Day: June 14, 2024

Panyaza Lesufi has been re-elected as the Gauteng Premier for the seventh administration.

Lesufi was elected unopposed during a Special House Sitting on Friday at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature at the Selborne Hall in Marshalltown, Johannesburg.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature held its first sitting since the General Elections last month.

Former Arts and Culture MEC in Gauteng, Marakane Mosupyoe, was elected Speaker of the Legislature unopposed.

Judge President of the Gauteng High Court Dunstan Mlambo presided over the swearing-in of new members of the Legislature.

‘The people of the province have spoken and we have heard them. We’ve been asked to work together… We’ve been asked to combine our ideas for a better Gauteng, to combine our ideas, we will do, together (sic),’ Lesufi vowed.

He told the Legislature that he accepted the Premiership with ‘deep humility’ before declaring that ‘no one will be left behind’ in this new administration.

‘Our task from today is to build a better Gauteng. Our
task from now on is to make Gauteng attractive for all families, all forms of investment, for workers, youth and students and attractive for sporting and cultural events.’

He also highlighted the importance of the safety of women and children in the province.

‘Our mandate is simple: crime and lawlessness, your time is up. Our mandate is simple: municipalities play your part, we will play our part.

‘Our mandate is simple: Johannesburg CBD, Alexandra township, Sethokga hostel, Makause informal settlement, we are ready to make you beautiful again.’

The Premier expressed his appreciation to all the political parties in the House and urged them to make the government of unity a reality.

‘My sincerest appreciation to the officials and staff of the Gauteng provincial government and former leaders and members of this legislature.

‘I am nothing without the ANC and our alliance partners. The movement of the people, by the people. Thank you so much for assigning me to be an instrument of change, an instrument of l
iberation.’

“Failure is not an option but success is compulsory. Less talk, more work. Let us grow Gauteng together,’ Lesufi said. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government is working towards a permanent solution for the people affected by the recent storms.

‘We are working closely with the eThekwini Municipality and the Provincial Department of Human Settlements to find quick solutions for sheltering those affected. SASSA [South African Social Security Agency] continues to capture applications for Social Relief of Distress food vouchers in response to the devastating storm in uThongathi,’ KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, said on Thursday.

Mop-up operations continue in eMagwaveni settlement, as residents rebuild their homes in uThongathi. The area was hit by a devastating tornado, resulting in the loss of lives, livelihoods, and properties.

Meanwhile, eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, said the temporary repairs of the Southern Aqueduct, in the south of Durban, will be completed in September this year.

Kaunda, accompanied by Deputy Mayor, Zandile Myeni and Human Settlements and Infrastructure Deputy Chairperson, Bh
eki Mngwengwe visited the aqueduct on Thursday to assess the progress on the replacement of the aqueduct.

In April this year, Kaunda introduced a contractor to commence with the replacement of the 30km bulk pipe, which supplies water to areas such as uMlazi, KwaMakhutha, Folweni, Chatsworth and Shallcross.

‘While the R1.2 billion project is underway, the contractor is also doing temporary repairs on the existing pipeline to ensure that there is reliable water supply in the southern areas.

‘The temporary repairs will be completed in September this year. The completion of the project will take 24 months,’ Kaunda said.

Once completely repaired, the pipeline will improve water supply to the south of Durban areas. – SAnews.gov.za

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Chief Of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has charged junior military officers to be decisive in handling any tasks or missions given to them .

Abubakar gave the charge at the regimental dinner night of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Junior Course 97 on Thursday in Jaji Kaduna State.

He said, ‘As junior commanders, you have to take vital decisions in the field.

Junior leaders must understand that indecision is not an option.

‘The dinner night is one of the major events lined up for the graduation of Junior Course 97 on June 15 .

‘As you are aware, the objective of the college is to develop the professional knowledge and understanding of selected officers of the Armed Forces to prepare them for increasing responsibilities in staff and command appointments.’

Abubakar said that the junior course cCurriculum has been restructured to lay a solid foundation for junior commanders.

‘The College has done commendably well by continually reviewing the Curriculum to keep in t
une with current developments in the world and to effectively align training objectives with emerging defence and security challenges locally and within the African Sub-Region, ‘he said.

