The Voice magazine for Nov. 2022

ISSN:2588-8807

ISSN:1571-3466

Motto: Actuated towards Africa’s advancement

Volume 22. NO. 223 November 2022

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First complete African magazine published in The Netherlands since August 1999

Celebrating a Quintessential Broadcaster, Anne Nwaghodoh

Watch out....

Nigeria Introduces New Naira Notes !

President Prisca’s selflessness for humanity

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13 NOV 2022

Jeffangs

BDAY BASH

IT'S JEFFANGS BIRTHDAY BASH PARTY & CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE BUSINESSES AWARD OF THE YEAR SUNDAY THE 13TH NOVEMBER 2022

POWERED BY

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THE VOICE MAGAZINE TEAM Publisher: Stichting Paddi Europa Editor-in-Chief Pastor Amb. Elvis Ndubuisi Iruh elvisiruh@thevoicenewsmagazine.com Founding/Contributing Editor Edward Idahosa Ogbee apexbest2000@yahoo.co.uk Managing Editor Henry D. Oduenyi (Nigeria Office) henry@thenigerianvoice.com Project Coordinator Ifeyinwa Ezeagabu Ndubuisi Ezeagabu Joy Onoilu (JEBITV) (Belgium) jebitv2003@gmail.com Middle East Vice- President Amb. Laila EL Aftani Rahhal CORRESPONDENTS ABROAD Barrister Eze Eluchie (Nigeria) paddingr@yahoo.com Contributors Rev. Tammy Abusi (Nigeria) tamabusi@gmail.com Kester Kenn Klomegah (Russia) Eva Nakato (Uganda) nakatoeva91@gmail.com Jimmie Nicks (Kenya) kollywoodhorizons@gmail.com Eubaldus Enahoro (Nigeria) enabadus2000@yahoo.com PA to Publisher Lilian Akintokun (Mrs) raven_lilian@yahoo.com Magazine Designer David Banjoko davosban@gmail.com MEDIA CONSULTANT Jonathan Mgbejume Abeka Salmin Abdallah Amb. Patrick McCaffrey Mildred Kleinbussink

Engineer Barry A.O. Igbeare Guest Writer: Amb. Ms. Albena Jones

The Voice magazine

The Voice magazine is editorially independent although we enjoys the support of our readers, subscribers, advertisers, non-­governmental organizations and in­dividuals of like minds; however the magazine publishers are in no way af­filiated to any of these bodies or to any other ­publishing institution or political interest or group.

The Voice magazine strives to foster awareness among the African audience and bridge the widening gap between Africans and the rest of the world in news gathering and dissemination.

The Voice is published digitally online except on demand, we print hard copy..

If you want to receive a copy, send us your email address.

On the Editorial board are Pastor Amb. Elvis Iruh, Jonathan Mgbejume, Sandra Iruh-Monsels, and Henry Oduenyi READ THE VOICE ON LINE AT www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com Our Affiliate partner: www.thenigerianvoice.com www.viceversaglobal.com Registration NO: (Kvk. Nr. 34.110.928) TAX (BTW) NO: NL806215809B01 ISSN: 1571-3466 (For Print edition) ISSN: 2588-8807 (For Digital edition) For payments, use these bank details: Stichting Paddi Europa SNS Bank Account No:

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The Voice magazine is published in the Netherlands by Stichting Paddi Europa and it is p ­ ublished online since 2016 around the world. It is registered at the Chamber of Commerce Amsterdam. The Voice aim to serve as a vital link among African readers in the Diaspora and we ­provide ­objective information and organizes opinion exchange among African people both in the ­continent and abroad. Thus it strives to foster and enhance complete understanding of ­developing c­ ountries problems and bring information to help address those issues. You can support this project now with as much as one euro a month to help keep publishing our digital copy for you.

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NO 223 November 2022

Contents

November Edition 2022 - Volume 22. No 223

22-25

56-59

26-29

68-70

ARTICLES

Page 6 – Editorial - Lessons From Rishi Sunak’s Rise To The Office Of The British Prime Minister Page 7 - Icon of democracy award for 2022 annulled Page 11 -First Lady Of Sierra Leone Heaps Praises On Her Husband For Developmental Strides Pages 12 & 13 - Celebrating the Queen of the television screen in Nigeria: Miss Anne Nonyelum Nwaghodoh Pages 18 & 19 - Joint statement of the Gambia Bar Association and the female lawyers Association on the untimely deaths of 69 Gambian children Pages 30 & 31 - African Energy Week Awards Winners At Gala Dinner Pages 34 & 35 - Zimbabwe Emerging As Leading Wheat Producer in Southern Africa Page 36 – Press remarks by Governor Godwin Emefiele on issuance of new Naira bank notes Pages 38 & 39 - Russia Pledges Economic and Security Support for Guinea-Bissau Pages 40 -42 - Environmental Activism: A Matter of Life and Death Pages 44-46 - President Prisca’s selflessness for humanity Pages 48 & 49 - Miss Teen South Holland presents crown to Nigerian Ambassador to the Netherlands Pages 50 & 51 - Detention of Nigerian migrants in Italy and possible Human Rights Violations.

Pages 52 & 53 - The dancing granny Pages 54 & 55 - How I was forced into prostitution Pages 60 & 61 - Thuggery takes over Bonny political space as campaign begins Pages 62 & 63 - His Excellency, the president, Dr. Juilius Maada Bio launches the National Female Premier league in Sierra Leone Pages 68 -70- Interview: ‘You have to give asylum seekers the opportunity to work’ says Anthony Uduba (VVD)

REGISTER WITH NIGERIA EMBASSY THE HAGUE On behalf of the Nigerian Embassy in The Hague, this is a general public announcement and appeal to all Nigerians resident in the Netherlands either as Students or full time residents with Dutch Nationality or any other nationality but you have proof of being a Nigerian. We kindly advise you to register your current location address and contact details through the Nigerian Embassy for your safety and accountability purposes in case of an emergency of evacuation or exchange of information. The Russian /Ukraine conflict is a learning curve for us all. We live in a time of uncertainty around the world.

Note: Your information is not going to be compromised or used for any other purpose than for documentation and records purpose if you are to be reached.

Kindly register yourself, spouse, children or any other family member resident with you even if they are undocumented in the country.

The link to follow is below or visits the Nigerian Embassy website at www.nigerianembassythehague.nl Signed: Nigerian Ambassador to The Netherlands Her Excellency, Ambassador Dr. Mrs. Eniola Ajayi The Hague, The Netherlands

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Editorial

Lessons From Rishi Sunak’s Rise To The Office Of The British Prime Minister

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ishi Sunak officially assumed the office of the British Prime Minister and subsequently assembled his cabinet after nearly three months of turbulence in British politics.

The development portends a great lesion for African leaders. It is not enough to nurse an ambition or to aspire to be one but the critical question is: do you have what it takes to lead?

The former Prime Minister lasted for 44 days in office.

Though she was not forced to resign however, unfolding events were pointing towards that direction.

Consequently, she toed the part of honour by stepping aside when she realized the magnitude of responsibility deposed on her as the British Prime Minister in addition to a baggage of a husband and two daughters.

In comparison of her decision to African leaders, using Nigeria and Ghana as case study. It is highly unlikely that an African leader would step aside for lack of solution to the nation’s economic woes and challenges.

Nigeria and Ghana have seen the values of their monetary currencies plunging to the bottom and yet the government leaders cannot do the needful and call for early elections or allow someone else to manage the 6

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affairs of their countries.

They keep talking of mandate given by the people but of what use is the mandate when you cannot deliver on your promises to the people?

The New Britain’s Prime Minister is the 57th prime minister even

though the people do not elect him but is nominated by the party that wins the elections. He has the backing of the King and the parliament to govern.

He has vowed to fix the mistakes made by his predecessor, Liz Truss, and quickly worked to form a cabinet with emphasis on continuity and stability.

Time will prove him right or wrong but he has changed and stirred an ongoing political discussion, being the first the time an emigrant has assumed

the coveted office of the British Prime Minister.

His parents emigrated from Uganda to UK in the 70s and today their son is the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak knows the task before him and he knows it will not be easy but he is giving it his best shot. He is assembling individuals devoid of political ’godfatherism’ into his cabinet that can support his vision to succeed in repositioning the British economy.

Mr. Sunak strategically picked experienced lawmakers who had previously held prominent positions to fill the most senior positions, including a number of people who were cabinet members during his Liz Truss’s seven week tenure. He indicated his strategy with his very first appointment, opting to keep Jeremy Hunt as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

All we can wish him is success in his vision to reinvigorate the British economy, hoping that Africans leaders can learn one or two lesions from the British political process.

Enjoy this edition of The Voice news magazine, filled with very interesting stories for you. We particularly congratulate our queen of the screen, Miss Anne Nwaghodoh who has made our cover page a very happy birthday.

Relax and enjoy the rest interesting stories.

We already commenced preparations for 2023 award ceremony. Looking forward to working with you all in the coming year.

TV Management Pastor Ambassador Elvis Iruh Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Icon of democracy award for 2022 annulled

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n a press statement released by the Netherlands based “The Voice News Magazine”, the official organizers of The Voice Achievers, it regrettably announced the cancellation of the nomination of The Gambian President, His Excellency, President Adama Barrow as the winner of the 2022 Icon of democracy Award in Africa.

committee decided to withdraw the award for 2022.

This award is given out yearly to a deserving Head However, with recent events and happenings in the of State, currently serving or out of office that is Gambia in which the President has not shown the adjudged to have contributed to the advancement of character of a strong democratically elected leader under a democratic mandate, the award committee Africa through democratic principles and values has concluded that he does not deserve the accolade displayed while in office or out of office.

The candidate in question for 2022, His Excellency, of ‘Icon of democracy in Africa’. The award withdrawal means that there is no President Adama Barrow was winner for 2022. short-listed and his office was The process of nomination for informed but until date, no official 2023 awardees will soon be made reply of rejection or confirmation available and we will reveal and for that reason, the award the short-listed names for could not be given out during the consideration in the 13th edition award ceremony which took place of the award being planned for in Banjul, The Gambia on 20th the Netherlands in September August 2022.

2023.

Through the office of the Permanent Thank you for your attention and Secretary, in the President’s office, understanding.

Madam Halima Jawara, we were TV Management. informed that the Presidency rejected the award based on their advice. Subsequently, the award www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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$6B ‘Akon City’ Will Open in 2026

$6B

‘Akon City’ Will Open in 2026; Africa’s Largest Hospital is in the Plans: Giving back to Africa has always been a huge part of Akon‘s platform. The “Sorry, Blame It on Me” singer revealed in a recent interview that despite disruption in the plans, the first phase of “Akon City” in Senegal will be opening for living in 2026.

The $6 billion project, which was inspired by the film BlackPanther, will reportedly house the largest hospital on the continent of Africa.

According to the “Hold My Hand” singer, plans are still on track after facing the effects of COVID19.

“It kind of stalled a bit because a lot of partners and solution providers obviously had to lock down, but it didn’t affect the paper pusher side of it,” Akon said.

As previously reported in BLACK ENTERPRISE, original plans for “Akon City” were announced in 2018. Construction on the project commenced in March 2019.

“Now, we’re back on track. Now, construction

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will start in 2023,” Akon shared. “We still have the three-year window for the first phase to be done and our goal is for the first phase to be done by 2026 to make the junior Olympics in Senegal.”

The media previously reported that “AkonCity” residents will use “Akoin,” the app-based cryptocurrency, to build the economy.

Plans for the solar-powered and sustainable city will still reflect a “real-life Wakanda” with universities, hotels, a stadium, an airport for tourists to fly in an out, boating docks, a food and beverage store. And that doesn’t include the 10,000-bed hospital and corporate tower.

According to sources, the first phase will be directed toward tourists. Construction will include hotels and activities so people can visit and familiarize themselves with the city.

Akon finalized the agreement with Senegalese government officials to establish “Akon City” back in January 2020. It’s President Macky Sall, gifted Akon 2,000 square acres of land to build the establishment. https://lnkd.in/e7gPimTN

By Mark-Anthony Johnson CEO at JIC Holdings

Feedback (Page for your letters)

Women Power Africa Meet - Bohlale Mphahlele, at age 16, she invented an Alerting Earpiece for women who find themselves in danger.

Join us in celebrating her. You can check her on WPA YouTube channel https://lnkd.in/dYa2ycuU Follow Valentine Zoza for daily inspirational content...

The “Alerting Earpiece” can track the victims of human trafficking, gender based violence and also capture photos of the perpetrators and send the photos to connected devices.

This award-winning young scientist and inventor is from Limpopo, South Africa, she is a former learner at S.J Van der Merwe Technical High School.

“Discovering that South Africa has some of the highest crime rates, including violence against women, sparked the idea to create the device.”

“The alerting earpiece is an invention that aims to eradicate the chances of gender-based violence, human trafficking and other challenges that we face on a day-to-day basis in regards to crime.”

“It helps alert officials when victims face danger. It finds the exact location and tracks the movement of the victim,” said Bohlale Mphahlele.

Welcome Mr. Kester Kenn Klomegah

Kester Kenn Klomegah is an independent researcher and a policy consultant on African affairs in the Russian Federation and Eurasian Union. He has won media awards for highlighting economic diplomacy in the region with Africa.

Currently, Klomegah is a Special Representative for Africa on the Board of the Russian Trade and Economic Development Council. He enjoys travelling and visiting historical places in Eastern and Central Europe. Klomegah is a frequent and passionate contributor to Eurasia Review. He is a pioneering member of The Voice news magazine. Help us to welcome him back to the Voice family fold.

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FEEDBACK

Enahoro children acknowledge National honour The Administrators of the Estate of Late Elder Statesman Chief Anthony Enahoro CFR have acknowledged the inclusion of their father Patriarch in the 2023 National Honours Awards in which President Buhari bestowed the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) to add to the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) which was bestowed on the late nationalist in 1982.

The statement in recognition of the honour signed by Chief Eugene Enahoro the Head of the Family and his brother Mr. Victor Enahoro, pointed out that the Federal Government is also aware of a great dishonour done to their father which needs to be rectified by government and whose unsavoury details do not need to be made public.

The family also regretted not receiving any invitation to the awards Furthermore it advised youths to emulate their father’s patriotism and remain in Nigeria to improve the nation rather than struggle to flee Nigeria and become refugee second-class citizens in foreign shores.

CELEBRATING A LIVING LEGEND: Dr. Maxwel Okoth

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f exploits were to be numbered then his outnumber his days. Dr. Maxwel Okoth has defied all odds to become who he is today. He is a rising business mogul with an eye for business creativity, Max has defied the limitations of age and the effects of a demeaning past, building a diminutive personality with a matching business empire.

His heart is actually bigger than anything he possesses.

His desire to see the best of people overrides the need for

monetary accumulation. Instead of gathering, he invests the little he gets in making life better for others. This is actually the overarching value behind RFH Healthcare. Absolutely committed to living his words, Dr. Maxwel creates a world of trust in which he gives each an opportunity to prove each self. His health sector reform agenda, his personality and disposition qualify him as hero. In marking the hero’s day, I celebrate the youngest of them.

Daktari, you are a living legend and I celebrate you. Happy Mashujaa Day!

By Osborn Yogo George Nairobi, Kenya Dr. Maxwel Okoth is the MD, RFH Healthcare Nairobi, Kenya

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First Lady Of Sierra Leone Heaps Praises On Her Husband For Developmental Strides

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s She Thanks Him For Providing Uninterrupted Electricity To Kono County

When your husband, who is the love of your life, makes you a proud daughter of the soil, all you say to him is: “I LOVE YOU”.

In October 1992, as a frightened young girl, I joined my family and thousands of others as we walked on foot out of our beloved district Kono; in the early hours of the morning after an invasion by rebels.

Kono indigenes became displaced in our own country.

Some were raped along the struggle to find safety.

Others lost their precious lives.

Kono, the bread basket of Sierra Leone, soon became every politician’s dumping ground. The only time we were remembered as being part of Sierra Leone was when Elections approach.

Everything changed when Julius Maada Bio was elected by the people of Sierra Leone. His promises to my people in Kono were simple. Julius Maada Bio said: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”. so he promised to correct the long-standing national injustice shown to Kono District.

Kono can now be proud to say that it is part of Sierra Leone. Under the leadership of President Bio, we are going to have our own University. No more struggles for Higher Education by Kono people.

Under the leadership of President Bio, we are going to have International Highways connecting Kono District to other counties. Under the leadership of

President Bio, we are now enjoying Free Quality Education.

Under the leadership of President Bio, our Girl Child in Kono, like in all other parts of Sierra Leone, now knows her Rights. Under the Leadership of President Bio, Kono can boast of having the best Medical and Health Delivery Services in the whole country. Under the leadership of President Bio, Kono can now be proud of an uninterrupted Electricity supply.

What can we say darling? All we can say is THANK YOU; the elated First Lady, Dr Mrs Fatima Maada Bio narrated.

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Celebrating A Quintessential Broadcaster, Anne Nwaghodoh

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ndoubtedly, Anne Nonyelum Nwaghodoh was crafted to offer to the world of broadcast, a unique and an uncommon flair wrapped around exceptional passion for the industry. Like the poet said: The sun got out of bed, Swam across the ocean, just to shine on you, come November 7, 2022.

It is time for us all to stand, celebrate and cheer for the doer, the achiever but humble professional. It is indeed time to celebrate an exceptional person, endowned with ‘3Bs’ beauty, brain and brilliance, who believes that the only goals you don’t achieve in life are the goals you don’t set for your self. Anne, having defiled all pessimist’s approach and attitude to life, has today craved an enviable place for herself in the broadcast industry, having had a stint in radio broadcast, has established her extraordinary Television broadcast qualities to rise to the fore.

“I have not seen a very hard working lady as Anne, she starts early and till late at night she is still at the studio casting news for millions of television viewers across the world” states Amb. Elvis Iruh, (Publisher of The Voice Magazine, based in The Netherlands) in a special birthday tribute.

Anne hails from Onicha-Ugbo in Anioma-North local

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government area of Delta state, South south Nigeria. She holds a B.Sc(Hons) in Mass Communication from Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, Nigeria. She is a professional television broadcaster and works at the premium Nigerian independent television station, Channels television as a News anchor, programme Presenter/producer and diaspora reporter.

She began her journey in journalism career in 2010 at Splash 105.5 fm radio station in Ibadan, Oyo state, south west Nigeria where she wore many hats for four years, becoming the major news anchor and handling the biggest programmes on the radio station.

In 2014, she joined Channels Television and ever since she has grown with the media house in many skills and in many other ways. She anchors many shows on the television channel among them is Kaleidoscope and Metrofile. Kaleidoscope is her weekly interview programme with top MDs/CEOs in and outside Nigeria where they discuss their businesses, sustainability efforts and corporate social responsibility initiatives. She engages her guests on the impact of their business activities on the people and the planet, their organization’s alignment with the United Nations sustainable development goals, challenges faced while doing business and the future of their organizations.

She has interviewed almost all prominent players in the business community and other sectors of the Nigerian society and economy. It is a must watch on Channels television.

She also anchors Business and foreign programs focusing on daily activities going on in those sectors. Her skill cuts across entertainment and lifestyle programs but not limited

to extraordinary passion for fashion. She could easily be mistaken for a top African model, with her natural physical statistics and style of dressing.

Through her programmes on television, she has guided several corporate organizations by advising them to adopt sustainable development goals as a road map for their corporate social responsibility projects, thereby helping to achieve SDG goal 17. Apart from her official engagements, she also supports an international media platform based in The Netherlands: www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com Anne’s broad professional knowledge in the media world is on high demand as individuals and corporate organizations subscribes her services as media consultant and advisor.

“Apart from my career, I groom young men and women aspiring to be broadcasters/journalists or on air personalities as my own little way of giving back to the society through my career experience on television and the media” says Anne. She supports many charity organizations as her contribution to a better society. “I hope to continue to do my best to guide more young people especially ladies into achieving their highest goals.

As she clocks a year older on November 7th 2022 we asked her what being a year older means to her? “This year’s birthday is very special to me because 2022 has been so good to me. I have enjoyed the blessings God has given me this year and I pray for more in the years to come. So this birthday is all about gratitude to God for His mercies. I am truly a happy and blessed child of God and I thank my parents for teaching me the path of God”.

Recall that Anne recently shared a podium with the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Her Excellency, Dr. Mrs. Fatima Bio in Banjul, The Gambia when she received an award of excellence for her professional works. We engaged her on what the award meant to her among other recognition she has received in the past. “With several awards already attained, I am grateful for every single recognition especially at The Voice Achievers Award Banjul 2022, where I was honoured for my media works. It does mean a lot to me and has

encouraged me to do more for my industry and the society at large”. “A huge thank you to The Voice news magazine, the organizer of the Voice Achievers Award and the whole team for your continuous support. I am indeed grateful,” she added. She enjoys swimming and loves travelling, playing Scrabble and watching movies. One more thing that makes Anne a very happy girl is shopping! Join us to wish the media amazon a very happy birthday and huge successes in her future endeavours.

TV Management

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YOUR COPY NOW....

Getting to know you written by Pastor Elvis Iruh Pastor Felix Asare wrote the foreword

BOOK REVIEW Pastor Elvis Iruh’s new book is out……

Title: “Getting to know you” - A book on marital steps with information about marriage Author: Pastor Amb. Elvis Iruh About the book Whether you’re preparing for marriage or want to enjoy a deeper union with your spouse, this guide will help you enjoy a relationship built on solid Christian values.

Pastor Elvis Iruh is a licensed minister with Victory Outreach International. His book highlights simple principles that are often taken for granted.

Learn how to: • get to really know a love interest before deciding to marry; • avoid mistakes that lead to divorce; • appreciate the sanctity of marriage;

partners can carry out with each other as well as guidance for pastors and church leaders who may need help in advising couples. This guide will help couples enjoy marriage that is built to last. ***** About the Author ELVIS IRUH is a native of Delta State, Nigeria. He attended numerous schools in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Lagos, Nigeria, before continuing his studies in Europe and earning a degree in theology from Victory Education & Training Institute.

He worked for several media organizations in Nigeria as well and has been the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Voice news magazine since August 1999. He is serving as an associate pastor at Victory Outreach Almere, The Netherlands.

The book can be used for educational purposes as well as educating your children on the subject of marriage. He is also available to speak on related topics covered in the book at any organized event or church activities. He is open for collaborative efforts to strengthen marriage institutions worldwide. It is a mission he has dedicated himself to helping the younger generation to talk and address the challenges they face in building good and solid relationships which could end up in marriage.

You can purchase the book in Holland via his website: www.elvisiruh.com or through his publishers’: www.authorhouse.com/ Elvis Iruh or on www.amazon.co.uk via this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/ aw/d/1665580844/ref=ox_sc_act_

• forgive your partner when they make mistakes.

Before you think of getting married, you should take the necessary steps to really get to know your partner. Your past should not contain any surprises - and your values must be aligned.

This revealing book is filled with practical exercises that

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image_1?smid=AHRB2OK2Q2YCL&psc=1 You can contact him directly through any of his social media handle for your questions or comments, he would look into it and respond would be sent to you accordingly.

Email: info@elvisiruh.com or elvisiruh@gmail.com

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Pastor Roel & Ida Van Rooij Senior Pastor 4Pillars Community Church Almere

www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Joint statement of the Gambia Bar Association and the female lawyers Association on the untimely deaths of 69 Gambian children from acute kidney injuries linked to the consumption of substandard drugs imported into the country

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he Gambia Bar Association (GBA) and the female lawyers Association (FLAG) are saddened to learn of the untimely deaths of 69 Gambian children from Acute Kidney Injuries (AKI) linked to the consumption of medicinal products imported from an Indian Company, Maiden Pharmaceutical Limited (Haryana, India).

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Report Alert dated 5th of October 2022, the identified medicinal products are Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Couch Syrup and Magrip N Cough Syrup (the medicinal products).

The laboratory report of the samples further confirms that the aforementioned medicinal products contained unacceptable high amounts of Diethylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol. Both diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal.

According to the WHO, the four medicinal products referenced in the alert are ‘‘unsafe, and their use especially in children may result in serious injury or death”. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed that the said medicinal products were imported into the country and have taken steps to withdraw the products from the market and homes across the country.

The importation of pharmaceutical products in The Gambia is regulated and administered by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) in accordance with the Medicines and Related Products Act 2014. The primary responsibility of the MCA under the act is to regulate the quality and safety of medicines and related products.

The GBA and FLAG are gravely concerned that contaminated paediatric medicinal products were imported into the country from a manufacturer whose reputation and credibility according to widely available public records is 18

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dubious. We trust that it is the responsibility of the body charged with regulating the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that the quality and standard of drugs imported into the country are safe for human consumption. The general populace has the right to know how such dangerous/ contaminated and unsafe products were allowed into the country and administered to children.

The GBA and FLAG are calling on the Government (as duty bearer) to take its responsibility as the primary protector of the citizenry to investigate this tragic incident and thereafter take steps to ensure appropriate measures are taken to hold those responsible accountable. We recommend the constitution of an independent inquiry with multiple stakeholders and experts, including the National Human Rights Commission, to provide answers to the public and the bereaved families following the deaths presumably linked to the importation and consumption of the substandard medications. The inquiry should shed light on the following questions of public interest:

a) How were the substandard medications manufactured

by Maiden Pharmaceutical imported and distributed in the country? b) The role of the Ministry of Health, the Medicines Control Agency, and Pharmacy Council in the importation of the substandard medications in The Gambia? c) Does the Medicines Control Agency have sufficient capacity to ensure quality and safety of drugs imported into the country? If not, what steps is the Government taking to increase the Agency’s capacity? d) What steps will the Government take to re-examine the import license regime, the regulatory framework, and its efficacy in ensuring quality control and early detection of substandard products before its entry into the country? e) What are the plans in place to prevent a reoccurrence of incidents such as the death of the 69 children?

To ensure that the person(s)/entity (ies) responsible for the importation and distribution of the substandard medications are held accountable, The GBA and FLAG demand that the Government of The Gambia takes the following steps expeditiously: 1. Robustly pursue the Indian Manufacturer, Maiden Pharmaceutical Ltd using its bilateral ties with our sister republic of India to ensure that the manufacturers are held accountable, and the victims are adequately compensated.

2. Hold accountable any party or authority complicit in the importation, sale, and distribution of the substandard medications attributable to the deaths of the 69 Gambian children.

3. Leave no stone unturned to ensure there is accountability and justice for the victims of this travesty through the pursuit of legal action against the persons and institutions

responsible for the importation and distribution of the substandard medicinal products.

The GBA and FLAG stand in solidarity with the bereaved families and demand justice and accountability. The GBA and FLAG are available to support the Government in its quest to ensure accountability, justice and safeguard the interest of Gambians.

The GBA and FLAG extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. We join the entire population to mourn the loss of these innocent lives.

Signed SALIEU TAAL – PRESIDENT, GBA ******* ANNA A.B. NJIE – PRESIDENT, FLAG

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Nigerian Christians under persecution Help us please.......

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‘That male dominance is so entrenched and still incredibly dominant’ By: Marc Broere Credit - Mark Williams Wasswa

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ganda-based Akina Mama wa Afrika is involved in three strategic partnerships with Dutch organizations and the Dutch government. A conversation with director Eunice Musiime about her experiences and about developments within the field.

“Follow countries like Canada and Sweden and come up with a feminist foreign policy – that would be a really brave statement.” That last wish has now come true.

Development work is difficult.

Eunice Musiime heaves a sigh.

“Sometimes you think you’ve made progress,” she says, “and then you suddenly realize you haven’t. The pandemic was one such moment where we realized that progression can be washed away in the blink of an eye.

Take the increasing violence against women and girls when Covid-19 broke out – their homes were suddenly no longer safe. We thought we were further along in denouncing violence against women, but then corona showed us a different story.’

The virus also gave governments another chance to restrict public spaces and thwart journalists and the opposition. Or look at some of the countries we work in: Ethiopia, Tunisia, Sudan. These are all countries where a political crisis is going on, which makes it very difficult for us to make plans.’

The 44-year-old lawyer is the director of Akina Mama wa Afrika, one of the most high-profile feminist organizations on the African continent, founded in 1985 with the aim of strengthening female leadership and building a pan-African feminist movement.

We meet at the office in the Ugandan capital Kampala and speak in particular because Akina Mama wa Afrika is involved in three strategic partnerships with Dutch organizations and the Dutch government. Within the Power of Voices programme,

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this is the case in two alliances: Power of Dialogue with the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) as lead party and Voices for Just Climate Action , which is led by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). And finally in Make Way , within the SRHR Partnership Fund, with Wemos as coordinator.

They appear to be three completely different partnerships, but Musiime emphasizes that there is a common thread.

‘The collaboration with NIMD is very natural, because our organization has always focused on female leadership – both in society and in politics. The partnership is about the power of dialogue to ensure that politicians and citizens work well together to promote democracy, good governance, gender equality and the rule of law.’

The collaboration with Wemos (within Make Way ) is also logical. ‘It focuses on sexual and reproductive health and rights and is specifically there to ensure that young people and other minority groups have a voice. As a feminist organization we have always focused on issues closely related to bodily

autonomy.’

In collaboration with WWF, her organization is moving into new territory, namely: tackling the climate crisis. “We have recently started to focus more on issues related to economic justice,” says Eunice Musiime. ‘We look at the root causes and also see the climate crisis as a failure of the current economic system, which is dominant in the world. The climate crisis is also an issue in which African voices and those of women in particular are underrepresented, so there is an opportunity for us too.’

What is your added value within these partnerships?

‘Our starting point is always the woman. Our concern is that women are involved in policy making and decision-making.

We bring the feminist perspective to the fore, regardless of the subject of the strategic partnership. In fact, * all those partnerships should have an explicitly feminist organization on board.”

Do you think the role of women is otherwise overlooked?

‘Absolute. If you look at last year’s Glasgow Climate Change Conference, #MissingVoices was one of the main hashtags. It’s always about missing votes. And who are those missing voices? These are women, young people, non-binary people and the LGBTI community. They are most likely not part of the conversation.

I also see it here, in Uganda, with the country office of the NIMD, which has been facilitating dialogue between the various political parties for years. It is still the men who carry on the conversations together.

That male dominance is so entrenched and still incredibly dominant.’

How does the NIMD country office in Uganda feel that you are now specifically bringing this feminist angle to the table?

Laughing: ‘In the beginning it was a bit uncomfortable for them that we kept fighting those structural issues. What you quickly hear as a counter-argument is that women do not offer to be part of that process, or that they are not pushed forward by the political parties. We then say: what has NIMD itself done to ensure that the process becomes more inclusive? And how are we going to ensure that other voices are also part of the political dialogue?

So it’s not enough to say that you did invite women, but they

didn’t come. No, has an environment been created in which they can participate? That is the question at hand. NIMD has now started a dialogue between the women’s departments of the various parties – I think that’s a good thing. Consultations at the top level are rather difficult, but female politicians from the various parties appear to be able to hold very meaningful and constructive conversations with each other.’

Musiime also puts forward a feminist point of view in its partnership with WWF , which also includes Hivos. ‘The under-representation of women and other minorities in the climate debate is comparable to that in political spaces. So how do you make sure that women, youth and other minority groups are part of the conversation? We also bring in a feminist analysis of the climate crisis. Then it is about raising awareness about how all kinds of systems of oppression – such as capitalism and the depletion and pollution of the earth – come together to create this crisis.

And we look at multinationals that are unwilling to make concessions to tackle the climate crisis, which also requires national action plans. How do you ensure that they are not gender blind? So we come up with clearly feminist alternatives to tackle the climate crisis.’

It seems logical for an organization like Hivos to support such a feminist approach, but what about the WWF ?

‘Hivos does indeed have a human rightsbased perspective on development, so that helps, but we encountered quite a bit of resistance from WWF in the beginning. It works a lot with the private sector and also with multinationals.

WWF tends to make sure that the private sector is a big part of climate solutions, while we believe that public-private partnerships are not progressive enough and do not address the root causes of the problem.

In the beginning it was really pushing and pulling in the cooperation, but we are starting to understand each other better and we are also growing in our political skills to be able to negotiate better.’

Can you tell us more about those collisions?

“In the beginning, when we designed the strategic partnership program, WWF always favored the private sector as the provider of the solution, while we as a feminist organization Continued on Page 24 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Continued from Page 23 kept saying that the solutions lie in the communities. The people there experience the reality of climate change in their daily lives and therefore also know what the best solutions are for their specific situation.

For example, women from indigenous communities have a lot to offer in terms of knowledge about adaptation and mitigation of climate problems. They just rarely get a seat

at the table to discuss solutions. You should also have young people at the table, because they will feel the consequences of the climate crisis the most. So we continued to resist WWF’s natural reflex that the solutions should be provided by the private sector. In the end we arrived at a middle ground, in which the private sector as well as local communities and young people in all their diversity have been included.

And to be fair, we have now also come to realize that the private sector is able to offer, develop and innovate technologies that will be very useful in tackling the climate crisis.’

We also discuss developments in the field, such as the shift the power movement that advocates more equal relations between donors and their southern partners. Musiime calls the strategic partnerships a huge step forward, because it goes much further than the traditional relationship between donor and recipients and the Dutch government made a plea for more leadership from southern organizations within the partnerships. ‘You can compare it to quotas to get more women at the top’, she says.

Together with Akina Mama wa Afrika, she hopes to receive direct funding from the Dutch government in the next 24

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funding round or to become the coordinator of a program herself. ‘We have invested a lot in our internal systems and also understand the accountability requirements of donors, because it concerns taxpayers’ money.’

But the playing field is still not level, she emphasizes at the same time. ‘The ambition for greater equality is there, but the implementation is still not in line with it. But at least we see progress.’

A number of things have acted as catalysts, Musiime says, such as the #MeToo and the Black Lives Matter movements, which have ensured that the conversation about racism is now really taking place – including within civil society organisations. ‘You see that northern NGOs are now reorienting themselves and are also asking themselves critical questions about diversity and inclusivity.’

There have been painful incidents in recent years, such as at Oxfam. A 30-page report from 2019 said the work environment at Oxfam was characterized by “racism, colonial behavior and bullying,” according to staff.

The allegations were made to an independent commission set up in the wake of the Haiti scandal in 2018 to assess the organization’s culture.

Oxfam was accused of covering up claims that employees sexually exploited female victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Oxfam said the report was an “important step” in “[helping] addressing the root causes of abuse”.

In May 2020, a riot broke out around Women Deliver, a global advocacy organization in the field of gender equality. Non-white (former) employees came out and said they had to deal with structural discrimination in the workplace.

They also said that Women Deliver was steeped in a ‘ white savior complex’. The riot eventually led to the resignation of the director. “It’s very good that these stories have come out,” Musiime says now. “They make it clear that even in the feminist movement and in development organizations you have cases where employees of color are discriminated against and have to deal with racism.”

Were you shocked by the messages?

“Not shocked, because the red flags and signals have always been there. I think it’s like Harvey Weinstein: almost everyone knew about it, but the different stories hadn’t come together yet. The same goes for the two organizations you mention – we always asked questions about their practices, but it had never been researched and publicized in a collective and structured way.’

A next step within shift the power is also that local grassroots organizations from the South can more easily obtain financing for their work. Now they are often left out because of the high demands placed on protocols and internal organization by donors.

Rachael Mwikali, a well-known feminist activist from Kenya, previously stated in Vice Versa that donors consider it perfectly normal to hire an expensive consultant for $1500 a day or pay six-zero salaries, but grassroots organizations and activists seem to expect do their work voluntarily. ‘There really needs to be more attention for that,’ says Eunice Musiime. And the Netherlands is also taking significant steps in this regard, she adds.

She points to the Make Way partnership, which is led by Wemos. ‘The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians also participates. In terms of registration, she did not meet the criteria, but we persevered in order to have her join the partnership.

Fortunately, that has been accepted by the Dutch government and that is a big step forward.’

Musiime mentions another example: ‘In the previous round of strategic partnerships, we received funding from Hivos. Even then there were organizations in Uganda that did not have the level of financial strength that Hivos required, so they asked us to receive the money and distribute it further. ‘That included LGBTI organisations. They are often unable to register for security reasons, so you have to be very creative with that. It is necessary to find new ways to support small, activist organizations without making too many demands on a financial system, because it takes time to build it.

‘For example, we are now going to work together with a social movement on the Kenyan island of Lamu, which has done a lot against the takeover of natural resources by Western multinationals. But it is a movement , not a registered organization. In order to be able to support this movement, we are going to work with another organization that will become their tax donor, as it were. In this way the movement can still continue to do the work as they would like to do it themselves, but with only simple supervision and simple accountability requirements.’

Finally, the Netherlands published a new policy memorandum for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation at the end of June. What would your advice be to the minister?

‘I can say that in short: follow countries like Canada and Sweden and come up with a feminist foreign policy. With that, the Netherlands would actually make a courageous statement. If you take gender equality as the starting point in everything you do – from combating inequality to the climate crisis – then the Netherlands will really contribute to a better world.’

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“Building a Developed, Valued, and Respected Africa Now: A Clarion Call for a Collective Participation by Africans for African-Led Solution” (Concluding part 3) Being the text of a Keynote Address delivered by Engr. IfeOluwa Oyedele, Executive Director (Networks), Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHCO) during the 2022 International Voice Achievers Award holding at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Banjul, The Gambia from the 18th to 20th August 2022. Continued from October edition 2002. Happy reading ....

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ey Factors relating to the Challenges of Development in Africa In addressing the problem of development in Africa, I proceed from the following premise that the solution to African problems rests with Africans. To start with, the inherited structures from the erstwhile colonial masters cannot support the quest for development in Africa because they were not designed to accommodate this, hence the compelling need of laying a new foundation for the proposed impressive superstructure that is sustainable and put Sub-Saharan Africa in the rightful place in the world. Therefore, the following issues and

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their relevance to the building of a developed, respected and valued Africa will be discussed in turn: Peace and Stability, Technology-driven Agriculture, Improved Healthcare, Decolonized Educational System, Younger Population as Assets, and Cooperation for Development.

Peace and Stability Peace and stability are basic and central to positive development in any society. It is often said that there is no development without peace. However, it is lamentable that many parts of Africa today are beset with instability resulting from insurgency, separatist tendencies, banditry, kidnapping and violent crimes which are obviously not conducive to development. Peace is necessary for unity and harmony and a guarantee for safety which humans require to go about their productive activity. For instance, countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Chad, Cameroun, Ethiopia, and Nigeria are embroiled in different kinds of crises that have created humanitarian concerns and insecurity. Clearly, such situation is a disincentive to investment in any sector of the economy.

If one is to go by the view expressed by Benjamin Higgins that development requires primarily large amounts of Capital Investment that is made in a sizeable lump, and not through the marginal increments that result from a set of unrelated individual decisions, then it is inconceivable that a crisisridden country will attract serious investors that will be ready to commit large amount of capital as investments. However, it is important to note that the current instability and wars in some parts of Africa are challenges that are surmountable. The Rwanda Genocide is too well-known to need much elaboration here, but the phenomenal transformation of a crisis-ridden country into one of the fastest growing economies and highly stable polity under President Paul Kagame is an infallible sign that irrespective of past or current situation other countries in sub-Saharan Africa can attain sustained development with the right policies, focused leadership and the political will to midwife rapid socio-economic and sustainable development.

Furthermore, South Africa is another beautiful bride in subSaharan Africa which gives hope to other countries on the continent that development is achievable when all hands are on deck.

Technology-Driven Agriculture Agricultural production is another key aspect of the economy of Africa that when taken seriously and modernized, using appropriate technology, can advance the cause of Africa in food security and boost her industrial capacity. The ongoing Russia-Ukrainian War and the global food crisis it has engendered, particularly the disruption in the global wheat market betrays the low capacity of sub-Saharan African farmers to maximize its massive arable land. Although China is the largest producer of wheat in the world, it exports a

mere 1% of its production while the rest is consumed locally.

Among many countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have the potential to grow this important cereal only Ethiopia grows 0.5 % of total global wheat output while the combined output of the rest of the continent amounts to 0.2%.

Four countries in North Africa, namely; Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco produce 2.5% of global output.

Moreover, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development reports that between 2016 and 2018 Africa imported about 85% of her food from outside the continent.

This shows the low performance of agriculture in a continent with an estimated 874 million of hectares of arable land.

In a 1997 article titled, “Agriculture and the Wealth of Nations”, D. Gale Johnson highlights the key role that agriculture has played in industrial nations. He notes that there are as few as 3% of the population engage in agriculture but the yield has been higher than when about 90% took to farming. According to him, there is no doubt that farmers play essential role in boosting the wealth of nation through agricultural production, but the success of farmers was contingent upon those who invented and produced farm machines, the scientists that developed new and high yielding seeds and those who discovered the essential nutritional needs of plants to yield more per hectare. The list also includes those who learnt how to extract nitrogen from air, those who developed the transport

and communication system that gradually integrated farming into the rest of the economy, and the providers of education at all level of the rural areas which allow a good and modern life for the farmers and their families.

The lesson for countries of sub-Saharan Africa in this is that they must be able to produce adequately and feed themselves in order to earn the respect of others. It is glaring that the traditional farming system in which a larger percentage of

the population engage in farming needs to give way to a new system, and that agriculture requires massive investment with the right technology, plus essential farm inputs.

The rural areas will have to be provided with the muchneeded infrastructure to make life easy for farmers and aid their activities. Furthermore, with the right technology and infrastructure in place farmers will constitute only a fraction of the population and produce more to guarantee food security while others will be released into other productive sectors of the economy.

Improved Healthcare One can easily hazard a guess at the level of investment in the Healthcare Sector in most of sub-Saharan Africa using the yardstick of the rising medical tourism and the ceaseless migration of health professionals from Africa to Europe, North America, and even Asia. In December 2021 President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria lamented the brain drain in the Health Sector in Nigeria and other West African countries. He noted that the migration of home-trained medical professionals to countries outside Africa has created a significant gap between the requisite treatments for patients and the available treatment and care. No doubt the popular saying that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation has become a cliché. Africa is still plagued by many ever-present diseases such as Malaria, Tuberculosis, Ebola, Cholera, HIV and others. African leaders need to strengthen the Healthcare Sector not only as a bulwark against future pandemic but also to discourage medical tourism, save the scarce foreign exchange, raise a healthy productive and innovative population to produce more wealth. As a fundamental component of human capital, improvement in health will guarantee a significant boost to the growth of the economy as better health leads to the capacity to earn higher income. Therefore, nations aspiring to become developed cannot afford to neglect a crucial sector such as the healthcare system.

Decolonized Educational System Education is one of the essentials of development in any nation. It is often said that no nation can grow beyond her system of education which presupposes that the philosophy behind an educational system goes a long way to determine its value and the benefits derivable from it. Western Education in Africa came through the Christian missions and it was subsequently appropriated by the colonial state to feather its nest. The philosophy behind it was to advance the cause of the Christian missions and that of the colonial administrations.

It is not surprising that comparatively limited education was provided in the colonies. At independence and upon the realization that the system of education bequeathed to them was unsuitable for the type of society they envisioned, African leaders embarked on educational programs that they deemed appropriate for the protection and advancement of the corporate interest of their societies but this did not last long as successive governments grappled with different situations.

Similar observation was made by Abdoulaye Sadji on the need to re-fashion the educational system in Africa and divest it of its individualistic propensities in order that it will serve the purpose of the society at large. It is incumbent on the people of Africa to de-emphasize the idolization of anything foreign. It is through this that Africa can drive its developmental process. Apart from reviewing the educational curriculum in sub-Saharan Africa to reflect the contemporary needs of each country, the language of instruction also matters. Experts have argued, and convincingly so, on the Continued on Page 28 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Continued from Page 27 importance of the mother tongue to intellectual development and the progress of any society.

In the view of Kwesi Kwaa Prah, no country can make progress on the basis of a borrowed language. Mariama Khan corroborates this view with her emphasis on the need to jettison the high premium Africans place on foreign language and look inwards to effectively exploit the asset which indigenous language represents to achieve sustained development.

Therefore, the use of indigenous language as a medium of instruction will not only enhance better understanding among the students, its multiplier effect on the society through the creative powers of intellectually developed citizens will lead Africa to the promised land.

Related to the above is investment in science and technology in order to create an enabling environment for a thriving economy. There is no gainsaying the fact that sub-Saharan African states are endowed with enormous mineral resources which foreign multinationals have dominated with their superior technology. More worrisome is the fact that for even age-long and local textile products such as aso oke, the Chinese through its advanced technology have achieved significant comparative advantage in the production of this hitherto hand-woven fabric that is very popular among the Yoruba of Nigeria. The mass production of the fabric with its fine texture and cheap prices continue to endear Chinese-made aso oke to many people who now prefer it to the Nigerian-made fabric.

In a recent observation by Foresight Africa 2022, lack of sufficient investment in Science and Technology in most of sub-Saharan Africa has undermined the economic transformation of these countries at both the structural and sectoral levels.

It states further that Africa contributes just 2% of world research output, accounts for only 1.3% of research spending, and produces 0.1% of all patents.

Investing in research in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in sub-Saharan Africa could open doors of opportunities through innovative ideas that can be deployed in various sectors of the society, create additional value-chains in the Agricultural Sector, boost the industrial capacity with adequate supply of electricity from diverse sources, and good road network to generate employment for the teeming youths of the continent. In addition to the foregoing, the jaundiced concept of “resource curse” which posits that Africa’s endowed natural resources have detrimental impact on the people will be deflated with the judicious use of these for the betterment of African populace.

Younger Population as Assets Africa has a unique opportunity to harness her youthful population for development. It is a fact that sub-Saharan Africa has the youngest population in the world with almost 70 percent of her population falling under the age of 30. No doubt, this is an asset waiting to be turned into a nucleus of innovation driven by the fact that the inquisitive minds of young people are more receptive to new ideas. Conventional wisdom has it that when the energy of the youths and the experience of the adults are combined it creates a powerful result that benefits everyone. With structured opportunities made available these young minds will be able to unleash their talents and abilities into lawful productive activities to tackle Africa’s developmental challenges.

66 % of China’s over 1Billion population in 1975 were under 28

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Engr. Ifeoluwa at the summit in Banjul, The Gambia 30 years old. They drove the Chinese Miracle over the next 35 years which lifted 500 Million people out of poverty, to project China to a World Power, the Factory of the world!

Africa has very similar demography. The population of Africa today is approximately 1.3 Billion of which 67% are less than 30 years Old. Contrast Africa’s youthful population with the rest of the World’s ageing population. We must consider also that IT, AI, Medical Biosciences are far more advanced and accessible today than they were in 1975 when China started their economic miracle. Why shouldn’t Africa do better than China in the same 35-year period? I must however sound a note of warning when discussing the advantages of a youthful population.

The Yoruba of Nigeria have a saying that: “omo beere, osi beere” literally translated to mean too many children portend excessive poverty. In celebrating the population of our youth, we must be very conscious of the ability of Africa’s Population 2020 to man to cater for his family needs. I am sure we all know what I am talking about.

A situation where a man has children for whom he cannot provide is dangerous and is a time bomb. We must discard those old time religious and traditional belief that give us license to do as we please without restraint. It is time to practice Birth Control.

Cooperation for Development

One of the contributory factors to China’s ‘development miracle’ is that China was and still is one Country with 1 strong Government, whereas Africa is 54 different Countries, 54 different economies, different languages, different customs, different comparative advantages and disadvantages.

The relatively recent launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) however amply demonstrates the firm and continued belief in cooperation among African countries. There is no argument about the existence of regional economic blocs in Africa but the recent AfCTFA has shown that an Africa-wide cooperation in trade and commerce will best serve the need Africa in an increasingly competitive world where the West, and now China, has established their dominance. Much as the idea of a free trade area in Africa is a brilliant one, and the need to sustain it can never be overemphasized, the inherent benefits in the new initiative can adequately be maximized when every country puts its house in order. Since majority of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa are producers of primary agricultural and mineral products, the success of AfCFTA is dependent upon the development of the manufacturing sector in member countries with each one focusing on its comparative advantage.

There is also the need to strengthen the extant regional blocs such as CENSAD, COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD and SADC with a view to exploring the possibility of pulling resources together in proximate states for mutual benefits.

Home Grown Finance Africa needs home-grown finance to fund the development of Infrastructure, Power, build Schools, Transport, Houses, Healthcare, IT, etc. Infrastructure costs money, people say Africa is broke, they don’t have money, yet the new estimates indicate that capital flight from African countries continues to increase steadily since the turn of the century. Total capital flight from the sample of thirty countries covered in this report amounts to a $2 trillion (in constant 2018 US dollars) over the period 1970-2018.

Africa needs to develop policies to assure investors of safety, sanctity of capital, etc., to bring all this Capital back to invest in higher rewarding investments in Africa.

Conclusion In spite of the adoption of the Structural Adjustment Programmes and other recommendations by Bretton Woods

Institutions in the 1980s by African countries in the 80s and 90s, the influential Economist magazine recently described the overall economic conditions of Africa as hopeless. While such disparaging description betrays the thinking about Africa and its peoples in the West, it equally demonstrates the futility of relying on an exogenous solution to the problems of Africa. The compelling need for a home-grown solution that takes cognizance of the historical context and peculiarities of every society has been stressed by scholars over the years and there is no better time than now for leaders of African countries to look inwards for workable and sustainable strategies to advance the cause of Africa.

Building a developed, valued, and respected Africa is a dream that can be realized but the onus lies essentially with Africans themselves. The continent possesses the essential ingredients in terms of human capital and natural resources spread across different regions and these are waiting to be exploited for the benefit of Africa.

In fact, Africa’s young population is a highly coveted asset waiting to be tapped. The experiences of Rwanda, Botswana and South Africa show that the challenges currently being faced by a number of states in subSaharan Africa can be overcome with the right policies in place. With the right leadership to galvanize the abundant resources coupled with a positive reorientation on the part of the followership, Africa can become truly independent and well developed. The saying that heaven helps those who help themselves is very apt. Africa needs to develop several home-grown solutions to its myriad problems if it is to achieve rapid economic development and be valued and respected in the comity of nations.

Finally, please permit me to use another Yoruba adage which says: ‘Ko si abuja lorun ope” meaning there is no shortcut to climbing a tree. There can be no shortcut in the quest for Building a developed, valued, and respected Africa. The plan must be deliberate and painstakingly executed. While we should be in a hurry, we cannot afford not to get it right. We must learn from our past mistakes and those of the developed nations in putting together an African-led solution through collective participation.

Your Excellences, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for the honour of your attention.

By IfeOluwa Olusola OYEDELE; FNSE, FNIEEE, FNIPE, FRMN

THANK YOU SIR FOR THIS PRESENTATION. TV MANAGEMENT

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POLITICS

African Energy Week Awards Winners At Gala Dinner

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eading African energy players, companies and projects were recognized during the African Energy Awards in Cape Town, South Africa, during the African Energy Week 2022 conference. It was held under the theme: “Exploring and Investing in Africa’s Energy Future while Driving an Enabling Environment,” in consolidating the business event into an actionable agenda.

The African Energy Week, held from October 18 to 21, primarily aims at discussing all aspects of exploration, collaboration and utilization of Africa’s energy resources in scaling up energy security, drastically reduce energy imports and its role in driving socioeconomic growth in Africa.

With over 600 million people across the African continent living in energy poverty and 900 million without access

hydrogen resources has expanded.

Emphasizing on transparency and good state polices throughout the conference, foreign oil companies and other providers of finance could help in developing projects that allow the continent to meet its set targets.

Africa is blessed with enormous resources that can be used to alleviate energy poverty and supply the rest of the world with sustainable, affordable and clean energy.

The popular opinion throughout the conference was that Africa’s commitment aims at making energy poverty history by 2030. Developing resources responsibly requires companies and countries to create a shared agenda. It therefore beholds on African leaders, governments, energy companies and investors with global stakeholders to unite efforts in accelerating their participation and collaborations in energy financing and

to clean cooking solutions, the need to accelerate the deployment and exploitation of the continent’s vast yet untapped natural gas, solar, wind, hydropower and green

other related developments across Africa.

During African Energy Week’s (AEW) Gala Dinner, attended by high-level energy stakeholders including

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African Energy and Hydrocarbons Ministers and global leading energy market players – and sponsored by global energy and chemicals company Sasol – the African Energy Chamber (AEC) announced the winners of the African Energy Awards 2022.

Representing the brightest individuals, innovators and innovative projects significantly driving positive change across Africa’s energy industry, the winners of this year’s African Energy Awards included: - NOC of the Year Award: NNPC Limited: The NOC has transformed into a limited-liability company – with its upstream, midstream, and downstream operations serving as the backbone of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon market success.

- Gas Monetization Award: Decade of Gas – Nigeria: As a major effort designed by the Government of Nigeria to take advantage of the global energy transition, the initiative is ensuring that the country’s natural gas resources are serving to fund the country’s energy transition.

- Operational Excellence Leader of the year Award: Perenco: The energy company has introduced innovative oil and gas solutions to the region, designed to optimize upstream activities across the African market.

- CEO of the Year Award: Proscovia Nabbanja, CEO of the Uganda National Oil Company: With nearly 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Proscovia Nabbanja has handled the Government of Uganda’s commercial interests with the utmost professionalism and innovation within the petroleum sector, while ensuring that the country’s resources are exploited in a sustainable and profitable manner.

- ESG Leader of the Year Award, bp: The major has expanded its role as one of Africa’s top producers to become the continent’s top low-emissions gas projects developer. Through various LNG projects such as BirAllah in Mauritania, the Yakaar-Teranga LNG Hub in Senegal, and the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim FLNG, as well as a wide range of renewable energy initiatives, bp’s commitment to ESG standards and practices cannot be understated.

- Independent of the Year Award – Kosmos Energy Ltd.: The independent is focused on a number of gas developments on the continent; discovering new petroleum systems and developing mature hydrocarbon basins in order to alleviate energy poverty in Africa.

- Game-Changer of the Year Award: TotalEnergies Namibia: TotalEnergies Namibia represents a premier opportunity for the country to maximize its natural resources in a way that is sustainable and beneficial for all.

- African Energy Person of the Year: Dr. Benedict Okey Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank). In an era when fossil fuels funding are being restricted by wealthy nations, Dr. Oramah has enacted a series of mechanisms to ensure private sector investments maximize across Africa’s hydrocarbon industry to drive industry growth.

- Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award – Recognizes companies, organizations, projects and individuals shaping Africa’s energy market success: The multiple recipients of the award include Rodgers Beall, Founder Fortesa Africa; Ousmane Ndiaye, Permanent Secretary at COS-PETROGAZ; Pam Darwin, Retired Vice President, Sub-Sahara Africa, Exploration and New Ventures. ExxonMobil; H.E. Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Republic of Congo; Peter Kutemann, Founder and Chairman of Dietsmann.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

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Zimbabwe Emerging As Leading Wheat Producer in Southern Africa

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ocated in the southern part of Africa, Zimbabwe is emerging as a leading wheat producer in the region.

While many African countries are vulnerable to the impact of Russia-Ukraine crisis, uncertain when wheat will be delivered from the ports of Russia and Ukraine, Zimbabwe has intensified efforts in redirecting and mobilizing resources for cultivating wheat and other agricultural produce for the population - an import substitution measure that has won praise these few months.

Large parts of Zimbabwe are covered by forests with abundant wildlife, but the local farmers are utilizing the savanna lands ombined with the subtropical climate for grains production in efforts to overcome food supply problems caused by the war in Ukraine. Zimbabwe will now boast of its biggest wheat harvest in history.

Like other African countries, Zimbabwe has for decades relied on imports to offset low local production. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine resulted in global shortages and price hikes, the country wanted to ensure “self-sufficiency at all costs,” Deputy Agriculture Minister Vangelis Haritatos told The Associated Press in October.

The country expects to harvest 380,000 tons of wheat, “which is 20,000 more than we require as a country,” Haritatos said.

That is up from about 300,000 tons produced last year. “We are most likely to get the highest tonnage since 1962, when wheat was first introduced to Zimbabwe. A lot of countries are facing shortages, but the opposite is happening in Zimbabwe,” Haritatos said.

While other hunger-stricken African countries are struggling with reduced wheat imports due to the war in Ukraine, Zimbabwe is looking at using its anticipated surplus of the grain to build “a small strategic reserve” for the first time in its history, agriculture minister Anxious Masuka told journalists earlier in October. This would cushion Zimbabwe against future shocks.

Masuka said Zimbabwe plans to bump up wheat production to about 420,000 tons next season, giving the country room to keep building its strategic reserve and become an exporter of the grain. Wheat is Zimbabwe’s most important strategic crop after corn.

African countries - which imported 44% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine between 2018 and 2020, according to U.N. figures - were hit hard by the global shortages and price hikes of grains as a result of the war. The African Development Bank has reported a 45% increase in wheat prices on the continent.

African nations were at the center of Western efforts to reopen Ukraine’s ports as the United States and allies accused Russia of starving the world by denying exports from Ukraine, a key global grain exporter. African leaders also visited Russia to meet with Putin over the issue.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa in April described the war in Ukraine as a “wake-up call” for countries to grow their own food. The answer in Zimbabwe has been to empower local farmers, said Haritatos, the Deputy Agriculture

Minister.

That included roping in hundreds of small-scale, rural farmers to start growing a crop that was traditionally reserved for large-scale commercial farmers, improving water supply infrastructure and distributing fertilizers to smallscale farmers as well as increasing private-sector participation. The crop was introduced for the first time to areas and farmers who had never grown wheat before.

Winter corn production has given way to wheat in many areas, with Zimbabwe banking on corn reserves to meet demand for the staple food. Land used for growing wheat increased from 66,000 hectares (163,089 acres) in 2021 to 75,000 hectares this year and will grow to 100,000 hectares next season.

“A lot of countries discount smallscale farmers because they are so small that individually they cannot effect much change,” Haritatos said. “But we organized them into clusters and convinced them that it was possible.

The quality of most of their crops is premium.” He said the war in Ukraine had made Zimbabwe “realize that we shouldn’t rely on other countries for food that we can grow on our own.”

In a widely acknowledgment the Russia-Ukraine crisis has shattered global economy. It has created instability especially in terms of soaring food prices and consequently leaves indelible impacts on Africa. One fundamental effect is that economic gains recorded previously are being eroded by the Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine crisis in Africa.

With this rising uncertainty, at least, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki; President of Guinea-Bissau and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Umaro Sissoco Embalo, and BRICS member and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa attempted to hold diplomatic talks with President Vladimir Putin.

More than half of the African continent remains indifferent and consistently complain of the effects of the crisis in the light of mounting tension among the population. The common message, in this challenging and critical moment, relates adopting dialogue to end the crisis. It further relates, within the international law, respect for territorial sovereignty.

Significant to note that during business conference held at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center on April 22, African

Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, speaking as a guest of the Washington, DC, US-based think tank, called for import substitution policies and support for

increasing domestic agricultural production in Africa.

Adesina said Africa must rapidly expand its production to meet food security challenges. “The African Development Bank is already active in mitigating the effects of a food crisis and ready to provide African countries with the resources needed to raise local food production and procure fertilizer.

My basic principle is that Africa should not be begging. We must solve our own challenges ourselves without depending on others.”

With the advice given by the chief of the African Development Bank, now Zimbabwe is emerging and leading in its biggest harvest of wheat without a begging bowl, has adopted an import substitution measure that would save the national coffers and cut import expenditure.

The country is very rich in mineral resources and is the largest trading partner of South Africa on the continent of Africa. As a member of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, and shares borders with South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique.

PRESS REMARKS BY GOVERNOR GODWIN EMEFIELE ON ISSUANCE OF NEW NAIRA BANKNOTES

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ood afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, and welcome to this special press briefing of the Bank.

We have called this gathering to inform relevant stakeholders and the general public of persisting concerns we are facing with the management of our current series of banknotes, and currency in circulation, particularly those outside the banking system in Nigeria.

As you all may be aware, currency management is a key function of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as enshrined in Section 2 (b) of the CBN Act 2007. Indeed, the integrity of a local legal tender, the efficiency of its supply, as well as its efficacy in the conduct of monetary policy are some of the hallmarks of a great Central Bank.

In recent times, however, currency management has faced several daunting challenges that have continued to grow in scale and sophistication with attendant and unintended consequences for the integrity of both the CBN and the country. These challenges primarily include: Significant hoarding of banknotes by members of the public, with statistics showing that over 80 percent of currency in circulation are outside the vaults of commercial banks; Worsening shortage of clean and fit banknotes with attendant negative perception of the CBN and increased risk to financial stability; Increasing ease and risk of counterfeiting evidenced by several security reports.

Indeed, recent development in photographic technology and advancements in printing devices have made counterfeiting relatively easier. In recent years, the CBN has recorded significantly higher rates of counterfeiting especially at the higher denominations of N500 and N1,000 banknotes.

Although global best practice is for central banks to redesign, produce and circulate new local legal tender

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every 5–8 years, the Naira has not been redesigned in the last 20 years.

On the basis of these trends, problems, and facts, and in line with Sections 19, Subsections a and b of the CBN Act 2007, the Management of the CBN sought and obtained the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to redesign, produce, and circulate new series of banknotes at N100, N200, N500, and N1,000 levels.

In line with this approval, we have finalized arrangements for the new currency to begin circulation from December 15, 2022. The new and existing currencies shall remain legal tender and circulate together until January 31, 2023 when the existing currencies shall seize to be legal tender.

Accordingly, all Deposit Money Banks currently holding the existing denominations of the currency may begin returning these notes back to the CBN effective immediately.

The newly designed currency will be released to the banks in the order of First-come-First-serve basis.

Customers of banks are enjoined to begin paying into their bank accounts the existing currency to enable them withdraw the new banknotes once circulation begins in mid-December 2022. All banks are therefore expected to keep open, their currency processing centers from Monday to Saturday so as to accommodate all cash that will be returned by their customers.

For the purpose of this transition from existing to new notes, bank charges for cash deposits are hereby suspended with immediate effect. Therefore, DMBs are to note that no bank customer shall bear any charges for cash returned/ paid into their accounts.

Members of the public are to please note that the present notes remain legal tender and should not be rejected as a means of exchange for purchase of goods and services.

We would like to use this opportunity to reassure the general public that the CBN would continue to monitor both the financial system in particular, and the economy in general, and always act in good faith for the achievement of the Bank’s objectives and the betterment of the country.

I thank you for listening.

Godwin I. Emefiele Governor

My team and I at the Justina Mutale Foundation are pleased to announce our brand new US$10 Million (Ten Million U.S. Dollars) JUSTINA MUTALE FOUNDATION PRESIDENTIAL STEM FELLOWS USA PROGRAMME, which will offer students in Zambia, an opportunity to undertake a STEM Master’s degree Work-Study Program in the USA. The Programme provides a unique opportunity for unemployed and underemployed graduates in Zambia who hold a Bachelor’s degree in STEM, Business, Healthcare, or Journalism to be enrolled in a USA University to do a Master’s Degree, with access to student finance of up to US$100,000 (One Hundred Thousand US Dollars) per student.

To apply, Email: scholarship@justinamutale.com www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Russia Pledges Economic and Security Support for Guinea-Bissau

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ussian President Vladimir Putin has held face-toface talks with Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of Guinea-Bissau and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) focusing on developing economic and trade relations as well as assisting in maintaining peace and security in Guinea-Bissau.

During the meeting, Putin noted that 400 million people live in ECOWAS states, and their joint GDP stands at $550 billion, adding that their trade volume with Russia is “rather hefty.”

“And, most importantly, the trade volume growth rate is very good. We hope that a significant contribution will be made to the development of relations both with your country and members of the organization,

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and the entire African continent in general during your presidency in ECOWAS,” Russian President underscored.

With approximately 1.8 million population, GuineaBissau faces challenges of ensuring security and more than two-thirds lives below the poverty line. GuineaBissau, like many African states, has had political problems. With this mind, Umaro Embalo therefore emphasized Russia’s mutual contribution in promoting security not only in Guinea-Bissau but also throughout West Africa.

Umaru Embalo said: “Guinea-Bissau is historically an unshakable partner of Russia and the Soviet Union. I would also like to say that we are partners and would like to discuss security issues in West Africa. We would like to discuss with each other the most important things among which is the role that you play in the world.”

Putin hopes to develop and boost trade relations with West Africa which 400 million people as next natural step in the relations. Putin and Embalo discussed Russia’s interaction with ECOWAS, including preparations for the 2nd Russia-Africa summit, due in St. Petersburg next July 2023.

In September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with the leader of Guinea-Bissau on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly where they discussed bilateral interaction and prospects for fostering it. Lavrov and Embalo expressed their support for enhancing bilateral political dialogue and expanding economic ties.

Embalo has held the presidential post in Guinea-Bissau since January 2020, while he was the country’s prime minister from November 2016 through January 2018.

The politician was educated in Portugal, Spain and

other countries and specializes in international relations (Africa and the Middle East). He underwent further training in defense and security, and, according to some reports, he used to be advisor to Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Long before that when Foreign Minister Lavrov held a meeting with his counterpart from Guinea-Bissau Suzi Carla Barbosa in Moscow, both also acknowledged strengthening political dialogue and in most diverse areas of economic cooperation. This includes businessmen undertaking trips from Guinea-Bissau to Russia and from Russia to Guinea-Bissau.

The areas of interest mentioned in this respect included exploration of natural resources, construction of infrastructure facilities, as well as development of agriculture and fisheries.

Sharing borders with Guinea (to southeast), Gambia and Senegal (to the north), Guinea-Bissau attained its independence in September 1973. Guinea-Bissau follows a non-aligned foreign policy and seeks friendly and cooperative relations with a wide variety of states and organizations. Besides, the Eсonomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Guinea-Bissau is a member of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations.

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

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Environmental Activism: A Matter of Life and Death Written by Emmanuel Mandebo

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he name William Leslie Amanzuru is slowly becoming synonymous with environmental activism in Uganda. He placed a target on his back when he chose to speak out against the wanton destruction of the environment that was taking place in his country. Logically, the journey has been anything but rosy since these activities are being carried out with the backing of very powerful individuals from both the local and central governments.

We met with William at a rather secluded location in the West Nile city of Arua owing to security concerns that have made him change his place of residence more frequently than ever before. He has been the team lead at Friends of Zoka since its establishment in 2016. It is an indigenous organization that advocates for the conservation of Zoka Central Forest, located in Uganda’s northern district of Adjumani.

The premise Before delving into what he does, it is important to first understand the context. We are talking about conservation, climate change, the local people’s livelihood, and how the environment can help them achieve their dreams. This has proved to be difficult because destroyers of the environment are well connected within the central and local governments. They run the show and can shut down any institution that gets in their way.

In Adjumani District, and the entire West Nile region by extension, charcoal business and illegal logging are widely prevalent.

The local leadership seems to be at a crossroads —they know what is going on but their hands are tied. The perpetrators are elite military personnel, prominent politicians, and businesspersons. On many occasions, the President has spoken out against the goings at the forest reserve.

However, officials and bodies meant to implement his directives, like The National Forestry Authority (NFA) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) seem reluctant and appear to be compromised. Forest products are a good source of revenue so officials at the district level are more interested in that, rather than addressing the excesses being met out on the resources.

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The thought of regeneration, let alone sustainability, has never crossed their minds.

It is people like Willian who have come out to speak against these excesses. For this, they are being subjected to endless threats and physical attempts on their lives, house break-ins, and online smear campaigns.

The hurdle that is being an activist William has had several criminal charges levied against him, and a stalling civil case, as well as social exclusion. He often encounters false reports deliberately linking him to an already existing tribal conflict, most recently by one of the most powerful media houses in the country. He is also under constant surveillance from security agencies for unknown reasons. His family, equally worried about his life, hope he could choose another line of work besides activism. Recently, the board chairperson of Friends of Zoka quit because the threats became too much. When this happened, many employees contemplated quitting. This is because they have been made to believe that working for the organization is too big a risk. As the team lead, these series of unfortunate events bog him down.

In June this year, one of their informant’s house was torched.

Others who monitor illegal charcoal business and logging in the neighboring district of Moyo were held at gunpoint when they intercepted a trailer loaded with logs. Another team in Arua has been subjected to constant threats for their activism towards the protection of Barifa Forest Reserve. The same is being met out to their partners who are behind the preservation of Kei Forest Reserve. Many of these activists hold William in high regard, their shining light. So if the light glows dim, then their motivation is killed as well. These are the reasons why he avoids all manners of public and social life.

“My other big worry is the smear campaign being run against us to the public and the beneficiaries of our activism. This is intended to make them lose confidence in us,” he states.

Some individuals have been impersonating them to solicit funds from their donor partners.

“Luckily, our donors alerted us immediately, saving our reputation in the process.”

Tramped up Criminal charges Recently, a nature walk was organized by several players including the local government authorities with over 200 people attending. Thereafter, William was summoned by the police to go and record a statement, only to be slapped with charges of arson, criminal trespass, and malicious property damage. According to the police, those charges were regarding some incidents reported during their event, yet they were with all the community members and nothing of the sort took place.

Environmental Activism: A Matter of Life and Death “I was not charged alone. The other persons summoned were officials of the German Cooperation GIZ. The file was later forwarded to the Resident State Attorney in Arua, where it has since stalled,” he says.

The serious nature of the charges leveled against them creates a lot of uncertainty in their interventions. They are unsure of what awaits them in case the people behind the false charges finally succeed in influencing the wheels of justice. However, he maintains that as Friends of Zoka, they are law-abiding citizens who are premised on human rights values.

“We hope truth and justice will prevail,” he asserts.

The catalyst William states that they have empowered the communities about natural resources. As a result, the communities are Continued on Page 42 www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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Continued on Page 41 demanding accountability from the authorities that be, as well as their stake in the natural resources. These are really hard questions and demands that they are advancing towards the concerned authorities. Consequently, this has led to environmental-related questions being raised at almost every social gathering. It is well known that once you involve yourself in empowering communities in Uganda, you become a target. You are automatically registered in the bad books of several government institutions, agencies, and powerful individuals due to their vested interests.

The players involved in natural resources abuse are well-connected individuals who run the show in the country, holding most local leaders and authorities hostage.

They are prominent businesspeople, politicians, and occupants of government administrative units. Environmental abuse is their source of illicit wealth so anyone who attempts to get in their way should be prepared for the worst. Additionally, there is less accountability regarding natural resources and their management in the country. Therefore, because William and his colleagues are raising concerns and empowering communities to ask pertinent questions, they are stepping on many toes.

Implications of the witch-hunts As a result of the smear campaigns, they often encounter social exclusion. This has further damaged their relationship with the community members but luckily, a majority still believe in them. The constant threats have led to a reduction of motivation among the staff. In William’s case, he hasn’t been able to live with his family since 2018 due to security concerns. He also avoids going to social gatherings due to his security. His continued activism has also led to a severed relationship with his family members.

He recently got an invitation from the Oslo Freedom Forum to attend a convention. When he got to Entebbe Airport, he was cleared to board but got blocked from accessing the plane. His travel was blocked on grounds that he had forged the air ticket, yet he had received it from the Human Rights Foundation of the United States. It was later established that there was an invisible hand that led to the fiasco.

Regarding their donor partners, William proudly states that they have stood with them amidst all the challenges. The donors have assured them that they admire their resilience and identify with their work, a welcome relief to the Friends of Zoka.

Is it the same for other human rights defenders?

It varies. In William’s case, his work directly touches the center of natural resources where there is no accountability.

By asking for accountability they are daring people with a lot of money and authority, so human rights defenders like him are considered stumbling blocks in the pursuit of their selfish agenda.

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One aspect he is proud to have mastered is documentation because whenever he is done with it, he approaches the relevant authority. However, of all the cases he has reported so far, no action has ever been taken. He continues reporting with the hope that his concerns will eventually be addressed.

As a father and husband, William can’t have free moments with his wife and children since they live separately. Social life creates our identity but it is limited due to security

concerns. He believes that due to his activism, he can’t be employed anywhere else. Furthermore, his life is also at stake as some people have gone as far as placing a bounty on his head. Psychologically, it has been a real struggle for him. As the team lead at Friends of Zoka, he has to always be in the best emotional state possible, regardless of the witch-hunts.

The journey continues William states that he has quit many times. However, he realized that there is a mess and he was one of the right people to address it. He also believes that the trials he’s currently going through as an environmental human rights defender are his refinery moment.

“All in all, if you need change, you should be the agent of change,” he states.

Currently, there is a lot of activism going on online but William requests the participants to move past the virtual activism and come to the ground. He also suggests that there is a need for them to be honest in their interventions by avoiding the usual politicking that never moves their work forward.

“Let’s also keep supporting each other rather than working in isolation,” he concludes.

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President Prisca’s selflessness for humanity

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Written by Emmanuel Mandebo

t just 27 years of age, it is safe to say that Prisca Atite has achieved quite a lot for her age. She took a gamble by opting for a dance course at the university, against her parents’ wishes, instead of the traditional courses.

She is forever grateful for that choice because thanks to it, she is now referred to as Madam President.

Prisca Atite is living proof that you are never too young to serve. At such a young age, she is already a professional dancer, jeweler, and yoga teacher. Her desire for community service gained more momentum when she was recently sworn in as the president of the Rotary Club of Makindye, a

What’s your daily routine like?

I’m an early riser so I’m normally up by 4 am. The first thing I do is listen to Joel Osteen’s podcast before I embark on checking if there is any pending official work. I believe my brain performs optimally at this time so by the time most people are waking up, which is usually at 6, I’m already done with most of my tasks. After freshening up, I turn on the radio and listen to the morning news to stay informed on the latest happenings. Thereafter at 8, I start making calls to my clients regarding my different hustles like beads and jewelry, yoga and dance classes, as well as other follow-ups.

network of young professionals who are dedicated to serving humanity. Our reporter caught up with her at the prestigious National Theatre of Uganda for a friendly conversation about her life, career, and community service.

How would you describe yourself?

I’m humane, someone with a big heart for humanity, and I love giving back. [Responding to why she’s always smiling] I have no reason to be sad but I do have reasons to be happy all the time.

The rest of the day involves attending several Rotary Club meetings and events, especially in the afternoon.

Do you work at the Rotary Club full time?

Yes, and it’s voluntary so I’m not entitled to any payment.

Rotarians pay to serve since we believe in serving humanity first. Of course, as a young person, I am bound to encounter financial challenges at times. Before taking the leadership mantle, my predecessor made it clear what was expected of me, to make certain I was mentally prepared.

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There are instances where we have costly cross-border trips but luckily, we have members who have the financial muscle to fund the trips, but not the time due to personal engagements.

The most important aspect as a Rotarian is simply your willingness to serve.

Let’s go back to your professional career choice, why did you opt for dance at the university?

Truth be told, I wanted to be with the community that I met during my S.6 vacation in 2015. I was doing a short course in tourism when I joined Dynamo Theatre Company and we went on to have many performances at the National Theatre.

I also enrolled in dance classes during that period and applied for a course at Makerere University. I met lecturers from the University who informed me that there were ongoing auditions for students who intended to pursue professional dance courses there and encouraged me to give it a shot, which I did. I passed the auditions and got offered a scholarship for the course I had applied for, which fortunately enough allowed me to major in Dance and Communications.

It was a challenge during my first year as I was afraid my parents would find out that I had majored in Dance, having previously expressed concern over my choosing a career in dance or even drama and film.

President Prisca’s selflessness for humanity Did your parents finally find out?

Of course, they did. This was during my second year when they had to sign my scholarship papers. My mum was hesitant but she later opened up to me and told me that a dance career only made sense in developed countries, not Uganda. This was understandable.

Has her perception changed?

Yes. The fact that I travel a lot has made her more proud of me. The one thing she has reservations about and has cautioned me against is becoming a video vixen which I don’t fault her for. As the firstborn, my mother expects me to set a good example for my siblings.

Was it fulfilling doing the course?

Yes, it was and it still is. I consider my dance career a blessing as it has brought accomplishments I had never thought of.

Immediately after my graduation, I received another dance scholarship in Mozambique, and have also been a dance ambassador. I take dance as a ministry, embracing it as a gift that God has given me to share with the world.

What is life like for a professional dancer in Uganda?

It is not enviable since the opportunities aren’t as many. It’s survival of the fittest so you need to be a great hunter. You

have to be disciplined, do a lot of research, and work on your networks. In addition, you need to come to terms with the fact that there will always be a more talented dancer than you, with or without education. There is also more demand for new faces by producers which is normal because that’s how the industry operates.

The money is there but you need to be smart enough to earn it. The people that earn the most out of dance are those that do dance fitness because they are promoting and selling health.

You have to package your idea uniquely to be able to sell it to clients. Dance is no longer just about entertainment, it comprises therapy, and education, among other things. If you understand the art of dance, then you let the audience decide what they want out of it.

How about societal perception?

The current society is divided by generations. The older ones are still rigid and perceive dance as a social aspect whereas

the younger ones are more accommodative.

What are some of your achievements so far?

Quite many actually. I graduated top of my class. In 2019, I produced one of the biggest shows of the year at the National Theatre titled Voices which addressed the issue of genderbased violence. I have also met many parents who tell me that their kids wish to be like me. Most importantly, I can stand and proudly introduce myself as a dancer in the company of people from other professional careers.

How did you join the Rotary Club?

I was invited to be a dance teacher at one of the children’s modeling craft schools. There, I met a Rotarian who informed me that they had a fitness and nutrition day at the Rotary Club

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of Makindye. She invited me to a meeting which I attended.

I was then invited to be a dance teacher during their retreat where I was officially invited to join them.

What exactly is the Rotary Club?

The Rotary Club comprises a network of professionals. It is an international humanitarian organization that was started in 1995. It has different age groups —the Rotarians are aged 35 and above, Rotaractors are between 18 and 35, and the Interacters are those still in school. Our motto is ‘Service above self.’ Our areas of focus are; water and sanitation, basic education and literacy, community and economic development, maternal and child health, Rotary Foundation, as well as disease prevention. Each Rotaract, or Rotary Club, chooses two areas to focus on. So, if a Club in a particular area chooses the theme of clean water and sanitation, you

will find many boreholes or water points as a result of their intervention.

Why should a young person be part of the Rotary Club?

What I love the most about the Rotary Club is that you join a network of professionals who will serve as a source of inspiration. It teaches you how to better understand the needs of the community. In addition, you make friends who become family. As a young person, it instills in you the value

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of serving others without expecting anything in return. We are currently discussing in our leadership group how best we can assist the people of Karamoja who have been struck by a famine that has led to the loss of many lives.

President Prisca’s selflessness for humanity Of what benefit is the Rotary Club to society?

We identify a need in a particular community and come up with ways of mitigating it.

What inspired you to take on leadership in the Rotary Club?

When I joined, the thought of taking on a leadership role never crossed my mind. I was actually nominated in absentia.

Why you?

At first, I thought it was because I was very active, yet a few other members were more active than I was. I finally realized I was chosen because of the trust and hope the members had in me. I accepted the challenge and was sworn in as the President of the Rotaract Club of Makindye and I have no regrets.

How does it feel being the president?

It’s amazing though the first week felt strange. I was used to sitting at the back but when I became the president, I am expected to sit at the front during meetings. Another unusual thing I experienced during the early days was the fact that I didn’t have to introspect myself, it was someone else’s role to do so.

However, I have since gotten used to some of these formalities.

What are some of the key issues you hope to embark on during your tenure?

My term in office lasts for only a year. I hope to maintain the week fellowships and build more awareness not only about the Rotary Club but also about humanity. I also hope to embark on programs that will develop and grow our members in their different capacities. Most importantly, I hope to serve to the best of my ability.

As a person, how would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a person who made an impact on humanity.

Any final words to fellow young people?

Trust in God. Believe in yourself. Serve humanity.

Congratulations to the Queen of the television screen on your Birthday.

Happy Birthday to Miss Anne Nwaghodoh on 7th November 2022

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Miss Teen South Holland presents crown to Nigerian Ambassador to the Netherlands

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er Excellency, Nigerian Ambassador to The Netherlands, Ambassador Dr. Eniola Ajayi had the honour of receiving Miss Uloma Onyemma, Miss Teen South Holland 2022 at the Nigerian House in The Hague last month. Miss Uloma had deserved to present her crown Her Excellency as a proud Nigerian through her parents. On October 24, 2022 in the company of her parents and siblings, she was received at the Nigerian Embassy The Hague where she was conducted around the premises and introduced to staff of the Embassy.

It would be recalled she won the beauty pageant in March 2022.

Her Excellency through the Voice magazine sent her congratulatory message and wishes her more successes. In return, she decided to present the crown to Her Excellency. What is even more instructive is that this family is also blessed with budding sports stars, Ifediora is playing Basketball and aspiring to do it professionally and Gift is in a Football Academy. The Onyemma family is a positive model for all Nigerians in the Netherlands, as they have been here for over thirty years as productive Nigerians contributing to the Dutch society and raising their children with human values to contribute their best to the society where they live in.

Her Excellency wishes the children success in all their endeavours and encouraged them to real role models for other young Nigerians who are born here and not to forget their root, which is Nigeria.

They brought gifts for Her Excellency and in return, they were given gifts from the mission to remind them of their Nigerian roots.

Also they were issued with their long due Nigerian passports which according to the father of the children, Mr. Onyema, they are very happy and proud now to be called Nigerians with their passport.

“They have been calling all their friends to tell them the good news of procuring a Nigerian passport.

Congratulations to all the Onyemas.

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Author: Aghedo Osamudiamen Lucky, (Esq). Human rights advocate.

Detention of Nigerian migrants in Italy and possible Human Rights Violations.

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t is no longer news that several Nigerian migrants have been incarcerated in Italy over the years. This trend has become worrisome as too many have been in custody without trial and/or are enduring long sentences.

According to Italian local newspaper, Gazzetta di Reggio, among others, reported on the 27th of April 2021 that no fewer than thirty-six Nigerians of the Niger Delta origin were arrested on grounds of different criminal allegations ranging from credit card fraud to cultism termed mafia in Italy.

Since this widely publicised mass and coordinated arrest, as others have previously been detained, the suspects have not been tried. Most unfortunately, these inmates lack a basic understanding of the language and the resources for legal aid.

Mafia cases are similar to terrorism charges which carry lengthier sentences to other offences such as homicide.

While some elements of criminal involvement cannot be denied for some of the detainees’, others are likely innocents. For instance, these innocent parties have regular and permanent jobs and they may have been roped in due to certain associations, hence these cases must and should be judged on individual merits rather than place all suspects and detainees under one straight jacket.

There is no doubt that some of the detainees may be complicit, however holding someone for such a prolonged period without trial would also naturally breach fundamental human rights.

Cultism has been a worrisome development in Nigeria. It has claimed many lives especially youths in the streets and territorial institutions in Nigeria. This disturbing abnormally has since also been reported in Italy, allegedly carried out by some Nigerian migrants flashing machetes and other dangerous weapons of intimidation. Hence the government rained down on them with a swift and heavy hand.

Since the irrational depose of Libya’s president Gadhafi, by the Western government expedited by Hillary Clinton’s ill advice (no doubt fuelled by her political ambition), many

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Migrants from west Africa countries have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Italy and other European countries to escape the massive economic hardship as a result of poor leadership, corruption and its consequent economic hardship.

Equipped with basic education or lack of it and no employable skills, only few of the suspects have gainful employment albeit in menial jobs. The system that allowed them residence permits, which are granted mostly through asylum process has failed to create a systematic integration process as obtainable in some countries as Netherlands with elaborate integration process called ‘Inburgering’, which entails language programme(s), cultural orientation

and skill acquisition(s). Hence, many migrants result to hawking, begging and other anti-social behaviours to the chagrin of the host communities.

One must take cognisance of the trauma and scars born by many of the survivals of the dangerous crossings and traffickers. Many of whom ought to have received counselling or therapy to heal their damaged psychology.

It is an issue that has exacerbated most of the anti-social behaviours.

Furthermore, Africans love merriment. These young stars are excited to make it to Europe alive, seeing it as second chance in life. Then they gluttonously enjoy every vice offering such as parties and drugs. They will do all this in excess fuelled by their youthful exuberance.

Also, being all predominantly from the same region, along with sharing the same culture and experiences, it could be argued that they congregate in the place where they enjoy things in common: be it food, music, etc.

Hence it will be a miscarriage of justice to assume that where ever these individuals congregate in a place, it must be for cultism. There must be effort to separate the culprits from the innocents. The terrible experiences of these individuals some

whom crossed the Mediterranean on the same boat or have been rescued from the same boat has engendered camaraderie in these youths; it is a bond that will be totally wrong to be labelled a cult.

As enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights, article 5 section 1 c and 3 of the above, it is imperative that these suspects are tried speedily or released if nothing incriminating to warrant their detention arises. Prevention of crime and prosecution is a justification for arrest and restraint of liberties. However, in the same vain, there ought to be a structure where suspects must be tried conclusively within a reasonable time.

According to the aforementioned Italian newspaper’s report, the raid and arrest was carried out by a special anti-crime unit designated solely for the purpose of tracking, identification

and finally detention. It was described to have followed and monitored the group for two years prior to the raids. Be that as it may, one would have expected that it had gathered sufficient evidence. This begs the question as to why the trial hasn’t been concluded.

Secondly, African migrants have now become a European minority group that must be recognised and understood. Also, they ought to be accorded the same minority protection as other minorities, as guaranteed by law.

One may say that Nigerian government knows little or nothing about the plight of these migrants and even if they do, it will be surprising to see them offered consular service in form of legal aid, representation or observation.

After all, they are poor people without privileges hence they risk their lives bracing the Mediterranean wave in search of green pasture. Paradoxically, the ex-senate deputy president held in United Kingdom for alleged organ transplant saga received a high powered delegate from Nigeria within days of his detention in solidarity. Why are the dozens, if not hundreds of inmates in Italy and other European prisons abandoned to their faith? Had he, in his twenty years’ leadership of the senate, sponsored a good bill on healthcare, perhaps his present predicament would have been averted.

Moreover, many of these migrants constituting nuisance would have remained productive at home. Some would have been in school, gainfully employed or even artisans in their private modest roles.

Frankly, Italy has been very hospitable to migrants over the years but the overwhelming influx has since eroded this kindness which was hitherto unequalled to non in Europe.

But these kinds of arrests, long detention and constant control and profiling has caused tremor and fear among many.

Since the trial is slow, it seems that detainees are tempted to take plea bargain. The risk is that some, out of frustration, may accept it, still risking long sentences as they are vulnerable and negotiating from a point of weaknesses.

Most unfortunately, the majority of these suspects are the bread winners for their families both in Italy and back home in Africa. Agree or not, these migrant’s contribution to development in their home country, is more and effective than any foreign aid sent by nations to Africa. It is direct to the intended people and goals whilst the latter’s aid ends up in the hands of the politician who steals the money and returns it into their private accounts in European banks.

It is therefore imperative for Human Rights organisations to work with the Italian government to find a solution to this problem; to ensure justice and equity. More importantly, it is to ensure that others eschew anti-social behaviours.

Hopefully, it will encourage peace and harmony between the host country, the suspects and the entire migrant community.

Mr Aghedo Osamudiamen Lucky ,Esq. Email:ozaaghedo@gmail.com Tel: +447858895511

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The Dancing Granny Written by Martha Nalukenge

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ou are never too old to follow your dream or to even explore new ones. No one better exemplifies this than Margaret Nyongesa, Uganda’s dancing granny. To survive the hardships brought about by the pandemic, she turned to TikTok to earn a living. She is now able to cater to her own needs, and even help her family out when need be.

Margaret Nyongesa, famously known as ‘the dancing granny,’ is a TikTok guru and small-scale farmer from Uganda. Despite her advanced age, she is a talented dancer who earns from dancing at weddings, and birthday parties; and making TikTok videos— some of which have gone viral.

She has also made several television appearances.

Born in Busia on the UgandaKenya border— and now hailing from Kigatto, Mukugwe Sub County in Masaka— she discloses that her talent has fixed some of her financial problems. After embracing dancing as a profession she met Katana Jona, a member of Sakala Boyz, who in turn introduced her to TikTok. During the pandemic when times were hard, her neighbors encouraged her to take a stab at dancing to earn a living, with one inviting her to a wedding ceremony to showcase her prowess. Her presentation was cheered by the multitude that was there, including Katanza Jona, who couldn’t keep calm and requested to have a dance with her. It is the recorded video of that performance that went viral.

Margaret is a mother to eleven children, though unfortunately some of them have died, leaving her with seven. Due to the current economic hardships we are facing 52

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her children are not in a position to assist her financially, so she depends on donations from her fans, both in cash and supplies. Most of the money she earns she uses to pay for her grandchildren’s education. “I’m illiterate, a victim of child torture, discrimination, and early marriage. I won’t let my grandchildren suffer the same fate,” she says.

Grass to grace Nyongesa doesn’t know her age or the year she got married.

Margaret Nyongesa -‘the dancing granny,’

All she can recall from her childhood is growing up with her aunt and her abusive husband who never accepted her.

She lost her dad when she was only two days old, and her mom a few months after that. Her mother died due to the psychological torture she underwent at her aunt’s (Margaret’s) home due to her husband’s nagging. He always complained about how much he was investing in their livelihood, pestering his wife to kick them out. As soon as she hit puberty and it started showing, she left her aunt’s home and got married. As a teenage mother, she endured a lot of agonies.

For her, dancing is a fortune that changes time. Being

encouraged by her neighbors to practice it professionally helped her to overcome the stigma and criticism that was being channeled her way on social media, and she concentrated solely on what was putting food on her table. Her age was the biggest talking point and largest target, but her strong spirit and strength made her endure it.

She sarcastically says, “As much as they put their negative comments in writing, am illiterate so I can’t read them. On TikTok, I just upload videos with the help of Jona and I sign out.”

She has made several TikTok videos and appeared in several artists’ videos, but her biggest breakthrough was with Eddie Kenzo’s song, a BET Award winner.

Starring alongside Katana Jona, the song went viral on the social media platform where the moniker ‘Dancing Granny’ was first coined. From then, her life dramatically changed.

She has become a celebrity with the videos saving her

from financial problems by helping her to pay the bills.

She advises the youth not to waste their time and data doing nothing on social media, but instead squeeze the best out of it because that’s where business deals are signed and talents spotted.

“You should never let past stress, failures, torture, and betrayal tie you down. Focus on your betterment because it’s from the prototype of our sad stories that the masterpiece of our future is created. Be a phoenix, rise.”

Congratulatory message to Mr. & Mrs. Omah Congratulations to Police officer, Mr. Ikenna Omah and Mabel Omoroje as they tie the knots after few years of being together. The traditional rites of marriage was performed on 29th October 2022 in Agbor town, Ika North East local government area of Delta State of Nigeria.

Ms Mabel Omoroje is the young sister of our Publisher, Pastor Elvis Ndubuisi Iruh.

On behalf of the publisher and his family, we wish the couple a very happy married life together in good health and wealth.

Mr. & Mrs. Omah www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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How I was forced into prostitution Written by Ritah Atuhaire Written by Ritah Atuhaire

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ases of African girls being lured into foreign countries with the promise of good jobs and great salaries, only for them to end up in illicit professions, have become common. In our second installment of Mercy’s ordeal in Dubai, she describes how she found herself between a rock and a hard place, and the tough choice she had to make.

You may be asking yourself, how can a person force you into prostitution? Why not report them to the authorities? Can’t you escape and get another job? If they expect you to reimburse their money, why don’t you sign a contract with them, committing yourself to repay them from other legitimate means? Trust me, I also asked her the same. Unfortunately, she didn’t have an option but to do it since she couldn’t reach the police, had no internet access, didn’t have a cellphone, and didn’t know anyone there. And even if she could, she would get arrested and deported immediately.

Being Nigerian in this country is not easy because of our few law-breaking countrymen who have

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soiled our reputation. It’s harder for a Nigerian national to get a decent job here as compared to other nationalities, with companies unable to process their employment visas due to the numerous restrictions imposed.

Mercy found herself in a precarious situation. She had a daughter to work for and dreams to chase, yet despised her only means of achieving them.

She contemplated between getting deported, which meant going back home worse than she came, and enduring this new way of life for a while then having a better life after clearing Mama’s debt. She opted for the latter. She prayed to God, apologizing in advance for what she was about to start doing, then pulled herself together and told Mama she was ready to start working.

Since most new girls don’t usually get clients on their first night out, it is normally designated as their orientation day, for them to see how things are done and prepare themselves psychologically.

Unfortunately for Mercy, as soon as they stepped

“I will make things easy for you. I got you your first guest and he’s on his way. Get ready,” out, a man stopped them and asked for her. She’s very beautiful I must say, and despite being an amateur, her beauty outshined the rest. She attempted to pass the client to another girl, but their keen-eyed leader gave her a menacing look; a warning. She moved closer and helped bargain the terms for engagement, as Mercy silently prayed that the deal would fall through but sadly it didn’t. That’s the night she will never forget, the night she got initiated into prostitution.

She became Mama’s favorite because she used to get the most clients, thus bringing in more money than the others. Understandably it was a traumatic experience for her so she chose to focus on the bright side, the fact that she would finish repaying the debt early. Her swift progress infuriated some of the girls to a point where they didn’t want to work on the same street as her, while others never alerted her whenever the police were around.

Within six months she had cleared Mama’s debt and

gained her freedom. She was now at liberty to decide whether to stay in the business or leave. She had promised herself that she would leave the profession as soon as she clears the debt, but she still needed money to sustain herself and maintain her daughter’s school needs. So, she continued for a few more months with most of her clients being returning ones who called her for ‘delivery.’ In time, she was able to save enough money to acquire her visa and improve her life but left that line of work when she got a job as a waitress.

Having gotten used to quick money, her new job felt ‘slow.’ At times, she considered accepting offers from her old clients, but would often discard those thoughts, reminding herself of the promise she made to herself and her God. Presently, Mercy has plans to help women willing to cross over from prostitution to other legitimate sources of income, but haven’t mustered enough courage to do so.

African Renaissance Cultural Conference & honors hold in Dakar, Senegal WE ARE BACK!

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he African Diaspora energizes the 21st century African renaissance. Which way Africa Now?

These two days event is being put together by Mr. Meredith Beal who in the last decade moved from the United States of America and made Africa, Kenya to be precise his home and from there he has travelled to over 27 African countries with the same message of hope and togetherness for Africa.

September 1st 2021 made 10 years since I moved to Africa.

To say time has flown is an understatement. So much has happened, I have seen much and met many, many people in the 27 African countries I have visited since 2011. I and my friends, family and colleagues wanted to celebrate last year but the pandemic was still hot so we said let’s do it next November. Since that time a number of things have happened.

I had previously had a dialogue with Emperor Haile Selassie’s grandson, His Majesty Prince Ermias Selassie.

About an hour and a half into the discussion we realized that we weren’t recording it! A fascinating discussion that wasn’t documented. We promised to create another opportunity to talk and make sure we record it next time.

Last year, I was planning to go on a trip with Dr. Julius Garvey, son of Marcus Garvey, the legendary founder of the Back-to-Africa movement. He was organizing a trip to Ghana to take a group of African Americans and African Caribbeans for the unveiling of a Marcus Garvey bronze statue. COVID-19 interrupted that trip as well. Dr. Garvey and I continued to talk about a variety of subjects but one topic in particular, was pondering what his father and the other founding fathers and mothers of the Pan-African liberation movement would think of the state of Africa today. I’ve had that conversation now with a number of descendants from that first wave. We also thought about how different the answer would be if you asked someone 18 years old what Pan Africanism is and you ask someone 50. That intergenerational discussion is ongoing. What started out as a small celebration of a personal milestone has evolved into the convening of a serious group of people with powerful things to say and who knows where that will lead.

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November is here. Join us in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, 4th and 5th Nov 2022 at La Place du Souvenir, Musée des Civilisations Noires (Museum of Black Civilization), Cheikh Anta Diop University and the Hall of No Return at Goree Island. The Guest of Honor is His Majesty King Letsitsa Moloi III of the Bakholokoe Nation of South Africa and the keynote speaker is Dr. Julius Garvey. #AfricaRising #21stCenturyAfricanRenaissance #ARCCH Mr. Meredith Beal is a media owner, master media consultant and senior Technology advisor to Africa Media Initiative. He is currently based in Nairobi, Kenya but office across major cities in Africa.

For details, send him an email at meredithcbeal@gmail. com

Continued on Page 56

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Thuggery takes over Bonny political space as campaign begins Labour party candidate cries out for protection ahead of campaigns for 2023 elections in the country

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he candidate of the Labour party for Rivers State House of Assembly for the Bonny Constituency, Reverend Ambassador Tammy Clarizza Abusi has cried out for help and protection from the State government

despite these attacks to continue her campaign and that no amount of intimidation would stop her or her party from taking the seat and that of other areas of the state and across the country. In very tough words, she points accusing finger

and the National Electoral commission over recent attacks on her person and that of her party in the constituency.

Within 2 months, her campaign office had been vandalized and her posters and that of other candidates of the Labour Party in Bonny has been pulled down and destroyed by hooligans in the area.

to the ruling party in the state, PDP. According to her, they are in control of the state for these past seven years and they have turned the state to their personal property that they feel threatened by a first timer candidate like me. “My commitment to deliver influential and impactful leadership for my people is unshakable and that is making them uncomfortable but they claim they are popular with the people so why not prepare and let us meet at the ballot and stop vandalizing the electoral campaign materials of your

In a telephone interview with her, she informed the Voice new magazine that she is more determined and resolved

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opponents in the state?” I belief my resolve as a result of the denial and unchanging situation of my people for many years – suffering in the means of plenty and the people are simply saying enough is enough. I believe together we can change the narratives and the system and we would change the narratives so I am appealing to the

authority to protect us from the hands of these hooligans and political godfathers who has taking the political air space of Rivers State and the country in general”.

“We have spent hard earn money of ordinary people who are supporting our course to print these posters, bill boards they are destroying in an attempt to scare us to abandon our rescue mission and run away but to their surprise, we are standing and going nowhere, we would be back stronger and better. The people know those who are behind these cowardly attacks on our properties in the constituency.

“I am Rev. Ambassador Honorable Tammy Clarizza Abusi, a daughter of Bonny Island and nobody can drive me out of my root and my place”, she vows to continue her campaign and call on the government through the security operatives to provide security for all candidates in the coming elections in 2023.

It would be recalled that on 28th September 2022, thugs vandalized Labour party campaign office for River State House of Assembly, Bonny Constituency. Other candidates of the party for the constituency are using the same office and yet nobody seems to react to these misconducts and mischiefs in our constituency. www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT DR. JULIUS MAADA BIO LAUNCHES THE NATIONAL FEMALE PREMIER LEAGUE

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he maiden National Women’s Elite League otherwise known as the National Female Premier League has commenced today, Saturday 15th October 2022 by His Excellency the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, who was accompanied by Her Excellency the First Lady, Dr. Fatima Maada Bio. The league was officially launched in the midst of thousands of football fans, party supporters and well meaning Sierra Leoneans who saturated the streets of the northern city of Makeni and later converged at the Wusum Field to give the first family a triumphant welcome full of pomp and pageantry.

The rejuvenation of the female sports is another fulfillment of the President’s manifesto commitment.

Today, male and female football has gained steam again in Sierra Leone with huge investment being made by the State to promote various sporting activities.

In his address to the female footballers, supporters and fans in the city of Makeni, His Excellency the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio expressed elation over the revival of female football, while clarifying that this is the first time in the country’s history to host a female premier league.

He assured the audience of government’s continuous investment to promote the sector.

The development of football, he said, forms part of human capital development by providing training and job opportunities for women to reach their fullest potentials.

He encouraged the various stakeholders to remain steadfast in promoting the game despite any challenge on the way.

President Bio thanked the leadership of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) for supporting the Board while also encouraging the Board to take up the challenge and make the league a success.

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Celebrating Mr. & Mrs George Nkuu

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George & Josephine traditional wedding in Amsterdam

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amilies of George Quarcoo Nkuu and Josephine Essel Adjei on 1st October 2022 celebrated the traditional marriage ceremony of their son and daughter at a very colourful traditional wedding ceremony held at Holy Ghost Revival Chapel in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The wedding ceremony was well attended by families, friends, church families and well-wishers across the country and from abroad. The reception followed immediately at the same venue with plenty to eat, drink and of course richly music to dance to. The couple was later showered with gifts.

Mr. & Mrs. Nkuu use this medium to express their gratitude and appreciation to all those who could attend and supported

them with their presence and those who sent congratulatory messages. According to the couple, this day is their happiest day so far as they begin the journey of husband and wife together.

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Nkuu on behalf of the Voice news magazine Publisher, Pastor Ambassador Elvis Iruh.

Mr. George Nkuu is the personal fashion designer to our publisher. He is a professional fashion designer in African and European fabrics. For personal contact, you can reach him via whatsapp on +31685511273.

TV Management.

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Interview: ‘You have to give asylum seekers the opportunity to work’ says Anthony Uduba (VVD) Councilor Anthony Uduba is a Nigerian born Dutch politician who was recently elected into the city council of The Hague. He was sworn-in at a ceremony held last month at the municipality hall. Some Nigerians were invited to witness the swearing-in ceremony.

Congratulations to Anthony Uduba.

He granted this interview for one of the Dutch publication, which we found interesting for our readers Enjoy it

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iversity, inclusion and racism are increasingly prominent on the political agenda, as are the call for a more diverse representation of the people. In the run-up to the elections, Chris Aalberts therefore interviews bicultural candidates for the municipal councils. Today: Anthony Uduba (29), the number ten of the VVD in The Hague. ‘I was introduced to liberalism at the JOVD. That really appealed to me. The VVD wants to empower people and remove obstacles to be the best version of themselves.

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We will remove anything that could prevent that from happening.’

Q: You are originally from Nigeria. How did you get here?

‘I came to the Netherlands in 2009 for family reunification.

In 2001 my father came to the Netherlands as a refugee. We lived in Nigeria in an oil rich area. There have been many problems. Nigeria is now a democracy, but at the time there were military forces in power. As a taxi driver, my father

once took people to a demonstration. According to the military regime, he should not have done that. The regime saw him as one of the facilitators of that protest.

“The army came to pick up my father in the middle of the night. He was released and immediately left. It was not inconceivable that he would be picked off the street and disappears. Our family has had to move to Lagos, a city of

22 million inhabitants where you can live fairly under the radar. We thought for five years that my father had passed away. We did not know if he had been caught or if he had

survived his flight from Nigeria. An acquaintance of the family was here in the Netherlands on business and thought he had seen my father. That’s how we tracked him down again.’

You were seventeen when you came to the Netherlands.

How did it go?

‘I was allowed to start learning Dutch after six months.

Then I learned the language in six months. That was hard work: learning twenty words every day and using them in my vocabulary the next day. After half a year I spoke Dutch. After a year I was at the MBO. I completed that course in three years. After that I also did HBO in three years.

Then I started working as a mortgage advisor and I did my master’s degree in the evenings.

I wanted more, and now work as a financial supervisor at the Ministry of the Interior.’

Are there lessons in your success for other migrants?

‘I think I was very motivated to make something of my life.

I still am. I want to accomplish something. I try to make the best of my life and seize opportunities. I don’t see that as a big achievement. I think it makes sense that you do that.’ www.thevoicenewsmagazine.com

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‘I contributed to the Civic Integration Act that came into effect this year. I did that based on my personal experience of what it takes for people who come here to develop quickly. It was very important to me that I worked here.

For the first few months I worked at McDonalds as a kitchen assistant. From that job I was able to connect with the Netherlands and I was taken out of my comfort zone to speak the language. Twenty words were added every day and I immediately started using them. You must also give other asylum seekers the opportunity to work.

‘I also think we need to create space for cultures to meet, for you to learn from each other. In practical terms, I would say: we have built a beautiful cultural building in The Hague: Amare. There are about two hundred cultures here. It is not inconceivable that these cultures can present themselves once a year in Amare. If you are interested, you can see everything in Amare from music, clothing to food. Everything that makes a culture unique. Give the opportunity to get to know each other.’

‘We have to create space for cultures to meet, for you to learn from each other’ What would you like to achieve in the future?

‘I want a lot, but I have three spearheads. First, I strongly believe in the power of education. This way you can break out of the situation of people on benefits. We cannot afford not to put energy into education. How to do this varies from person to person, but you need to ensure that everyone has the freedom to get the best education.

‘I often hear that children of color are under-advised.

Many parents who are not from the Netherlands and who are not familiar with the Dutch system follow the advice of the school. The municipality cannot change that, but must provide information about the options. There are also huge learning backlogs due to corona. Parents in the good neighborhoods can pay for extra lessons. Parents from poorer neighborhoods cannot do this and this immediately creates a disadvantage. The municipality must therefore facilitate weekend schools and summer schools for all children.

‘You can also facilitate schools to provide longer education during the week. We need to see what measures the municipality can take in this regard. Not only looking at children who do poorly, but also at children who do well, because they also need extra guidance.’

What are your other priorities?

‘My second point is housing, especially for young families.

I also recognize this in my personal life. I have a girlfriend and a daughter. When I work from home, I sit in the baby’s room. I have to tap slowly or the baby will wake up. The housing shortage is very high here. I worry about that. I am already stressed when I think that I have to move in three years. Will I soon lose half of my income on a house? Can I buy a house? There are many young people who have no savings and get into trouble.

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‘My third point is the debt problem. That is a growing problem and it is very distressing. People with debts can’t get out of that. I would like to do more for those families.

Good work is already being done on that. The allowance affair is a good example: the municipality of The Hague was the first to cancel debts with the families. You see that debts start small, so how can we ensure that this is detected early and how can we respond appropriately? Let’s also prevent people from getting into debt, for example through financial education, also to newcomers.’

What is your ambition?

‘I want to come to the city council with preferential votes.

I need 1,400. I would find it very cool to ever represent people in the House of Representatives. It’s not that I turn my whole life around to make sure I get there, but if my journey leads there, I wouldn’t feel bad about it.’

By Chris Aalberts. He is a Journalist and author of, among others, ‘The ruins of the right’. Teaches Media & Journalism at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

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