy.

“As stakeholders, we are here to deliberate and come up with modalities for recommendation to the executive arms of government and legislators as well as critical policy makers towards tapping into the greener future for our shared prosperity, “ he said.

Olafeso said that Nigeria could not continue to do things the same way and expect different results.

“To change some things, we must use a different model to achieve our greener future for all,” he said.

The Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment, Sen. Ned Nwoko, advocated for the establishment of recycling plants to promote clean environment and eradicate malaria in Nigeria.

Nwoko said malaria was one of the biggest problems of Africa, saying according to World Health Organization (WHO), over 600,000 persons die annually in Africa from Malaria, a figure higher than those that died of COVID-19.

“I believe if we are able to have a cleaner environment, the cases of Malaria will not only be minimised, but eradicated,” Nwoko said.

He said that if a recycling plant was established in each of the 109 senatorial districts of the country, not less than 21,800 megawatts of electricity would also be generated to boost the country’s electricity supply.

“Currently, the power that we have is about 4,000 to 5,000 megawatts of electricity. If they adopt my formula, the issue of blackouts will be a thing of the past,” he said .

The lawmaker also called on African countries to harness its available natural resources to create jobs for the youth and for the development of the region.

The Executive Director, Re-Orientation Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (RAN), Mr Charles Folayan, said there was need for youths to start working together and engage the policy makers on emancipation of the youth of the country.

Folayan said youths had been talking for more than two decades, it was now time for action.

He said that the young people of the country must start engaging the policymakers on issues that would be of benefit to them and the country.

Mr Dauda Gombe, the Executive Director, North East Youth Initiative for Development (NEYIF), said unless the youth rise up for themselves, nobody would do that for them.

“We have just finished election and the ministerial nominations have been made. What do we have to ensure transparency and and accountability?

“They said there is no job, but there are great opportunities in green economy.

“We have to work together to exploit this.”

Mr Shagari Dogo, President, Arewa Youth Council, said Nigerian youths were ready to change the narrative of the country by embracing green economy.

“The northern youths are involved and we are doing everything possible to ensure that the employment opportunities in the green economy is exploited,” Dogo said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Namibian Rugby Premier League outfit Trustco United outclassed their opponent Western Suburbs with a 24-17 win on Saturday, to finish the season in second place.

United who have been third throughout the season on the log standing, overcame a resilient Suburbs who had them on the back foot throughout the first and beginning of the second half.

Suburbs had a short trip from Khomasdal to the Trustco United Sports Ground in Olympia, where they opened the scoring just 17 minutes into the first half with a try which was converted. But the home team responded with a try of their own, and their conversion was missed.

The visitors Suburbs once again ran in a try before the half-time break, but the conversion was missed. The half-time score was 12-5 in favour of Suburbs.

In the second half Suburbs only managed to run in one try, and the conversion was once again missed while United who were playing in front of a handful of their supporters ran in three tries and converted two of their conversions for a final score of 24-17.

The Suburbs try scorers were Jayden Links and Gino Wilson who ran in two tries while Justin Nel converted once from the spot. United’s tries were scored by Hanno Husselman, Gerhard Thirion (two tries) and Dean Blom. Their conversions came from the feet of Hanreco van Zyl and Jahno du Plessis.

With a win against Suburbs, the Olympia-based outfit booked themselves a spot in the semi-finals against Kudus whom they poked from second to third place. Wanderers finished the season top of the log standing and will clash with Rehoboth who finished fourth on the log.

The semi-finals are scheduled for the weekend of 19 August 2023, with the final to be played on 26 August 2023 at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Olympia.

Teams that did not qualify for the playoffs are UNAM who finished fifth, Suburbs who finished sixth, Grootfontein that finished seventh, and Reho Falcons at the bottom of the log.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) on Saturday, began the distribution of flyers and posters across the South-East to notify residents of cancellation of the sit-at-home exercise in the region.

IPOB’s spokesman, Mr Emma Powerful, disclosed this in a statement entitled: “Monday weekly sit-at-home: An ugly phase of a bygone history that must never be repeated as echoed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”

Powerful explained that the exercise was aimed at conveying Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s pronouncement cancelling Monday sit-at-home.

The group said: “Any person or persons talking about a non-existent sit-at-home in the south east is an enemy of the people and shall be dealt with accordingly.

“The exercise also aims to inform the people that sit-at-home is not only “dead” but will also never again be invoked or deployed as a tool of civil disobedience in the group’s quest for self-determination,” he added.

According to him, the instructions to distribute the flyers by hand and paste posters to that effect was authorised by the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Powerful’s statement warned that any person or persons talking about sit-at-home in Igbo land again remained an enemy of the people and would be dealt with accordingly.

The statement reads in part: “It is to be stated for the umpteenth time, for those who may feign ignorance of the laws governing the conduct expected of IPOB family worldwide, that our supreme leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has ordered the permanent end to Monday sit-at-home in the south east.

“Anybody seen enforcing this illegal and non-existent Monday sit-at-home will be apprehended and summarily dealt with on the spot.