The CAS said in the past 23 weeks, the officers have learnt vital concepts like counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, the estimate process, the manoeuverist’s approach to warfare and peace support operations, amongst others.

‘It is also gratifying that you learnt the rudiments of time management, perseverance, determination, team spirit, staff work, self confidence and most importantly, discipline while on this course,’ he charged.

Abubakar said the members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and some of their neighbours were already aware of the security challenges confronting the nation and the challenges they would face in the field.

He said these security challenges were complicated by non-state actors acquiring commercial off- the- shelf technologies such as drones and satellite communications, thereby prof
oundly impacting the operating environment they would face as junior commanders and leaders.

According to him, as junior leaders, they are the bridge between senior leadership, the men and women who execute the missions on the land, sea, in the air, and the cyber space operational environments.

‘Your leadership, dedication, and ability to inspire and guide your teams are essential to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and excellence.

‘As junior leaders, you must be able to inspire confidence in subordinates and not lead through intimidation or be overtly coercive.

‘As military leaders, you need to be firm and, in certain circumstances, authoritarian.

Cross section of students of junior course 97 of AFCSC .

‘ As junior military leaders, you would make critical decisions in combat environments and other high-pressure situations with consequential risks to your life and your subordinates.

‘You must understand that your Influence and actions extend beyond immediate tactical missions.

‘Yo
ur impact significantly contributes to the overall plan and objectives at the operational and strategic levels, ‘he said.

Abubakar charged them to lead with integrity, saying, ‘we often pay lip service to the word Integrity.

‘But it is indeed all-encompassing, Integrity to yourself, the Service and your subordinates.’

The Air Chief emphasized that it was vital to maintain open lines of communication with their superiors and subordinates.

He said clear and effective communication was crucial for operational coordination and fostering a cohesive team environment.

Abubakar congratulated the international officers from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Republic, DR Congo, Eswatini, The Gambia, Mali, Togo and Zimbabwe.

‘ You have made your countries and families proud for completing the Course. I hope you will continue to nurture the relationships you have established while on this Course.

‘Such relationships will go a long way in fostering our bilateral and long-standing military cooperation, ‘Abubakar said.

He also congratulated the students of course 97 from Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prizes here given to the students who distinguished themselves .

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Ltd, will empower 2,500 personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) with technical skills.

According to Mr Ahmed Ogunshola, the General Manager of the project, this is in line with the project’s capacity building framework.

Ogunshola said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

NAN reports that TMP Ltd is the concessionaire of the NCS trade project.

It is a 20-year concession agreement which has three phases, with phase one covering year one to six; phase two, seven to 13, and phase three from 14 to 20 years .

The agreement was signed on May 27, 2023 between the Federal Government of Nigeria represented by NCS Board, and Trade Modernisation Project Ltd.

TMP is the automation of the business processes of the NCS to simplify , and enhance the experience of stakeholders in the trade value chain.

According to the manager, the training aims to empower the personnel with the requisite skills to operate state-of-the art technolog
y that will be deployed to automate trade processes.

‘More than 2,500 NCS personnel will be trained by the first quarter of 2025,

in line with the project’s capacity building framework.

‘ This will cover strategy, management and technical training, as well as direct skills and knowledge transfer.

‘TMP has jointly designed, developed and deployed all technology systems and platforms for the project. This ensures that NCS has complete knowledge of all technology software, hardware and services from inception,’ he said.

He said that the company was developing a software known as the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), to be deployed to monitor all stages of transactions by traders and other processes.

According to him, the revenue cluster of the new system has been released and is currently undergoing user acceptance tests to facilitate the smooth integration of other stakolders in to the system.

‘TMP has signed and is implementing nine technical agreements with its technical and financial partners.

‘TMP invested 2.5 million dollars to retrofit the NCS Project Management Office, a one-story building donated by NCS to the project.

‘TMP, upon handover of the Project Management Office (PMO) by NCS, renovated the space to world class standard, with latest-in-class technology, including a Modernisation Hub and teleconference facilities.

‘The PMO is now host to about 100 professionals daily, drawn from NCS and TMP and its partners, working on the delivery of Phase 1 of the project,’ he said.

NAN reports that the project is expected to generate in excess of 250 billion dollars for the Federal Government during the life of the concession.

The concessionaire is expected to invest 3.2 billion dollars to deliver the project over the 20-year period. (NAN)(www.nannew.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has frowned at the increasing sale of adulterated and contaminated foods in the markets.

The Acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Adamu Abdullahi, said in Abuja on Thursday, that some traders were engaging in various forms of adulteration without minding the health implications on consumers.

Abdullahi said this at a one-day sensitisation for traders, farmers, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the public on forceful ripening of fruits, adulterated palm oil, contaminated meat and grains.

Abdullahi said the move was to ensure a healthier society in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the Acts that established the Commission gave them powers to evacuate fake and adulterated products from the markets to avoid purchase by consumers.

According to him, we have to renew the hope of our people to be alive and healthy first.

‘We have allowed the love of money to supercede everything that we do.

‘We
will go the markets to sensitise the traders, educate the public and sellers that adulterated and fake products are not allowed in the markets and if they see any, they have somewhere to report.

‘We are going to markets in the states, the grassroots, farms to find out the sharp practices going on and to ensure we get a healthier society in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘We have to ensure that the goods in the markets are according to the standard that they should be,’ he said.

Mr Femi Stephen from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, described adulteration as the addition of substandard substances that had same properties with the food stuff which they are mixed.

On adulteration of palm oil, Stephen said they are being adulterated with dye, lard (animal fat from pork) and transformer oil (paraffin).

Stephen said that adulteration had been linked to various health challenges.

He listed some health issues linked to adulteration to abdominal pain, nausea, brain damage, sto
mach disorder, cardiac arrest, liver disease and breathing difficulties.

Stephen urged farmers to seek experts’ guidance in the application of pesticides to avoid poisoning.

Dr Promise Ogbonna from the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said that forceful ripening of fruits was detrimental to health.

Ogbonna said that calcium carbide used for forceful ripening of fruits were arsenic and phosphorus which had been said to be carcinogenic.

Dr Edozie Ugwu, the Vice-President, North Central, National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), commended the FCCPC for the sensitisation.

Ugwu said that many Nigerians had lost their vital body organs to the adulteration of food.

He said the market associations would collaborate with the Commission and other government agencies to ensure that the law penalised any trader found wanting in the practice.

‘What we intend doing is to take this back and sensitise our traders on the importance of avoiding these adulterated foods.

‘We plea
d that this be extended to various markets,’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that various market associations including market women associations and members of Food and Hygiene Association of Nigeria were present at the event.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

First Bank of Nigeria has partnered with the International Women’s Society (IWS) to empower over 250 widows, in commemoration of the 2024 International Widows’ Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that beneficiaries at the event, tagged ‘IWS Widows Feast and Empowerment Programme’, received various essential tools, equipment and grants on Wednesday in Lagos.

The items distributed were sewing machines, freezers, coolers, hair dryers, cake mixers, industrial cooking gas, generators, and freezers to help the widows establish and sustain their businesses.

Ms Lande Atere, Chief Customer Experience Officer of First Bank, said that the financial institution had been partnering with IWS for over a decade.

According to her, the bank has been empowering women-owned Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with funding and skills acquisition.

‘As an organisation that strategically prioritises financial inclusion, we will continue to support IWS in creating entrepreneurial opportunities and promoting self-relia
nce and vocational skills among women,’ Atere stated.

Mrs Adebanke Adeola, Chairperson of the International Women’s Society (IWS) Widows Trust Fund (WTF), appreciated First Bank for supporting the society in empowering and feasting with the widows.

Adeola mentioned that the bank provided Point of Sale (PoS) machines to improve the benefiting widows’ access to financial services and income generation opportunities.

Also, some beneficiaries would receive extra working capital through the generosity of the financial institution and other sponsors.

‘This partnership, along with generous sponsorships from other companies and individuals, enables us to continue our mission and expand our impact.

‘The programme, organised yearly, aims to help widows achieve financial independence and self-sufficiency,’ Adeola said. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria