Month: June 2024

_: Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, outgoing Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, has urged students of the Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership and Development Studies, of the university to participate in peace-building.

Na’Allah, who advised the students at a pre-graduation dinner and award ceremony in Abuja, also urged them to uphold the ethics of conflict resolution in their various professions.

The vice chancellor, who was represented by the Director of the institute, Prof. Mutiullah Olasupo, highlighted the importance of participating in peace-building processes in the society.

He said the institute would continue to strengthen its manpower base through training of employees, research, and advocacy.

‘We celebrate your milestone achievements; you have worked hard and persevered to reach this point, and now it is time for you to spread your wings and soar high in pursuit of your dreams.

‘I wish you success as you venture into the real world and take on new challenges and opportunities.

‘Throu
ghout the years of your coursework, we have shared so many experiences.

‘From the challenging exams and late-night study sessions to the laughter-filled events and heartfelt discussions, each moment has shaped the person you are today.

‘I hope you have learned not only courses of your study but also valuable life lessons about teamwork, resilience, conflict resolution, astute leadership, and the power of curiosity.

‘I wish you all the best in your future endeavours, and may you continue to impact the world,’ he said.

A lecturer at the institute, retired Maj.-Gen. Bola Koleoso, emphasised the need for the students to embrace the spirit of discipline and be good ambassadors of the institute.

He urged them to regulate their behaviours so that they do not make a negative impact on society, saying: ‘You must be aware of who you are and the impact you are having on others.”

He urged them to learn intelligent skills to enable them to interact positively with people for the benefit of mankind.

A student of Cr
iminology and Security Students, Mr Isaac Ogbaji, who is also the Chairman of the event’s Planning Committee, said the institute offered him the opportunity to learn about the security challenges in the country.

‘I have finished my project and submitted it as expected. Right now I am waiting for my certificate.

‘I feel so delighted to be here. Mahatma Gandhi once said that wisdom comes with so much pain. I have gone through so much pain here.

‘As I look forward to the next phase of my life, I am better than I used to be because my wisdom, understanding, and enlightenment have increased.

‘I have increased in all areas of my life because I am a student of Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership and Development Studies,” he said.

Ogbaji praised the institute for the quality of training it offers, saying: ‘The institute is well-arranged, well-programmed. The teaching and learning experience is well-structured and I got more than I expected.

‘With all that I have learned from the institute, I am prep
ared to attack and deal with challenges that affect the world and Nigeria in particular,’ Ogbaji said.

One of the Award recipients, Dr Khadija Abdulrahman, who commended the Institute for finding her worthy, urged all Nigerians to place the unity, peace, and development of the country above all other interests.

‘We should love the country ahead of thinking of ourselves.

‘We should be encouraged that in our oneness is where our greatness lies as a country and our strength as Nigeria lies together in our unity.

‘For the students, we have shown exemplary attitudes and leadership to them and I think we have equipped them enough to face the challenges in Nigeria.

‘They are good to go and I believe they will contribute to the peace-building, unity, and strength of this country,” she said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is making steady and significant progress in getting passenger trains back on track with 31 of the 40 rail corridors now operational, says Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Hishaam Emeran.

Addressing the Africa Rail 2024 Conference taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre, Emeran said PRASA has recovered almost 80% of passenger rail corridors after widespread theft and vandalism destroyed the country’s passenger rail system during the COVID-19 lockdown.

‘The resuscitation of the 31 corridors translates into the steady return of rail passengers. We are not where we need to be yet, but we are seeing significant progress. A year back, we had 15 million passengers and by the end of March this year, we reached 40million passengers. That’s nearly a 200% increase,’ he said on Thursday.

PRASA has invested more than R12 billion in capital projects, creating some 4 500 jobs.

‘Over the past 24 months, PRASA has achieved major milestones, and we can see a sign
ificant improvement; you can see a turnaround within the rail space in South Africa. That has been possible, in large part, to PRASA’s ability to execute on our capital programme.

‘Over the last two years, PRASA has made a significant injection into the economy of our country. It has invested more than R30-billion over the last two years in projects, rolling stock manufacturing and other organisation elements within the rail space. That is a direct injection into the economy, which does not even take into account the knock-on effect of our investment,’ Emeran said.

He said PRASA’s turnaround strategy – which has focused on corridor rebuilding, modernisation and safety – has yielded positive results for rail passengers and the country’s economy.

‘The modernisation of the rail system is reaping rewards. It is creating jobs and revitalising an essential commuter artery. It is also boosting the manufacturing sector with the building of the new ‘people’s train’ taking place in Gauteng’s East Rand.

‘Those train
s are manufactured by Gibela and built here in South Africa by young men and women who are engineers, technicians, welders and so on. We have ensured that about 65% of the parts that go into that train are local content,’ Emeran said.

With the production of 600 trains for PRASA at the Gibela factory, the agency is spearheading efforts to establish South Africa as the train manufacturing hub for the entire African continent, fully supporting the African Union’s vision for South Africa to lead in this critical industry.

‘Together with our sister company, Transnet, and our manufacturing company, Gibela, we are spearheading these opportunities for rail as part of the country’s broader economic recovery programme,’ he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

_: Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, on Thursday met with the French Development Agency (AFD) as part of efforts to accelerate the commencement of Nigeria’s green industrial and emission migration.

Ngelale said that the meeting was on the sidelines of the 15th years of the activities of the AFD in the country.

He said that the AFD was a valued partner in the rollout of Nigeria’s actionable plans to create wealth and prosperity for the people as the central focus of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

‘We are determined to ensure that our cherished partners, such as the AFD, are supported by Nigerian institutions that are credible and function according to world-leading standards of transparency and efficiency.’

AFD is a public financial institution that is entrusted with the role of the main operator for France’s cooperation policy.

It combines the functions of development bank and implementing agency for France’s Official Development Assistance policy.

Ngelale,
who was at the meeting the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, and NCCC Director-General, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, had been engaged in such diplomatic moves recently.

The envoy had met with the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, in New York on the first leg of the engagements.

Ngelale said that the meeting with Mohammed was aimed at deepening collaboration with critical stakeholders on the existential matter on the Nigeria’s new climate policies.

He also met with a sector-wide technical working group of the U.S. State Department at U.S. State Department Headquarters in Washington D.C.

‘I presented Nigeria’s green industrial plans and discussed our participation in the Energy Transition Accelerator, Methane reduction programme, as well as our Carbon Market and Management Initiatives, and updates on our NDCs, amongst other important matters,’ he said.

Similarly, he met with Mr Landon Derentz of the Global Energy Centre of the Washington-based Atlantic Council
on Wednesday in Washington D.C.

He said that the meeting centred on a productive and incisive discussion with Nigeria’s new reforms and programmes tabled.

‘As a key stakeholder in the global climate action and finance ecosystem, we shared views about green industry and carbon capture technology manufacturing and implementation in Nigeria moving forward. Exciting times ahead for Africa’s most populous nation.’

President Tinubu had approved the establishment of a committee to oversee the Green Economic Initiative, known as the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions.

Tinubu also approved the appointment of Ngelale as Special Envoy on Climate Action while retaining his role as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.

The Green Economy committee is part of a strategic move of the President to ensure the advancement of his administration’s climate and green economic initiatives.

The committee will coordinate and oversee all the policies and programmes on clim
ate action and green economic development.

It will coordination, foster a whole-of-government approach to climate-action programmes and provide an efficient governance architecture.

Also, the committee will ensure that all the relevant institutions in the sector are plugged into the President’s vision and are collectively implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda on climate action.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Children are the future, and it is our responsibility to ensure their safety and well-being by enabling them to grow and develop in a nurturing environment. The sad reality is that many children across the world face a daunting prospect of being drawn into work at a young age often under harmful conditions.

South Africa values the rights of children and has over the past 30 years sought to protect them from harm and promote their development. Protecting children from violence, exploitation and abuse is not only a basic right but an obligation set out in our Constitution.

This is in conjunction with other legislation such as the Children’s Act and Basic Conditions of Employment Act which makes it a criminal offence to employ a child younger than 15 or children who are of school going age. The Children’s Act also discourages children from working in mines, factories or in hazardous occupations.

In June, South Africa joined the international community in observing the World Day against Child Labour, under the
theme: ‘Let’s Act on Our Commitments: End Child Labour’. The key commitments to end child labour are contained in the Durban Call to Action – a document adopted by various Member States, including South Africa at the 5th Global Conference on Ending Child Labour that was hosted in Durban in May 2022. The document outlines strong commitments to end child labour through making decent work a reality, ending child labour in agriculture, strengthening the prevention and elimination efforts, realising children’s rights to education, achieving universal access to social protection, and increasing financing as well as international cooperation. It is in this regard that this year’s commemoration raised awareness against child labour practices across the world and promoted initiatives to help put an end to this scourge.

In marking the day on 12 June 2024, our country reaffirmed its commitment in the fight against child labour. The day also coincided with the 25th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Worst Forms of Child
Labour Convention which sets out to protect children against all forms of child labour. It also aims to prevent the use of children in armed conflict, prostitution, pornography, drug trafficking and participating in hazardous work.

The commemorations gave us an opportunity to reflect on the progress made as well as reaffirm our commitments to put an end to child labour. Despite the significant strides made over time to reduce child labour across the world, much still need to be done to fully eradicate the practice of child labour.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), child labour has for the first time in 20 years increased globally. It is noted that the agricultural sectors such as farming, fishing, aquaculture, forestry and livestock farming account for 60 percent of child labourers aged five to 17 years.

In our fight against this plight, South Africa has endorsed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1995 and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the
Child in 2000 to affirm its commitment to the realisation of children’s rights.

In addition, the Department of Employment and Labour in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation launched the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour in South Africa project to prevent and eliminate any forms of child labour in the agricultural sector in the country. The project is being piloted in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Delivering the keynote address at the launch, former Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi expressed concern on the increase of child labour in the agricultural sector.

He said: ‘The agricultural sector is the backbone of our economy, providing food security and sustenance, as well as livelihood to millions. Yet, it is disheartening to note that some of the very hands that cultivate the crops and tend to the livestock belong to children who should be in schools, not in the fields. This situation is unacceptable and demands our immediate attention and concerted efforts.’

D
espite our best efforts to protect children from abuse, neglect and exploitation, many children remain vulnerable. Tackling the scourge of child labour requires interventions on many fronts, and it is a reality that government on its own cannot curb. As such, businesses have a responsibility to the elimination of child labour by carrying out due diligence in their operations and supply chains and ensuring responsible and sustainable business practices that address the root causes of child labour.

Let us all work together to prevent and eliminate child labour by reporting such acts of crime to the Department of Employment and Labour, or alternatively to the police.

*Khethani Hlongwa is Director: Office on the Rights of the Child; Department of Social Development

Source: South African Government News Agency

_: Mrs Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, the Solicitor-General of the Federation says access to justice is the bedrock for trust in legal institutions.

Jeddy-Agba said this while delivering a keynote address during the citizens engagement event tagged ‘Access to Justice’ on Wednesday in Abuja.

She was represented by Mrs Victoria Ojogbane, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of the ministry.

She said the second quarter stakeholders’ engagement provides a unique and powerful platform to ensure that justice system is accessible.

‘Access to justice is the bedrock upon which trust in the legal institutions is built.

‘It is a fundamental right that must be upheld and protected as a cornerstone of a just, fair and equitable society.

‘It is also a critical pillar of democracy that ensures that all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic status have the opportunity to seek redress and the protection of their rights.”

She noted that the quarterly citizens and stakeholders engagement session was one of
the 12 ministerial deliverables of President Bola Tinubu that aligned with the mandate of the ministry.

‘This deliverable is to communicate government’s activities to citizens and also serve as a feedback mechanism to government,” she added.

Mrs Ndidi Ezinwa-Ukoha from the Legal Aid Council identified paucity of fund as a challenge citizens face in accessing justice, stressing that there is the need to address it.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was a breakout group discussion by participants which culminated into a robust interface and provision of solutions.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has congratulated the South African men’s national cricket team, the Proteas Men, for their win in the first semi-final clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup tournament.

‘Well done to the Proteas Men on reaching the ICC T20 World Cup final. You have made the nation proud. Bring it home Proteas,’ the department said on Thursday on the platform X, previously known as Twitter.

South Africa beat Afghanistan by nine wickets on Thursday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.

On Wednesday, the department had wished the team well ahead of its game.

‘Against [a] boisterous crowd at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium all backing the West Indies, the Proteas demonstrated resilience and gallant fighting spirit in overcoming the co-host. Now in the semi-finals, I wish our national heroes well in tomorrow’s semi-final encounter against Afghanistan.

‘This is indeed a proud moment for the country, and I would therefore further urge all of us to rally behin
d the Proteas as they carry our hopes and aspirations. We are always stronger together,’ the department’s Acting Director-General, Dr Cynthia Khumalo, said at the time.

Source: South African Government News Agency