Day: June 15, 2023

Namibia has put 40 crocodiles up for sale to reduce conflicts between humans and wildlife in the north-eastern regions of Kavango and Zambezi, local media report.

Those interested in buying the reptiles are expected to submit their tender offers at the ministry of environment by 17 July.

Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said majority of the country’s wildlife “exists outside national parks”, which had made the regions “continue to experience concerning crocodile attacks on people and their livestock”.

Buyers must prove that they have a suitable habitat for the animals and will incur the cost of capturing them.

Those seeking to import them must have a permit from the respective country.

Source: BBC

The Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Ayodele Famuyiwa, says the military airstrike of Jan. 24 in Nasarawa State only targeted and eliminated terrorists.

Famuyiwa said this while reacting to questions at a bi-weekly news briefing on the operations of the armed forces, on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the air strike was carried out after series of intel and surveillance, adding that innocent civilians were not killed as being speculated in some quarters.

He faulted the report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleging that the NAF bombarded herders who were evacuating their cattle in Kwatiri, a border community between Benue and Nasarawa.

In its report on June 7, HRW said “Nigerian authorities have provided little information and no justice” with regard to the airstrike.

“Although the authorities admitted carrying out the raid, the organisation said, they evaded “key questions” concerning the circumstances surrounding the attack.

HRW said their preliminary investigations revealed that the pastoralists had gone to Kwatiri to pay fines for the release of their cattle seized by the Benue State Livestock Guards when they were struck in the air raid.

But in his reaction to the report on Thursday, NAF spokesman challenged the organisation to produce evidence to prove the allegation that those killed in the airstrike were not terrorists.

According to him, there had been Intel from several reliable sources of the activities of terrorists in that particular area.

“You are all aware of the nefarious activities of criminal elements in that part of the country.

“We are also aware that there is an ongoing operation, that is, Operation Whirl Stroke and the Intel came from several sources and even to the commander of that operation for the air component that there was plan by terrorists within that area to carry out a massive attack.

“And then there was a secondary school in question that they also planned to kidnap students.

“To that extent, the air force carried out surveillance and the surveillance confirmed that there were terrorists and that surveillance continued for almost throughout the day until later in the evening when a truck appeared in that scene.

“The truck was suspected to have brought logistics to them and that was why approval was given by the appropriate authority that that truck be taken out and the truck was taken out.

“Now if anyone is coming around to say innocent people were killed where is the photograph of the truck that brought the cattle that they are talking about?,” he asked.

Famuyiwa said the claim that the people came there to pay for their cattle was not tenable.

He also challenged anyone accusing the military to come out with proofs such as photograph of the said truck, the cattle and dead bodies.

“The position of the air force is that terrorists were struck that day and whether it is whatever group and if they think they were innocent people, let them provide the evidence.

“If you think the military is going to give you the evidence of that operations for now, you won’t get it because there are information that cannot be declassified now.

“Let the people who said innocent citizens were killed, provide the evidence and let the press do the analysis and then the truth will come up,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) has called for an inclusive government and appointment of persons with disabilities into key positions in the country.

Members of the EU-SDGN said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja at the end of the ‘Able to Serve” event.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EU-SDGN is an European Union funded programme, aimed at reinforcing democracy in Nigeria through six component areas.

The areas included support to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), support to the National Assembly, judiciary and political parties.

Others were support to media, support to women, youth and persons with disabilities and support to Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Mr Jake Epelle, Chief Executive Officer, TAF Africa, and implementing partner for EU-SDGN said there was need for Nigeria, especially the current administration, to hear the voicess of PWDs that they were qualified for any and every appointive office.

“The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should take the bull by the horns and appoint persons with disabilities as Ministers.

“Let him take pride in being the first President to do that; Elected Governors across the sub-national should also appoint persons with disabilities as Commissioners.

“We are grateful that in the past, we have been appointed Special Advisers and some other Heads of Establishments, especially establishments for PWDs , but we need to go a notch higher. Who says we cannot be Ministers?,” he said.

Epelle called on governments at all levels to appoint a person with disability as Minister.

“Hold me responsible and we will make sure that, that person will perform. We may be disabled in our physical body, but we have the ability in our brain.

“If you take us out of governance, then what you’re going to run is an exclusive government, and an exclusive government is not a government of national unity,” he said.

Epelle said that if Nigeria truly want to run a government of national unity, then that government should be inclusive of all, irrespective of their gender, status and religion.

He said that whatever needed to be done so that everyone would sit on the table would be the way forward.

Epelle said that PWDs were very prepared to serve.

According to him, they are PhD and Master’s degree holders, but it’s not just about the degree but because of their preparation for leadership.

“We have the right people that will make us proud. Just give us the opportunity, that is what we are asking for. When you pursue true inclusion, it eliminates cultural stereotypes.

“Service is not written on anybody’s face. Give everybody that is qualified the chance to serve. Don’t give us a Minister because we are PWDs.

“Give us a Minister because we have the ability to run that office, make a difference and be part of nation building,” he said.

Ms Auta Lois, Founder, Network of Women with Disabilities, said there was need to remind policy makers and decision makers, traditional leaders, clergy, student groups, civil society organizations, media institutions, and other stakeholders that PWDs have the right to be appointed and elected into a public office.

Dr Chike Okogwu, Founder, Center for Ability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment (CARE), said the impact of the kind of programme, “Able to Serve”, would increase inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance.

Okogwu said that including persons with disabilities in governance should not be only because they were PWDs.

He said that beyond them being persons with disabilities, their capacity to deliver on the job given to them should play another important role.

The EU-SDGN cohort noted that there cannot be strong, effective and legitimate democratic institutions without the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities.

He said that while majority of PWDs were not elected in the just concluded general elections, there was still an opportunity for their inclusion in appointive positions in government at National and State levels.

NAN reports that members of EU-SDGN cohort included DAI Global, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Yiaga Africa, Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), Institute for Media and Society (IMS), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), ElectHER, and TAF Africa.

Others were SOS Children’s Villages, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Justice Development and Peace Initiative, and Justice, Development & Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC).

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has announced the awarding of the Dune 7 concession to Sandwich Dune Tours and Safari as the operator for the tourist attraction inside Dorob National Park.

The ministry’s decision to run the tourist attraction through a concession company follows public critique on the state of the popular recreational area’s infrastructure, which to date, was renovated by and upgraded by MEFT.

The decision was considered as a long-term solution, to ensure that Dune 7 is maintained on behalf of the ministry, for its visitors and a tender was then advertised in November 2022.

A media statement issued by MEFT spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda on Thursday noted that 18 companies applied for the tender, from which Sandwich Dune Tours and Safari emerged as the successful bidder due to the strength of their proposal.

The company is expected to take over the management of Dune 7 soon and it is expected that the company will employ at least 45 workers as part of its operations.

“To further enhance visitor experience, the company will offer various adventure activities at the spot including paragliding, dune climbing, stargazing as well as tours to Walvis Bay. Sandwich Dune Tours and Safari will also develop a restaurant that is open daily and can host special events like weddings or corporate functions,” Muyunda noted.

He added that the restaurant will include a swimming pool and a bar that will be open until late and visitors to the area will also have the convenience of overnighting at the spot as the company plans to construct 10 luxury chalets.

Muyunda noted that while entrance to the restaurant will be free, the company will charge different levies to visitors for other Dune 7 activities, which will be communicated once the company starts operating.

The MEFT has also given the company the optional right to erect and operate a tethered hot air balloon.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Seven-year-old Otta Ameb died instantly in a car incident at the Otjiwarongo dumping site on Wednesday.

A crime report issued by the Namibian Police Force on Wednesday said Ameb, who was a learner at Orwetoveni Primary School in Otjiwarongo, died when he and a group of other minors tried to jump onto the back of a moving vehicle.

It is alleged that Ameb and another group of boys jumped onto a Namib Mills truck which was busy reversing to offload waste at the dumping site.

It is suspected that the boy fell off the vehicle and died instantly.

The driver of the vehicle was a licensed 39-year-old Namibian male.

The deceased’s next of kin have been informed and police investigations continue.

In a separate occurrence, Tenete Uohiva, a 68-year-old pensioner, drowned in the Epalela water canal at Ontoko village in the Omusati Region on Wednesday.

According to the Namibian Police, the deceased fell into the canal and drowned while crossing the canal bridge from Epalela location to Omakuva village.

The body was positively identified by family members and police investigation continues.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Swakopmund Municipality has ramped up its budget for water and sanitation infrastructure over the past years in order to carry out the type of critical infrastructure work that is unique to the town.

At a recent council budget tabling meeting, chairperson of the Swakopmund Council management committee Wilfried Groenewald said the capital budget for water and sanitation for the 2023/24 financial year is N.dollars 40 million, which they intend to keep on increasing for the future.

This is part of the council’s N.dollars 685 million overall budget, which includes an operating budget of over N.dollars 527 million and a capital expenditure budget of N.dollars 158 million.

“Council has budgeted N.dollars 5 million for a new sewerage rising main, N.dollars 2 million for a sewer pump station and N.dollars 8.7 million for extra cleaning of drains and flooding prevention. However, we must be honest about where we stand as too many of our pump stations are run until they fail, some of our wastewater works can’t handle the load and spills are still far too prevalent,” he noted.

Groenewald added that of all the ways to spend a town’s revenue, investment in water and sanitation infrastructure is arguably the most crucial, therefore the only way to carry on the encouraging improvements seen now is to increase investment even further and for that investment to happen, it must be funded.

An estimated N.dollars 79 million will be budgeted in the next financial year (2024/25) for infrastructure projects, the bulk of which will go towards upgrading and expanding water and sanitation infrastructure across the town.

“We are investing to get ahead and stay ahead as we gear up for the Swakopmund of the future. We will not allow the decay and neglect that has gripped so many other towns and cities in Namibia to take hold in Swakopmund,” the chairperson expressed.

The municipality has also boosted the road maintenance budget with an extra N.dollars 34.6 million for the current financial year.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency