Day: June 7, 2024

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) on Thursday revealed the name of the soldier who died in the line of duty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Sergeant Mbulelo David Ngubane passed away last Thursday, on 30 May 2024, following contact between the M23 and Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces.

Ngubane, who was 39 years old, was the operational medical practitioner in the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS).

‘He was shot and killed when the ambulance in which he was tending to injured members was attacked,’ the SANDF explained, adding that the ambulance was marked as a medically-equipped vehicle.

‘This unfortunate incident occurred even though the Geneva Convention on Law of Armed Conflict clearly stipulates categories of protected persons and objects like medical personnel, medical transport in particular and other establishments of this nature during an armed conflict,’ the statement read.

According to the SANDF, the act goes against published internat
ional norms in the conduct of armed conflict.

The SANDF soldiers are part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) deployed to support and assist the government of Africa’s second-largest country to restore peace, security and stability.

In February this year, Captain Simon Mkhulu Bobe and Lance Corporal Irven Thabang Semono were killed and three of their colleagues were injured in the DRC after a mortar bomb landed inside one of the South African contingency military bases.

The force said Ngubane’s memorial service and funeral will be communicated soon.

The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise, Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla, the Acting Secretary for Defence Dr Thobekile Gamede and the SANDF Chief General Rudzani Maphwanya expressed their heartfelt condolences to Ngubane’s family, friends and colleagues.

Source: South African Government News Agency

By Raji Rasak/ Millicent Ifeanyichukwu

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Foundation on Wednesday sensitised students of Badagry Senior Secondary School on tree planting to mark the World Environment Day.

Speaking at the programme, Mrs Henrietta Obioma-Igwe, Manager, Programme and Development of the foundation, said tree planting and conservation efforts were key to maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment.

World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5, and aims at raising awareness and celebrating environmental action, with a focus this year on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience.

‘Tree planting minimises or prevents the environmental challenges impacting on our environment and survival.

‘Trees provide shade, cool the air through transpiration, and block winds, regulating local climates.

‘Trees produce oxygen, which is essential for human and animal life.

‘Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to prevent climate change,’ she said.

She said that the foundation had chosen Badagry because it is a border community, adding that the town is a point of contact to anybody coming into the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the programme the foundation planted 70 trees in Badagry Senior Secondary School.

Mr Kenneth Adeoni, Principal of the school, expressed delight at the sensitisation brought to the students.

‘Now, we are happy because the sensitisation is for the children who are the leaders of tomorrow.

‘This has gone a long way to let them understand that we need to protect our environment for tomorrow.

‘The sensitisation has gone a long way to let them understand that we need to protect our environment with the issues of climate,’ he said.

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The principal urged Nigerians to protect their environment by planting trees.

‘To protect our environment, we need to plant tress consistently and for the fact that we have planted trees, we also nee
d to nurture them very well.

‘This sensitisation will help the students to understand environment through tree planting,’ he said.

He commended the foundation for its consistency in piloting the programme, adding that the programme is impacting in the lives of the students.

Adeoni promised to ensure all the 70 trees planted in the school are all well nurtured.

Also speaking, Miss Mautin Tunde, Assistant Chief Education Officer, District 5, said the major challenge facing the world was climate change.

‘The only solution to this is by planting trees.

‘I will implore the teachers and students of the school to ensure they sustain the trees NNPC foundation planted here today.

‘I will urge them to sustain and nurture them to grow because this is the only way to save lives,’ she said.

A student, Olanrewaju Olawoyin, said the programme had taught him that planting trees was of utmost benefit to mankind.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Hidayet Bayraktar, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nigeria, says cultural diplomacy will deepen and strengthen the existing bilateral relations between the two countries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the envoy made this known at the opening of a solo art exhibition by Imal Silva titled ‘An Ode to Existence”, on Friday in Abuja.

Bayraktar said the artwork of the earth was a platform for environmental activism.

‘Also, art strives to create and develop an artistic space for sustainability by fostering connections among diverse communities.

‘In our bid to strengthen and deepen the cultural diplomacy with Nigeria, we, as Turkish embassy, support Nigeria artists and display their precious artworks at our embassy’s exhibition hall.

‘The artist’s work, `An Ode to Existence’, portrays the expression of nature’s colours which serve as a way to convey the beauty, complexities of nature, seasons, landscapes and natural phenomena.

‘Through contemporary art exhibitions and cross-cultural
dialogue, we do not only share the wall of our embassy, but also we aim to strengthen and deepen the cultural diplomacy with Nigeria.

‘My profound gratitude goes to the artist for the gift of creativity in his work and also to extend my thanks to the curator Mrs Beste Gursu, for her relentless efforts towards the Nigerian artists.’

Speaking, Silva lauded the Ambassador and his wife for the opportunity and the platform to exhibit his work to an audience of art lovers.

‘The platform created is not just for me alone but for many other Nigerian artists. I thank the curator for the encouragement, about a year plus this exhibition wouldn’t have been possible.

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‘My abstract renditions about the earth and our responsibilities toward the earth and also within that one year plus I was able to write some poems for mother earth to us,” he said.

Also, Gursu thanked the Ambassador for opening his doors to artists from the two co
untries to exhibit their work for a period of 20 months.

‘I thank ambassador Bayraktar for opening the embassy doors for the period of 20 months, allowing us to organise our first five events, four of which were Nigerian artists and one from a Turkish artist.

‘At this point, I want to appreciate the ambassador for the support he is giving to Nigerian art and artists.

‘Our exhibition today is that of an abstract work by Silva after our figurative Nigerian art exhibition, this is the first time we are presenting an abstract work in Nigeria,” she said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Vento International Trading Limited, an international furniture organisation, has partnered with an NGO, Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Patterns Initiative (APBPI), to promote positive behaviour and moral values among Nigerian children.

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Coordinator for Vento, Mrs Muberra Yigit, stated this during a courtesy visit to her office by APBPI officials, on Friday in Abuja.

Yigit said that her organisation was passionate about education of young children, hence the need for partnering with APBPI to promote positive behaviour in the society, particularly among children.

According to her, promoting positive behaviour among children will assist in moulding their lives, thus making them to become responsible citizens.

She said that her company would continue to support the APBPI school programme, focusing on truancy and substance abuse.

The Director of Campaign Team for APBPI, Mr Bamidele Mann, said that the partnership would further boost the NGO’s activities and make i
t to get the desired positive behaviour from Nigerian children.

He noted that Vento’s past support had enabled APBPI to reach more children, aligning them with the right attitudes and behaviours essential for building better character.

‘We are thrilled to partner with Vento international trading limited, sharing a common goal of shaping Nigeria’s future by investing in its children,’ Mann said.

The Director, Advisory Model for APBPI, Mr Sam Obashun, thanked the firm for what it had been doing in the past, especially in the area of building a new Nigeria through children’s behaviour.

Obashun expressed the firm’s commitment to carrying out its corporate social responsibility that would make a significant difference in the lives of the children.

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‘Together, we are making positive impacts, fostering a culture of responsibility, respect and empathy among our young citizens.

‘Vento international trading limited’s commitment to CSR has made
a significant difference in the lives of numerous children, promoting a brighter future for Nigeria.

‘We commend its dedication to giving back to the community and we look forward to continued collaboration,’ he said

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Ali Khwaja, Chairman of KTrade Securities, a Pakistani-based stock and commodity outfit, says the U.S. inflation can impact negatively on the developing world.

Khwaja, who communicated this during a virtual analysis of the KTrade Securities research report, said the highlight had become important because the U.S. grappled with persistent inflation.

He said that no country was immune to fallout of inflation, adding that the U.S. was not immune to fallout either.

‘Concerns are about possible 1970-style stagflation amid slowing economy and stubborn inflation.”

According to him, small and medium businesses can bear the brunt due to compounding impact of high inflation in the mass market.

‘Inflation effects often add up; when things become too expensive that people start cutting-down on expenditure and new hiring in businesses, a recession is in sight.

‘Next year, when people try to remortgage their homes, they will find it is very expensive, as seven per cent is a very high interest rate.’

He quoted t
he Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, to have expressed confidence in curbing inflation, saying it was not as high as it was after the Producer Price Index (PPI).

He cited the recent data from the U.S. Labor Department to have pointed to a 0.5 per cent uptick in the PPI for April and a rebound from the 0.1per cent dip in March.

‘Earlier, the U.S. Commerce Department stated consumer prices witnessed a 3.4 per cent year-on-year increase in the first quarter, much higher than the two per cent target.

‘These figures dented hope; yet for rate cuts within the year, dealing another blow to market expectations after several wrecked rate-cut prospects since the beginning of the year.

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‘This will change dynamics, because interest rates are already at 23 year high as the impact of high interest rates has not come to small business owners and real estate owners.

‘Debt contracts they had are not up for re-pricing; when re-pricing kicks in later this yea
r, it will be a massive hit to consumers that can lead to recession later this year and through 2025.”

The chairman explained that the costs of debt servicing are soaring; particularly in currencies across Asian markets, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India which are at historic lows.

‘In some cases, central banks have to intervene to defend their currencies; when a protectionism policy is adopted, it will be very difficult to control inflation.

‘The reason why the world had a period of low inflation and high growth was because of the benefit of trade.

‘Yet over the last five years, protectionism has led to lesser trade, higher tariffs on consumption and higher fuel prices, all of which contributed to higher inflation,’ he said.

He decried manipulation of economics for political gains as a way to likely backfire, stating that higher inflation led to political and societal friction by creating a gap between the rich and the poor.

Khwaja also said such could strain the economy of any country.

He quoted Dr Abid Suleri, Executive-Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), saying if high inflation persists, the new government faces challenges in meeting expectations of the electorate.

‘The first thing the new U.S. administration might do after the election is to reassess the real value of dollars.

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‘It has two options; in my opinion, one is to depreciate the value of U.S. dollar vis-a-vis other major currencies; which is a step no outgoing government will like to take.

‘Otherwise, the U.S. itself will become more and more non-competitive; not only against China but also against the EU, Japan and other trading nations,’ Suleri said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), have urged the media to refrain from attempts to blackmail institutions of government and ensure accurate information before publication.

The CSOs, Coalition for Peace In Nigeria (COPIN) and the Iconoclast Media, made the call in a joint statement on Friday in Abuja.

The statement was signed by the National Coordinator of COPIN, Mr Emeka Akwuobi and the National Secretary of Iconoclast Media, Dr Mayago Mayago.

The group faulted a media report on an alleged invasion of an Ogun State High Court premises and arrest of two suspects by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to the group, apart from the claim of invasion, the media platform also called on President Bola Tinubu to among others, ‘curb DSS excesses’.

It said the DSS had, however, debunked the claim, explaining that the suspects were apprehended outside the precinct of the court.

The CSOs said the establishment Act of the DSS had wide powers, including the detection and prevention
of threats to national security, public safety and assets of government.

The statement said investigation by the groups showed that the intelligence agency acted based on a report it received on alleged destruction of property and arson against the suspects.

According to the group, the DSS, in our estimation, has a track record of observing the rule of law and following the due process of law in the execution of its mandate.

‘That informs why it ensures that suspects in its custody are held based on remand orders, pending when they are arraigned in court or granted administrative bail.

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‘We, therefore, call on President Bola Tinubu to disregard the call by the media platform to interfere with the statutory duties of the DSS.

‘We also, call on other CSOs, individuals, groups and stakeholders in the project Nigeria, to give valuable support to the government and her institutions to facilitate the delivery of dividend of democracy,’ the group said.

The group also said the media platform, in its ‘scathing’ editorial, failed to observe the time-honored journalism tradition of balancing reports.

‘While acknowledging that the media platform has a right to its opinion, the DSS has a history of respect for harmonious relationship with the judiciary,’ the group said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria