Day: August 21, 2023

The New Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has urged the paramilitary chiefs under the ministry to discharge their duties in line with the mandates that established them for effective service delivery.

The minister gave the advice on assumption of duty on Monday in Abuja.

Tunji-Ojo added that he would hold them accountable for any infraction during the course of their duties.

The minister added further that he was in the ministry to work but in doing that, there must be a good working environment.

He reminded them that the work of the ministry affected everyone, whether rich or poor, senior or junior.

“I don’t lead from the back, I lead from the front. We will try to do our best to provide leadership, built on the foundation of your support.

“I do not inherit enemies and I do not inherit friends. I make my own enemies and I earn my own friends.

” I am here to make a change and I am here to deliver results and I need you to help me to achieve that.

“Just as Mr President will hold me accountable for whatever happens here in the ministry, I will never hold your subordinates responsible for anything.

“Therefore, it is you people that I will hold responsible for anything that goes wrong in the ministry,” he stressed.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade promised to work with the minister harmoniously to take the ministry to greater heights.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu has expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to lift 133 million Nigerians out of poverty.

Edu disclosed this when she assumed office on Monday in Abuja and held maiden meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of the agencies under the Ministry.

She assured Nigerians of her determination to ensure transparency and accountability during her tenure as Minister.

She explained that, the ministry will achieve the target through different interventions and initiatives aimed at lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

“What is most important is that we will keep our focus on lifting 133 million Nigerians out of poverty.

“We can do it in phases, a step at a time, because with determination and strong-will nothing is impossible.

“We will also achieve the feat with the strong political backing from His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu and every member of the cabinet.

”We will play down on politics, we are here to face the real business of governance” she said.

The minister, who described as unacceptable the alarming rate of poverty in the country, said all hands must be on deck to address the situation.

” Different sources of data suggest that we have a population of 200 million Nigerians, which I think we are more than that.

”Out of this population, the sources indicated that 136 million are extremely poor and that is unacceptable.

”We need to bring smiles back to the faces of Nigerians.

“We must reach out to those who are underserved and renew their hope.

“While doing this, we must ensure that we will increase our efforts, be very sincere, transparent and accountable” she said.

In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, expressed commitment and loyalty to the Minister in her quest to deliver on the mandate of the ministry.

Gwarzo noted that the event coincided with the third year anniversary of the ministry.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Sen. John Enoh, Minister of Sports Development has pledged to provide transparent leadership in repositioning the Nigerian sports sector.

Enoh made the pledge on Monday in Abuja shortly after assuming office as the 36th Minister of Sports Development.

He said inspite of the fact that he was not being an active sports personality, he was ready to hit the ground running by working as a team player with all sports stakeholders to transform the sector.

“I don’t think you need to be an active sports participant for you to be minister of sports.

” I think what is required is who can provide leadership, direction, someone who is transparent, understand the sector and reposition it and that is what am bringing on board,” he said.

The minister stressed the importance of sports as a uniting factor, while calling for all hands to be on deck to develop the sector in line with international best practices.

“There is no other endeavor in this country that is as uniting as the sports endeavor.

“Inspite of our diversity, the difficulties, the difference, the conflicts, I think Nigerians always unite as one whenever there is a sporting event,” he said.

Enoh also used the occasion to send a goodwill message to Nigerian athletes representing the country at the ongoing 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary.

“Let me assure you that President Bola Tinubu is standing behind you with the entire nation, united in our support and admiration,” the minister said.

He said the Federal Government will continue to ensure that Nigerian athletes get their due recognition and the right atmosphere is created for them to excel.

The minister is an accomplished educationist, philanthropist, farmer and politician who served as a two-term Federal House of Representatives member and then Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District in the 8th Assembly of the Senate.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of employment and vocational training, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, has reminded foreign companies that one of the requirements for their operations in Cameroon is the payment of two months worth of each worker’s salary into the state coffers.

“Investors who have chosen to settle in our nation, they’re warmly welcome. Let them never be afraid of what we are doing. The law puts in place the collection of two months of salary from all foreign workers here,” Issa Tchiroma said.

He was speaking in Batouri, during a visit to the East region on August 20, where he held working sessions with mining and forestry enterprises in the region.

Tchiroma reiterated that Cameroon has to be given priority in all of their activities. He said each of the foreign companies has to ensure a significant number of Cameroonians are incorporated in the workforce.

He added that those who will fail to comply will not be allowed to leave the country: “You cannot leave the country for as long as you do not present a contract signed by me.”

He said the mechanism which the ministry of employment is working on is based on instructions given by the head of state, with the objective of transforming over 300 rural artisanal centers to up-to-date vocational training centers.

The East region alone has close to 5,000 foreign workers involved in timber and gold exploitation. They are expected make payments during their periods of operation which will be used to upgrade the artisanal centers in the country’s ten regions.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

August 21 marks exactly 37 years since more than 1,500 people died in the Lake Nyos disaster following an explosion at the lake situated in the North West region of Cameroon. Official statistics declared 1,746 people lost their lives and 3,500 livestock were lost.

Reports revealed that A limnic eruption, also known as a lake overturn took place. It is a very rare type of natural disaster in which dissolved carbon dioxide suddenly erupts from deep lake waters, forming a gas cloud capable of suffocating wildlife, livestock, and humans.

Government later evacuated the survivors to settlement camps with one being at the Kimbi river. Over 12,000 survivors were later returned to seven permanent resettlement camps, including Bua-Bua.

The Non-Governmental Organization, the Bua-Bua Area Development Association, BADA, have been working to assuage the plight of survivors who are today scared of the same incident reoccurring.

According to the Vice President of BADA, government abandoned the survivors after two years.

“After the resettlement of the survivors in the camps, government provided food and medications to the survivors. After two years, government abandoned these survivors. The victims had to struggle on their own to send their children to school, feed and cope with all the difficulties in life. The survivors suffered a lot after they were abandoned by the government, we had school dropouts, lack of food because of a new land they were in,” the Vice president explained to CNA.

“Life today is very deplorable especially as the Anglophone crisis has come and worsened the situation. At a certain time, the people in these areas had to run away, houses were burned down, people were killed, slaughtered. Today, even the houses and camps the government reserved for these survivors have all been burnt down,” he added.

He went further to say that they have decided to raise funds and bring the village back to life.

“Some sons and daughters of this area, Bua-Bua, today in celebration of the 37th anniversary of the village, have decided to use the occasion to raise funds to construct a hanging bridge at one of the rivers that is like a stumbling block for them to sell their products to neighboring villages. We are here today in Douala to commemorate this day, raise funds to link Bua-Bua to other neigbouring villages.”

Lake Nyos is one of the only three exploding lakes in the world, the others being lake Monoun, also in Cameroon, and Lake Kivu in Rwanda.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Cameroonian female photojournalist, Moma Sandrine has bagged home an award from the Victoria International Media Merit Award, VIIMMA that held in Limbe on August 12.

The 27 year old emerged winner for the media category; Female Photojournalist of the year. This result was gotten after an online voting done by members of the public and proper examination of her works by a jury comprising of journalism heavyweights.

Sandrine earned her bachelor of science degree in journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea. She explained that the passion for photography was born in that department. “When I was first introduced to Photojournalism in school, I found the course interesting especially given to the fact that it was considered a thing for men. I did not like the gender discrimination of roles so I challenged myself to do it even better”.

She furthered that practicing photography is challenging especially as a woman. “It has not been easy since the start of this journey from racticing amidst hormonal changes during pregnancy to facing gender discrimination. Sometimes people doubt your output based on your gender. In most cases, it is the results that speak for you. There have been events where the male folk will say give me your camera let me take the images for you, undermining your capabilities. However, I’ve learnt to look beyond all these and pursue my dream”.

Feeling motivated after winning the award, Sandrine Moma says she has been tasked to do more. “This award is a challenge for me to work harder. I am working towards topping my game in photography and journalism with the hope that one day I will venture into wildlife Photojournalism should I get the chance”.

The young journalist equally stated that she is open to receive upcoming female photojournalists and share the knowledge she has acquired. “God blesses us so we can be blessings to others. Am open to whoever wants to learn the little I know, with zero fee.”

She expressed appreciation for those who supported her in achieving this award. “I want to thank everyone who believed in me. My big brother Ndasi Elvis gave me the first push when he bought me my first digital Camera to use during practicals in school. Indeed his investment did not go in vain. My appreciation equally goes to all those who voted for me, to family, friends and colleagues who have always stood by me. My gratitude equally goes to the entire family of Journalism and Mass Communication in the University of Buea, for moulding me”. She said.

The 27 year old had started practicing in the field of journalism in 2012, shortly after her ordinary levels certificate. She started working with Rush FM Bali, then Radio Hot Cocoa, The Sun Newspaper, Hi TV, African News TV, The Herald Tribune Newspaper, amongst other media organs. She has equally served as Communication officer for some non governmental organisations in Cameroon. As at the time of this article, Sandrine Moma is currently working with the Ministry of Communication.

Source: Cameroon News Agency