“The criminal elements are not working for IPOB nor the release of Kanu, who is detained in the DSS solitary confinement in Abuja.

“Those purporting to be running a Biafra Government in Exile, from somewhere in Finland, also known as Autopilot are not IPOB members and their activities do not represent the views of Kanu, rank and file IPOB membership nor ESN operatives.

“It is a shame to the memory of our late members that gave their lives for the IPOB struggle that individuals that never led ordinary street protests in the south east or anywhere in the world in support of IPOB can claim to lead our people.

“This is an absolute disgrace,” Powerful stressed.

He said “these shameless parasites” and their sponsors were hoping that mere attachment of the names – Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB and ESN – to their criminal enterprise will provide legitimacy to continue duping the gullible.

“The social media – Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE) has nothing to do with IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“ Kanu has nothing to do with them and will never have anything to do with them.

“ IPOB does not have any government in exile and will never have any government in exile.

“People that never led a protest anywhere in the world, were never detained or held meetings with any international bodies can never claim to represent our people.

“We, therefore, encourage people of the south east to help in the distribution of the flyers, posters to communities, hinterlands, and cities in the region, signifying the requiem mass for the senseless Monday sit-at-home.

“We warn once again that anybody apprehended enforcing any sit-at-home will regret his life and the self-acclaimed leader of BGIE will not save such a person,” the group noted.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A Namibian man, Silas Martinus, 33, was allegedly beaten with mopane twigs and then murdered by hanging at Iipanda Yambalantu village in the Omusati Region.

A crime report issued by the Namibian Police on Sunday stated that the suspect was a 29-year-old Namibian male and the incident took place around 22h00 on Thursday.

“It is alleged that the suspect used fresh mopane sticks to beat the victim on his facial areas which resulted in injuries and thereafter murdered the victim by hanging with a red elastic rubber which was found around the deceased’s neck,” the police said.

The police stated that the motive behind the crime is still unknown, the next of kin of the deceased have been notified and police investigations continue.

In the same report, two Namibian males and two Chinese males were allegedly robbed of N.dollars 200 000 on Friday at a guest house in Otjiwarongo.

“The four were allegedly driving a white Toyota Hilux pick-up and were robbed around 10h00 when they were stopped at the guest house, after withdrawing an amount of N.dollars 200 000 at a bank at Otjiwarongo, by seven suspects armed with a pistol and stones,” the police said.

It is alleged that the suspects stoned the victims’ vehicle and smashed both the back door windows and further opened the doors, whereby they grabbed the bag in which the money was kept, the police said.

When the complainants allegedly resisted, the suspects hit them with stones that led to the victims sustaining injuries. The suspects managed to escape with the cash bag in the direction of Windhoek, the police said.

No recovery has been made, however, a 32-year-old male suspect has been arrested and police investigations continue.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Hundreds of mourners from across the nation paid their respects on Saturday to Katahunda Matundu, former Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (now Popular Democratic Movement) political commissioner, who was given a dignified burial at Okarundu Kozombangane in Opuwo.

Matundu died last week after a lengthy illness. He was 66.

Okarundu Kozombangane is to the people of Kaokoland what Heroes’ Acre is to the Namibian government.

The shrine is historically noteworthy because it serves as a living memorial to the heroes of Kaokoland, notably those of the Otjikako Traditional Authority. Matundu has now joined the ranks of other heroes such as Mbumbijazo Muharukua, Chief Paulus Uziruapi Tjavara, Jamemi Muharukua, Tjiriazondana Kurooro, Uazenga Nderura, former Opuwo Rural councillor Uaurikua Kakuva, and others at Okarundu.

Matundu dubbed the “hero of his time”, has been said to have made significant contributions to the development of the Kunene Region.

PDM’s leader McHenry Venaani remarked during Matundu’s funeral ceremony at his traditional homestead that Matundu was at the apex of PDM emergence and that the party owed its existence to him.

Venaani went on to say that Matundu’s contribution to the battle for independence will be remembered for many years to come.

“Matundu fought for this country’s independence, he was an advocate for peace, unity, and prosperity, and he will not be forgotten,” he continued.

According to Venaani, Matundu was amongst a group of Herero leaders that travelled to Botswana before independence to repatriate Herero people who fled to Botswana during the 1904 genocide, together with Muvi Tjiho, Absai Kandirikirira, and Uahuma Hei.

“He was one of the few people who stood steadfastly for the negotiations of the genocide case, and he mobilised other people to join the fight for the full restoration of the Ovaherero people through the Hosea Kutako Foundation in the Kunene Region. During the Resolution 435 negotiations, he brought 800 Himba communities to the table,” Venaani remarked.

Venaani further stated that Matundu’s burial in Okarundu Kozombangane was a result of his actions.

Matundu served in the Opuwo Town Council from 1992 until 2002.

Swapo’s deputy secretary general, Uahekua Herunga, also spoke at the event, saying the Namibian government will forever be grateful for Matundu’s contributions during independence.

Herunga stated that the late Matundu’s contribution to the Kunene Region’s economic independence will not be forgotten.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency