Newscast - Africa

The Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Ahmad Lawan directed the Finance Committees of the federal parliament to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Finance with a view to considering an amendment to the recently signed Finance Act 2022 in order to forestall avoidable loss of revenues.
Lawan also said revenue generating agencies of the federal government were capable of generating and remitting N3 trillion annually to the federation account if efforts were made to cut down on wasteful spending.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company gave an account of how it has positioned itself to lead Africa in the energy transition.
The Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director, Malam Mele Kyari advised industrialised nations not to put Africa in the same energy transition speed because it could spark an energy crisis.
The CEO says the NNPC had set the necessary machinery in motion to lead Africa in transition to low-carbon energy and renewables.
He noted that the company was deepening natural gas utilisation under the National Gas Expansion Programme.

The federal government says its electricity deal with Siemens was on course, stating that the first phase of the programme under the Presidential Power Initiative would increase power supply to about 40 million Nigerians.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, says the unveiling of the training session was a milestone under the initiative.
Ahmed assured that the collaborative effort with the implementing partner, Siemens, on the PPI was on track to bring positive change to the power sector.
She says the Government had been driving the process by coordinating key stakeholders’ input and working with the ministry of finance to secure financing and to enter into efficient commercial and contractual arrangements to deliver the PPI.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, making his first visit to the United Arab Emirates, says his country supports the Gulf state’s security needs and wants more countries in the region to join its detente with Arab countries.
Three other Arab countries – Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco – also forged diplomatic ties with Israel under the so-called Abraham Accords brokered by the United States.
Herzog discussed security and bilateral relations with the UAE’s de facto ruler Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Sheikh Mohammed says Israel and the UAE share a common view of the threats to regional stability and peace, particularly those posed by militias and terrorist forces.

Kuwait suspended flights to Iraq for a week citing security fears after a rocket attack targeted Baghdad International Airport. Iraqi authorities, meanwhile, announced an attacker was apprehended.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh says such suspicious actions have created insecurity and unrest in Iraq, paving the way for the ill-wishers and the insurgents, and affecting the government’s services to the Iraqi citizens.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi urged the international community not to impose restrictions on travel to Iraq, while Iraqi Airways said the attack did not cause any disruptions and flights would continue.

The United States government has committed to supporting anti-corruption initiatives and collaborative efforts that prevent graft.
The Consulate in collaboration with the Inter-Religious Coalition Against Corruption in Nigeria launched the ReportMagoMago.com, a web-based portal that leverages citizens' engagement to fight corruption.
US Consul General, Claire Pierangelo, explained that ReportMagoMago.com puts the power to report corruption in the hands of the Nigerian people.
Pierangelo urged Nigerians to demonstrate their commitment to the fight against corruption by making use of the innovative online platform which seeks to address the daily instances of corruption faced by millions of Nigerians.

The Central Bank of Liberia has announced that as part of its currency reform exercise, more than half a billion in mutilated Liberian dollar banknotes will be burnt.
The Bank says the move is in the interest of sustaining the increasing public confidence and transparency in the ongoing currency change-over program, the exercise will be opened to the public.
Several stakeholders, including representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations Development Program have been invited.

A team from the West African regional bloc Ecowas will be in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, on Monday to assess the situation in the country.
The Ecowas ministerial-level mission will be joined by a UN delegation led by the head of the UN's office for West Africa and the Sahel, Mahamat Saleh Annadif.
The joint team will hold talks with the Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba-led junta, as well as various Burkinabè actors.
Leaders of the regional body held a virtual emergency meeting on Friday where they suspended the country’s membership from the regional bloc.

Malawi's president has warned ministers against corruption after swearing in a new cabinet on Sunday.
President Lazarus Chakwera says he would not shield anyone from prosecution if they got involved in corrupt activities.
The president sacked his entire cabinet last week but most of the ministers were reappointed in a new line-up announced days later.

Mali's foreign minister says the main reason why tensions are growing with France is that the French believe his country is not acting in their interests.
Abdoulaye Diop dismissed French concerns about Mali's alleged use of Russian mercenaries to fight Islamist insurgents.
He says Mali and Russia had been strong partners for years.
Mr Diop said France had no right to describe last year's coup as illegitimate as it had good relationships with other countries with military rulers.