Author: kajarbi54

Malian authorities have unveiled a Special Mines Brigade to strengthen oversight of the country’s gold sector, combat illegal mining, and secure mining areas. The transitional government approved the creation of the brigade during a Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday. The unit will operate nationwide, with judicial police powers, to monitor gold mining sites, report offences, and enforce mining regulations. Officials said the decision comes amid a surge in illegal gold extraction, mineral trafficking, and the use of prohibited chemicals in certain areas, which pose significant environmental and safety risks. Frequent accidents at artisanal mining sites and security challenges linked…

Gambia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abdoulie Jobe, has disclosed serious contractual and construction failures surrounding a multimillion-dalasi eco-lodge development programme intended to boost tourism in rural communities. Speaking before the National Assembly of the Gambia on Wednesday, the minister told lawmakers that several eco-lodge projects worth more than 118 million dalasis remain incomplete years after payments were made to the contractor. The revelation came during a question-and-answer session in response to a query from the member for Sami, Alfusainey Ceesay, who asked the minister to provide the status of eco-lodge developments, particularly the Mungo Park eco-tourism project in…

Ghana and South Korea have signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at strengthening cooperation in maritime security, climate action and digital technology, as the two countries move to deepen economic and strategic ties. The agreements were finalised on Wednesday following bilateral talks between John Dramani Mahama and Lee Jae-myung, marking a new phase in relations between Ghana and South Korea. Speaking after the meeting, President Mahama said the agreements reflected the long-standing partnership between the two countries, underpinned by shared democratic values and a commitment to human rights. He noted that the relationship has enabled both nations to align…

Nigeria has suspended the issuance of new petrol import licences, saying increased domestic refining capacity is now sufficient to meet most of the country’s fuel demand. The decision was disclosed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in its February 2026 State of the Midstream and Downstream Fact Sheet, which highlighted a sharp rise in local supply, largely driven by output from the Dangote Refinery. According to the report, the refinery supplied an average of 36.5 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) per day to the domestic market in February, while imports averaged about 3 million…

Senegal’s parliament on Wednesday approved a controversial amendment that doubles the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years, introducing one of the region’s strictest anti-LGBTQ+ measures. The government-backed bill was passed overwhelmingly, with 135 lawmakers voting in favor, none opposing, and three abstaining. The law now awaits the president’s signature to come into effect. The legislation targets what the penal code defines as “acts against nature,” raising the previous maximum sentence from five years to a decade. It also increases fines for promoting homosexuality from 1.5 million CFA francs ($2,676) to 10 million CFA francs ($17,700), while prohibiting…

The Gambia’s Minister of Finance, Seedy Keita, said the country generated D747.3 million from mining activities between 2021 and 2025. The minister disclosed this on Wednesday, while responding to a question from Hon. Alhagie Mbowe, the National Assembly member for Upper Saloum. Mbowe asked the minister to provide details of revenue generated from the mining sector between 2021 and 2025, including the institutions involved, contributions made to host communities, and taxes paid by mining companies. In his response, Keita said revenues generated from the sector during the period amounted to over D747 Million . Mbowe also requested information on contributions…

The Gambia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Ahmad Lamin Samateh, says the country recorded 130 maternal deaths between January and December 2025, according to health facility statistics. The minister disclosed this on Wednesday, during a question-and-answer session at the National Assembly. Samateh was responding to a question from the member for Janjanbureh, Omar Jammeh, who asked the ministry to provide statistics on the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) per 100,000 live births in The Gambia between 2014 and 2025. According to the minister, the 130 maternal deaths were recorded out of 80,720 live births in health facilities across the country. “This translates…

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a nationwide warning as temperatures soar across much of the country, raising concerns about heat-related health risks. In an advisory posted on its social media platform X , NiMet said residents in north-central Nigeria and inland areas of the southern states are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat. The agency noted that a combination of high temperatures, humidity, poor ventilation, dehydration, heavy clothing, and excessive physical exertion can trigger heat stress. NiMet urged citizens to stay hydrated, remain in ventilated or air-conditioned spaces, and use hats, sunshades, or sunscreen when outdoors. The advisory also…

Tanzanian businessman Rostam Azizi has pledged to safeguard editorial independence at Nation Media Group after agreeing to acquire a controlling 54.08 percent stake in East Africa’s largest independent media organisation. Speaking at a press briefing at Serena Hotel Nairobi in Nairobi, Kenya, Azizi said the future of journalism in East Africa depends on reducing media houses’ financial dependence on government advertising. “The greatest threat to a free press in East Africa today is not just censorship; it is the balance sheet,” Azizi said. “For too long, major media houses have survived largely on government advertising. When the state is your…

A French humanitarian working for the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) has been killed in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed Wednesday, urging respect for international humanitarian law. “A French humanitarian from UNICEF has lost her life in Goma,” Macron wrote on X. “I call for respect for humanitarian law and for all personnel on the ground committed to saving lives.” Goma, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu province, has been under the control of M23 rebels – backed by Rwanda – since they seized the city from government forces…