Author: kajarbi54

The Nigerian Senate has called on state and municipal governments to establish coordinated emergency referral and response systems to ensure the adequate stocking and availability of anti-venom in public and private hospitals nationwide. The call followed a motion sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (APC, Lagos West), in the wake of the death of a fast-rising gospel singer, Ifunanya Nwangene, who reportedly died after suffering a snakebite and being unable to access antivenom treatment promptly. Lawmakers proposed that effective measures be put in place to ensure easy and rapid access to life-saving medicines, particularly during emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion…

The Auditor General of The Gambia, Cherno Sowe, has demanded documentary evidence of payments made on fines imposed on arrested fishing vessels, following concerns over unaccounted funds totaling more than 50 million dalasis. In his 2023 management letter on government accounts, Sowe disclosed that vessels arrested by the Gambia Navy were fined a total of GMD 60.45 million. However, only GMD 10.05 million could be verified as paid. “The audit was unable to confirm the outstanding balance of GMD 50.4 million due to the absence of supporting payment documentation,” Sowe said. He warned that the lack of records poses a…

In Nigerian hospitals, everyone is “a victim waiting in line” for the next systemic failure – Dr. Olisa Agbakoba The Morning That Changed Everything On January 7, 2026, at 4:00 AM, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the woman whose novels have been translated into 30 languages, whose TED talks have been viewed 30 million times, became a statistic. Her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, died at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos, South West Nigeria. Not from an incurable disease. Not from lack of resources. But from what his mother would later describe as “fatally casual and careless” medical practice at one of Nigeria’s…

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) on Tuesday launched a two-day media training aimed at enhancing ethical reporting and adherence to the code of conduct for journalists in The Gambia. The programme, organized in collaboration with the Gambia Press Union (GPU), forms part of the EU-funded initiative to consolidate democratic governance in the country. Key media policy documents launched at the event include: President of the GPU, Isatou Keita, said the documents were developed to strengthen professionalism, ethical standards, safety, and accountability. She added that they provide practical frameworks for ethical reporting, effective self-regulation, safer workplaces,…

The AFC/M23 rebel group and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government on Monday agreed to operationalize a ceasefire to reinforce the Doha peace process and ease tensions in eastern DR Congo. According to a communique from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the signing of the Ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism formalizes the framework for monitoring the truce, ensuring regular meetings and reaffirming both parties’ commitment to the ceasefire and the Doha Framework Agreement for Peace, signed on November 15, 2025. Following the agreement, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo will deploy its first team in the coming days…

Ethiopian Airlines has announced the resumption of flights to the Tigray region, days after services were suspended due to clashes between regional and national forces, according to an official statement. Diplomatic and government sources report that the clashes erupted last week in disputed areas of western Tigray, sparking fears of renewed conflict. A two-year conflict between Ethiopia’s national army and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) ended in 2022. The war resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, as well as the collapse of healthcare services and famine in the region. According to a senior Tigrayan official and a humanitarian…

The Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) has unveiled a major strategic plan to expand the country’s railway network, connecting key urban centres and offering a reliable alternative for cargo and passenger transport. GRDA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Frederick Appoh, highlighted the project’s potential benefits during the unveiling ceremony. The initiative aims to encourage private investment in railway infrastructure while providing a strategic alternative to road transport. Dr. Appoh explained that the plan is designed to improve efficiency, attract private sector participation, and boost returns on investment. It also supports bulk transport from Ghana’s mining sector, including manganese, bauxite, and iron,…

The Dangote Group has expanded its gas supply agreements with Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC), units to support ongoing expansion programs in line with Nigeria’s drive for cleaner energy and industrial growth. Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Dangote Fertiliser Plant, and Dangote Cement Plc announced on Monday that they had signed gas supply contracts with Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited and NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company during the Nigeria Gas Master Plan 2026 event in Abuja. The companies, however, did not disclose the volumes involved. Launched last Friday, the Master Plan seeks to transform Nigeria’s gas sector by expanding infrastructure, improving supply, attracting investment…

The transitional government of Guinea-Bissau has announced plans for an inclusive administration following the decision to bring the revolutionary PAIGC party into government. The party’s leader, former Prime Minister Domingos Simões Pereira, has been released, although he remains under house arrest. The move appears aimed at easing pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ECOWAS had suspended Guinea-Bissau on November 28, following the swearing-in of a military general as transitional president, and demanded a rapid return to civilian rule. The crisis began on November 26, when army officers calling themselves the Military High Command removed President Umaro…

Ghana has temporarily suspended applications for citizenship under its diaspora programme as authorities review concerns about costs, documentation requirements, and processing timelines. The decision affects individuals seeking Ghanaian nationality based on ancestral ties to the African continent. The initiative, introduced in 2016, was designed to reconnect the country with descendants of Africans displaced during the transatlantic slave trade. Several applicants have raised challenges with the application process, particularly the requirement to submit DNA test results and other supporting documents within a short timeframe. According to Dr Erieka Bennet of the Diaspora African Forum, which supports relocation efforts to Ghana, many…