Newscast - Africa

The Federal Government has approved the extension of the deadline for the National Identification Number - SIM data verification to October 31.
They said the decision to extend the deadline was made following a request by stakeholders to accommodate registration in hard-to-reach remote areas, foreigners and diplomatic missions, diaspora and address low enrolments in schools and hospitals, as evidenced by enrolment statistics.
It also followed a review of the progress of the exercise which indicated significant progress hence the need to consolidate the gains of the enrolment and NIN-SIM verification process across the country.
They added that there are over 5,500 enrolment systems within and outside the country and this would significantly ease the NIN enrolment process and subsequent linkage of NIN to SIM.
Socio-Economic Rights Group Sues President Over Gag Order On Reporting Of Terrorist Attacks
The Socio-Economic Rights and AccountabilityProject and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development have filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, over the order to stop journalists and broadcast stations from reporting details of terrorist attacks and victims.
They are also seeking an order to compel and direct the NBC and Mr Lai Muhammed to withdraw the directive asking journalists and broadcast stations to stop reporting details on terrorist attacks and victims, as the directive is unlawful and inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 and the country’s international human rights obligations.
Nigerians Spent N2.07tn on Petrol in 12 Months
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has revealed that it sold a total of N2.106 trillion of refined products to Nigerians between February 2020 and February 2021, with petrol taking a huge chunk of N2.070 trillion of the entire sales.
The corporation also disclosed that in terms of quantity, 17.215 billion litres of fuel, accounting for 99.37 of total refined products were imported during the period under review.
The NNPC noted that N188.15 billion was made on the sale of white products in the month of February 2021, lower than N190.72 billion sales recorded in January 2021.
The NNPC stated that 1.414 billion litres of white products were sold and distributed, compared with 1.436.40 billion litres in the month of January 2021.
The national oil company says this comprised 1.414 billion litres of petrol and 0.17 billion litres of diesel, consumed by Nigerians during the period.
Okonjo-Iweala Decries Low Rate of COVID-19 Vaccination in Nigeria
Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has lamented the low rate of COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria and Africa, in general.
Okonjo-Iweala says to fill the wide immunisation gap, WTO was ramping up vaccines’ production, with a target of 11 billion doses by the end of this year, way beyond the present output level of 3.8 billion.
Okonjo-Iweala says the production of the vaccine volume had been increasing, with the figure in June growing by 1.1 billion, representing a 45 per cent increase from May production.
She however says most doses end up in the developed countries and the vaccine inequity continues and vaccines producers need to change the story.
Tunisian President Suspends Parliament
Tunisian President Kais Saied announced the suspension of the country’s parliament and the dismissal of Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi following a day of protests against the ruling party.
He says the constitution does not allow for the dissolution of parliament, but it does allow for its work to be suspended citing Article 80 which permits such a measure in case of imminent danger.
Saved says he would take over executive power with the help of a government headed by a new chief appointed by the president himself.
He also said that...

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has advanced reasons to justify the position taken by the Senate on the electronic transmission of election results.
The Senate voted that the Commission may consider the electronic transmission of results, provided the national coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the National Communications Commission and approved by the National Assembly.
Lawan explained that the Upper Chamber voted the way it did in defence of about half of the Nigerian voters whose votes may not be counted with immediate deployment or application of electronic transmission of election results.

Inspector-General of Police Assures Nigerians Of Sustained Efforts At Improving Security
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has assured the nation of sustained efforts by the Force in fighting crimes and criminality and improving public safety and security across the country.
The IGP charged Commissioners of Police in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, and their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police, to beef-up security ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, to prevent any untoward situation in their Areas of Responsibility throughout the Eid-el-Kabir season and beyond.
He particularly directed the Zonal AIGs and State Command CPs to put in place all necessary security measures to ensure a secure, peaceful, and incident-free celebration.

President Joe Biden says 35 million American families have started receiving their first monthly payout from the US government in an expanded income-support programme that could help end child poverty.
Under the Child Tax Credit programme that was broadened under the COVID-19 stimulus, eligible families collect an initial monthly payment of up to $300 for each child under six years old and up to $250 for each older child.
Payouts made to families, covering nearly 60 million eligible children, totalled about $15bn for July. The payments are automatic for many US taxpayers, while others need to sign up.
Biden says he wants to extend expanded, monthly benefits for years to come as part of a $3.5 trillion spending plan being considered by Senate Democrats, who expect strong Republican opposition to the full bill.

Cybersecurity researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, which tracks illegal hacking and surveillance says at least 100 activists, journalists and government dissidents across 10 countries were targeted with spyware produced by an Israeli company called Candiru.
The researchers said using a pair of vulnerabilities in Microsoft Corp.’s Windows, cyber operatives operating in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Hungary, Indonesia and elsewhere purchased and installed remote spying software made by Candiru.
Cristin Goodwin, general manager of Microsoft’s Digital Security Unit says the tool was used in precision attacks against targets computers, phones, network infrastructure and internet-connected devices.
The users of the spyware also hacked politicians and human rights activists, according to the researchers, who declined to name the victims.
The Citizen Lab researchers say the Candiru spyware is part of a thriving private industry selling technology to governments and authoritarian leaders so they can gain access to the communications of private citizens and political opposition.

A World Health Organization official says a total of 450,000 Covid vaccine doses have been destroyed in nine African countries.
The WHO Africa's immunisation programme manager, Dr Richard Mihigo, says a delayed shipment of the AstraZeneca vaccines, which is widely used in the continent, is to blame for this.
The countries that destroyed vaccines are Malawi, South Sudan, Liberia, Mauritania, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Comoros, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Malawi was the first country to publicly destroy vaccine doses on 19 May.
The health minister says that it needed to be done to show public trust adding that to avoid wastage, countries are being urged to use up vaccines immediately after they are delivered.

The World Health Organization says Coronavirus-linked deaths in Africa surged by 43 per cent in the space of a week, driven by a lack of intensive-care beds and oxygen as the new Delta variant surged on the continent.
Fatalities associated with COVID in the WHO’s Africa region, which includes North Africa, rose to 6,273 in the week of July 5-11, compared with 4,384 in the previous week.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa says deaths have climbed steeply for the past five weeks. This is a clear warning sign that hospitals in the most impacted countries are reaching a breaking point.
She says under-resourced health systems in countries are facing dire shortages of the health workers, supplies, equipment and infrastructure needed to provide care to severely ill COVID-19 patients.

Senegalese health officials recommended Thursday that people refrain from travelling for the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival set to take place next week.
Health minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr recommended mask-wearing at all times and avoiding movement and travel during the Tabaski festival, as the holiday is known in the west and central Africa.
Families typically mark Tabaski by gathering for a sacrifice and may travel long distances in crowded cars and buses for the occasion.
Diouf Sarr also recommended working from home whenever possible and reducing staff elsewhere.
The ministry also announced the arrival of some 500,000 vaccine doses before the end of the month, hoping to end the current shortage.

The Senate approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for ongoing external loans to the tune of $8,325,526,537 and €490,000,000 under the 2018-2020 External Borrowing Plan.
The approval followed the consideration of a report on the 2018-2020 External Borrowing Plan by the Committee on Local and Foreign Debt.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Clifford Ordia, says the Committee noted with utmost importance the genuine and very serious concerns of Nigerians about the country's borrowings' level and sustainability/serviceability in the Last Decade.
He explained that rapid infrastructural and human capital development is needed due to the shortfall in the country’s annual revenues.
Ordia noted that out of the total borrowing request of $36 billion in the re-forwarded request of Mr President, a sum of $26 billion is for funds proposed to be borrowed from various financial institutions from the Peoples Republic of China.

Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu says that persisting rumours and conspiracy theories about the COVID vaccine have affected the uptake of the vaccine in Nigeria despite the increasing demand for the vaccine in Lagos State.
Sanwo-Olu averred that false and alarming conspiracy theories about the COVID vaccine abound, seeking to sow doubts in the minds of the people.
The Governor noted sadly, that many of the rumours and misinformation have gained ground amongst the populace with a significant effect on the popularity of the vaccination campaign.
He says the myths and rumours need to be aggressively dispelled in order not to jeopardize the efforts of all stakeholders, and to ensure the protection of the health and wellbeing of our citizens.

The National Economic Council is urging for strict adherence to the COVID-19 response guidelines across the country, after receiving a regular state performance report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The report says the Coronavirus positivity rate has gone up in the country just as 3 cases of the Delta variant have now been detected.
The Council received the state performance report on COVID-19 from the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who noted that the Delta variant is a new variant identified in 103 countries and is 60% more transmissible than the highly infectious Alpha variant which was previously identified.