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Singapore primary schools to shift online as COVID-19 cases rise

Kamila Bello
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Singapore’s primary schools will shift to home-based learning for 10 days ahead of a key national examination, as the country reported 935 new COVID-19 cases the previous day, the highest since April last year.

The education ministry said on Saturday that, Primary 1 to 5 students will move to home-based learning from September 27 to October 6.

Primary 6 students will go on a study break for a few days from September 25 before sitting for the national examination to minimise risk of school-based transmissions and reduce the number of students placed in quarantine.

“With the Primary School Leaving Examination written paper examinations approaching, we will undertake further measures to protect students who are not yet medically eligible for vaccination and give parents and students greater peace of mind,” said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.

A recent rise in cases after the relaxation of some Covid-19 measures has prompted Singapore to pause on further reopening. More than 80 per cent of its population has been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Singapore is looking at vaccinating children under 12 years in early 2022.

READ ALSO: Singapore warns children vulnerable to virus variants, shuts schools

 

Kamila/Reuters

Abuja flooding: FCDA vows to sanction any professional found culpable

Dominica Ijeoma Nwabufo
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The Managements of the Nigerian Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, has vowed to report any professional bodies who may have compromised standards to their respective regulatory bodies for appropriate sanctions.

It would be recalled that following a heavy down-pour on Sunday night last week, there was a flooding in River Park and Trade more Estates on the Lugbe axis of Abuja along the Airport Road in which four persons were feared dead and property worth millions of naira were said to have destroyed.

In a statement signed by the FCDA Public Relation Officer, Mr Richard Nduul, the Acting Executive Secretary, Tpl. Zaliha’u Ahmed made this known when she received the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Tpl. Olutoyin Ayinde and the President of Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC), Tpl. Ishaku Muktar Kura on a courtesy visit in Abuja Nigeria.

She expressed displeasure at the activities of some professionals often accused of misdemeanor while carrying out their duties, saying that as an Ambassador of Planning all through her years in service, she would continue to ensure that the right things are done and that planners particularly are well guided.

According to her, “I assure you, I will make everything possible to investigate and both TOPREC and NITP together with all other professional bodies will get the report.  I assure you that any professional involved, not only the planners, even other professions, I will make sure that their regulatory bodies are given the report so that we will forestall and save lives and property moving forward.”

Following the flooding, the Ag. Executive Secretary, TPL. Zaliha’u Ahmed with a team of FCTA officials comprising the Director of engineering services; Engineering Design and evaluation; Survey and Mapping; Urban and Regional Planning and Development Control respectively visited both the river plate and Trade more Estate to assess the impact of the flood, the likely causes as well as proffer lasting solutions.

While preliminary findings point to the fact that the flooding in the Estate is as a result of the conscription of river courses as well as not obtaining relevant approvals by the developers, a detailed report is being compiled to be sent to the FCT Minister.

The National President of NIPT, Tpl. Olutoyin Ayinde lauded the inverse contributions of the Acting Executive Secretary to the Institute where she is a Fellow and a member of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.

He described the Acting Executive Secretary as an Ambassador of Planning who would always ensure that the Abuja Master Plan is adhered to.

He expressed the readiness of his Institute to collaborate with the FCDA in the planning and development of Abuja of the dream of their founding fathers.

 

Dominica Nwabufo

 

Anti-graft war: Organisations pledge support for EFCC

Dominica Ijeoma Nwabufo
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A group of youth’s organisations in the South East comprising the National Association of Nigerian Student, NANS, National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Ohaneze Ndi Igbo Youths, have pledged their support for the fight against economic and financial crimes in the southeast region. 

 

They made the pledge during a visit to the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC.

 

The leader of the delegation and Vice president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Comrade Innocent Nduanya said, the groups were in Enugu to deliberate on issues affecting the welfare of youths in the south east and thought it wise to visit the EFCC to pledge their support. 

 

“You are a young man like us and one of our own. We are well meaning Nigerian youths who hate corruption and are trying our best to see that it ends in Nigeria. Our reason for coming to Enugu is to deliberate on issues pertaining to the welfare of the youths in the South east,” he said.

 

The Enugu State Secretary of NYCN Comrade Darlington Ugwuegbe and Coordinator of NANS zone B as well as convener of the GBURUS CARE Initiative, reiterated the groups’ willingness to fight corruption and other social vices in the Southeast.

 

The Zonal Commander, EFCC Mr Oshodi Johnson, thanked the groups for embracing the fight against economic and financial crimes. 

 

“On behalf of the executive chairman of the EFCC, I want to appreciate you for coming. I see your passion in trying to see that corruption is reduced to its lowest in your lifetime. I congratulate you on your integrity because it takes an innocent person to boldly visit the EFCC. You are representing the conscience of your people and I want to thank you for your willingness to own this anti-corruption fight. Indeed if we allow corruption to keep gaining grounds in our nation today, there will be no sane society to bequeath to our children.” Oshodi said.

 

He urged the delegates to key into the whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government as a means of checking corruption, assuring them that their identities would be protected.

 

 

Dominica Nwabufo

 

 

Gombe receives revenue award, pledges IGR increase

Lateefat Ibrahim
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The Gombe State Internal Revenue Service has promised to improve its services to increase its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.

Speaking in Gombe during the presentation of an Award by the Chairman of  Revenue Magazine, Mr. Inuwa Tata, Chairman Gombe Internal Revenue Service said before the administration of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the state was earning about 500 million naira monthly in IGR, which included the state PayE, Local Government and SUBEB. But during Governor Yahaya’s administration, 716 million naira was being realised monthly, including the state PayE, Local Government, SUBEB and Local Education Authority.

“From January to August 2021 on the average, we have 786 million naira, including the payE. We will continue to improve to ensure the number keeps growing,” he said.

“However, with what we have seen from the Revenue Service in the last few years, it is not the effort of the executive chairman alone,” he stated.

He said the award was dedicated to the entire staff of the service, who have worked day and night to enhance improved revenue of Gombe State.

He gave an assurance of the integrity of the members of  staff in ensuring that all government revenue goes to government coffer.

“I want to assure you that the numbers will be bigger than the number you are seeing even though our increment is five percent yearly…,” he said.

Handing the award to Tata, Chairman of the Revenue Magazine, Mr. Frederick Apeji, said the annual Nigerian States IGR awards programme was designed to encourage and foster a healthy competition among the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.

“With the good will and support of the Board of Internal Revenue of the 36 States and the FCT. We also seek the involvement of other key government agencies and bodies for the event,”Mr. Akpeji said.

He said Mr. Tata was honoured for producing many victories in IGR of Gombe State, despite the internal unrests that Gombe state faced in recent times and the challenges on revenue collection across the state.

Mr. Akpeji commended the Chairman of the Gombe State Revenue service as one of the winners of the Revenue Magazine Excellence in IGR Award in 2020/2021, where the state came the 6th fastest growing state in IGR in 2020, growing its collections by 25.5% from 6.80 billion naira in 2019 to 8.54billion naira in the past year.

“This is the basis for honouring the state with this award, to spur it to greater heights in the years ahead,” Mr. Akpeji said.

Collective efforts

The Chairman of the Gombe State Revenue Service attributed the successes recorded in the increase in IGR to collective efforts of the staff of the Revenue Service, thereby commending them for making it a success.

Mr. Tata has supported the Federal Government’s move on the collection of Value  Added Tax, VAT.

“Gombe State, like you know stands with the Federal Government. Before now, what we have in place is sell tax of 1986. The same tax was promulgated under the military rule, it is what is in operation. So, when we have Value Added Tax, only one institution collects on behalf of the 36 states and the FCT,which is the Federal Inland Revenue Service. It remits it to tax poll account where it’s proceeds is distributed across the federating unit; Federal, State and Local Governments,” he said.

Mr Tata encouraged the government of Nigeria to continue the collection of taxes as proposed and share it to the federating unit.

Lateefah Ibrahim

CBN retains Monetary Policy Rate at 11.5%

Amaka Nliam
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The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has unanimously voted to retain the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 11.5 percent.

 

At its 281st meeting, which lasted from16-17 September, 2021, the MPC weighed the pros and cons of tightening, holding or loosening the stance of policy, noting the impact on output growth, price development, unemployment and exchange rate.

 

“Members of the Committee felt that tightening will contract the current level of system liquidity, and thus reduce demand pressure in the foreign exchange market, given that the current MPR at 11.5 percent, CRR at 27.5 percent and liquidity ratio at 30.0 percent is already a tightening stance.

 

“This will, however, raise the cost of credit and reduce the volume of credit to the private sector. On loosening, the Committee felt that this would lower retail interest rates and improve the ability of obligors to repay their obligations, with a complementary reduction in NPLs,”  the CBN Communique read.

 

The gradual downward movement of inflation may, however, be compromised if policy accommodation is increased, leading to a further widening of the negative real interest rate and thus exacerbating capital outflows as investment in Naira denominated assets become less attractive.

 

Members considered that a hold stance would allow the current recovery of output growth and decline in inflation to continue smoothly, thus gradually moving the economy to a sustainable path before adjustments are made to the stance of policy.

 

“Based on the above considerations, the MPC made the decision to hold all policy parameters constant; believing that a hold stance will enable the continued permeation of current policy measures in supporting the recorded growth recovery and macro-economic stability,” the Communique further read.

 

In summary, the MPC voted to:

Retain the MPR at 11.5 percent;

Retain the Asymmetric Corridor of +100/-700 basis points around the MPR;

Retain the CRR at 27.5 percent;

Retain the Liquidity Ratio at 30 percent.

 

Amaka E. Nliam/CBN

AfDB grants $1 million to support East Africa’s 1st Super Energy Service Company

Amaka Nliam
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The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) has announced a $1 million grant to support the government of Kenya to create a Super Energy Service Company (ESCO), the first initiative of its kind in East Africa.

 

The Super ESCO, to be run by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company, will develop and implement energy efficiency projects for both the public and private sectors.

 

Super ESCOs are vehicles for channelling funds into public sector energy efficiency investments such as hospitals, schools, and street lighting, laying the foundation for private investment later in the commercial and industrial sectors.

 

The SEFA grant will support the training of a dedicated team within the Kenya Power and Lighting Company’s Institute of Energy Studies and Research to operate as a Super ESCO, in addition to support for private ESCOs in Kenya to develop their Energy Performance Contract services.

 

“The Kenya Power and Lighting Company Super ESCO will allow Kenya to not only improve efficient utilization of energy in the public sector, but also enable a vibrant and sustainable energy efficiency service market which will create jobs and promote investment in energy efficiency,” said Dr. Jeremiah Kiplagat, Director of the KPLC Institute of Energy Studies and Research.

 

Kenya’s Super ESCOs will enable the Kenya Power and Lighting Company to gain the relevant expertise which will build market demand and lay the foundation for more ESCOs and ultimately more private investment in energy efficiency in the commercial and industrial sectors.

 

“The Super ESCO to be run by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company is the first initiative of its kind in East Africa.

 

“We expect that Kenya’s lead will trigger the uptake of the Super ESCO model in other countries in the region.

 

“The African Development Bank looks forward to supporting other countries to develop their energy efficiency market,” said Nnenna Nwabufo, Director General, East Africa Region, African Development Bank.

 

The government of Kenya considers energy efficiency a priority area of improvement in its efforts to enhance the quality of life of its citizens.

 

The Kenya National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy formulated in 2020 pursues, among many other sectoral objectives, the creation and implementation of various energy efficiency business models.

 

Amaka E. Nliam/AfDB

Taliban replaces women’s ministry with virtue and vice

Kamila Bello
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Taliban has replaced the country’s women’s ministry with the Taliban’s moral police on Friday, as female former employees of the department said they had been locked out of the building.

A sign for the building was covered by a replacement in a mixture of Dari and Arabic reading, “Ministries of Prayer and Guidance and the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.”

Female employees said they had been trying to come to work for several weeks only to be told to return to their homes.

One of the woman said, “The gates of the building were finally locked, I am the only breadwinner in my family.”

A second woman, who also said she worked in the department, “When there is no ministry, what should an Afghan woman do.”

When the Taliban, who seized control of Afghanistan last month, amid the chaos following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, were last in power from 1996-2001 girls were not allowed to attend school and women were banned from work and education.

During that period its Ministry for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice became known as the group’s moral police, enforcing its interpretation of sharia that included a strict dress code and public executions and floggings.

A senior Taliban leader said earlier this week that women would not be allowed to work in government ministries with men.

READ ALSO: Women can study in gender-segregated universities, says Taliban

 

Kamila/Reuters

 

France recalls US and Australia envoys over submarine deal

Kamila Bello
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France has recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia for consultations, in a backlash over a submarine deal.

Australia said on Saturday it also regrets France’s decision, adding that it values its relationship with France and will keep engaging with Paris on many other issues.

A spokesperson for the foreign ministry said in a statement, “We note with regret France’s decision to recall its Ambassador to Australia.

“Australia values its relationship with France, we look forward to engaging with France again on our many issues of shared interest, based on shared values.”

The recalls from the United States and Australia, key allies of France, are unprecedented.

Earlier on Friday, a top French diplomat spoke of a crisis in relations with the US.

He would not speculate on the effects the situation would have on France’s relationship with the US.

“There’s a crisis,” he stressed.

A White House official said, that the US regrets France’s decision and will continue to be engaged in the coming days to resolve differences between the two countries.

France has pushed for several years for a European strategy for boosting economic, political and defence ties in the region stretching from India and China to Japan and New Zealand. The European Union unveiled this week its plan for the Indo-Pacific.

However, French diplomat said Australia never mentioned to France before its will to shift to nuclear-powered submarines, including during a meeting between Macron and Morrison in Paris on June 15.

READ ALSO: France pushes ahead with COVID pass despite protests

Kamila/Al-Jazeera

President Biden signs executive order authorizing Ethiopia sanctions

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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The US President, Joe Biden has signed an executive order to allow targeted sanctions to be imposed against individuals and groups perpetrating violence and impeding humanitarian aid in Ethiopia.

No individuals or entities were named.

But it is the strongest warning yet from the US government against those committing rights abuses or blocking aid in Ethiopia.

President Biden also called on ‘all parties to the conflict in the northern Tigray region to negotiate.’

Ceasefire
“There’s no military solution to the crisis,” he said in a statement, adding that the US was pressing for a ceasefire.

The US imposed sanctions against the Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Defence Forces last month, for his involvement in the Tigray conflict.

 

 

BBC/Mercy Chukwudiebere

Regional leaders decry political rift in Somalia

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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Regional leaders in Somalia have called for the President, Mohamed “Farmajo” and Prime Minister Mohammed Roble to end a feud that risks plunging the country into further instability.

They said ”much-delayed indirect elections must be held as soon as possible.”

On Thursday, President Mohamed Abdullahi “Farmajo” suspended the executive powers of Prime Minister, a move rejected by him.

The rift between the two men escalated following the disappearance of a female intelligence agent.

Tensions are increasing between different factions of Somalia’s security services and there are fears of a possible eruption of political violence.

 

 

BBC/Mercy Chukwudiebere

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