Author: Web Desk

On the occasion of the Ethiopian New Year, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and First Lady Zinash Tayachew have shared holiday meal with the elderly and impoverished sections of society.

Ethiopians across the country are celebrating the first day of the Ethiopian New Year, 2016. The Ethiopian New Year falls on September 11 (or September 12 during a leap year).

Ethiopia has its own calendar with 13 months, and each of the 12 months has 30 days, while the 13th month called Pagumen has five days, which becomes six in each leap year.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

As Ethiopians enter 2016 on September 12th, the ending year marked pivotal moments of progress for the country. After a difficult previous year, major successes were achieved in the year 2015, including wheat self-sufficiency, the Pretoria peace agreement, revived diplomacy, BRICS membership, and the successful completion of the fourth filling GERD.

Wheat Self-Sufficiency

For decades, Ethiopia imported millions of quintals of wheat costing millions of dollars annually. According to Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia used to import 17 million quintals of wheat every year, earmarking more than 700 million USD to meet its citizens’ basic bread consumption. Thanks to the Prime Minister’s Wheat Initiative, this chapter has been closed. The initiative helped the country achieve record harvests this year, exceeding domestic needs. Currently, wheat production has been showing a surplus of 32 million quintal from the country’s domestic consumption. As a result of this achievement, the nation has become wheat exporter, shifting from being wheat recipient through its relentless efforts of wheat production. Over 108 million quintals were produced during the main rainy season, with 45 million more expected through irrigation. This bumper crop marks the largest wheat harvest since the initiative began, expanding production into new areas and boosting yields.

Historic Peace Agreement

The Pretoria peace deal between the Ethiopian government and TPLF concluded over two years of conflict by restoring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

By ending divisions, the agreement presented opportunities to rebuild the economy and investor confidence. Renewed stability can attract foreign capital as Ethiopia re-emerges as a promising investment destination. Through the peace agreement, Ethiopia has demonstrated its capability of resolving conflict peacefully. The African Union played a historic role in soliciting and coordinating a viable solution for the conflict after laboring for almost a year to design a permanent agreement that was duly agreed and accepted not only by the signatories but also by all international peace loving countries and global institutions. The Pretoria peace deal has also been described by many as “a Model for Africa,” and a clear indication that the continent’s principle of solving its own problems is yielding results.

The deal sparked a revival of Ethiopia’s global diplomatic standing after strained relations during the conflict. High-level delegations of various countries from across the globe visited Ethiopia to reaffirm support. Alongside political reconciliation, Ethiopia pursued economic diplomacy to attract investment and aid for national rebuilding.

The signing of the peace agreement has demonstrated Ethiopia’s irreversible stand for peace in the country and the Horn of Africa, where some influential political figures in Africa have started urging Ethiopia to step up its usual positive role for the cause of Africa both in the sub-region and in the entire continent.

Investment activities have also been greatly stimulating. Invest Ethiopia 2023 International Investment Forum held from April 26 to 28 here in Addis Ababa was a big achievement in this regard. The forum has attracted more than 2 billion USD in FDI for 2023. Ethiopia has now become a major investment destination in Africa primarily because of the comparative advantage the country is providing. This includes, among other things, lucrative investment climate, growing economy, excellent climate and fertile soil, young and trainable labor force, access to global markets, improved economic infrastructure, competitive incentive package and government commitment.

BRICS Membership

In a milestone for prominence, Ethiopia was welcomed as the newest BRICS member at the bloc’s Johannesburg summit. BRICS endorsed Ethiopia’s strategic location, large population, and infrastructure vision as credentials worthy of membership. The announcement of 2023 BRICS Summit in Johannesburg to embrace Ethiopia as its member was phenomenal to the country. Ethiopia was warmly welcomed into the steadily expanding bloc, (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). This monumental event signals a coming of age for Africa’s second most populous nation on the global stage.

Ethiopia’s BRICS membership heralds a new era brimming with potential. BRICS membership signifies growing recognition of Ethiopia’s immense economic and political potential. With over 120 million people and massive growth in recent years, Ethiopia offers a strategic gateway between Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed hailed this “victory achieved through many struggles,” thanking BRICS countries for their staunch support. He underscored how the bloc will empower South-South cooperation and reformed multilateralism. Abiy also articulated Ethiopia’s strengths, from its young, dynamic workforce to intensive infrastructure development enhancing regional connectivity.

For Ethiopia, joining BRICS can catalyze technology transfers, market access, and financing for impactful projects. While challenges remain, the prime minister stressed that in an interdependent world, collectivity is essential to solve shared problems. By leveraging its new BRICS membership, Ethiopia is poised to deliver prosperity for its people and assume a leadership role on the global stage. This opportunity can bring vast investment, trade, and financing if reforms are undertaken. Ethiopia’s addition cements its position as a rising African power.

Successful Filling of GERD

Prime minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed announced at the end of this year successful filling of fourth and final round of the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD). “There were a lot of challenges. We had been dragged backwards. We had encountered internal challenges and external pressures. We have overcome all these and able to arrive at this stage. However, we have not yet completed climbing the uphill though we have just arrived at the tip of the hill,” the premiers said.

The successful completion of filling of GERD is a monumental achievement demonstrating sovereignty and unity. This powerful symbol of self-reliance will double electricity generation capacity and make Ethiopia a major regional exporter.

As there were extensive diplomatic campaigns in this regard, it is a big diplomatic victory for the country to complete the water filling according to plan. The successful completion of filling is also being described as vital instrument to ensuring shared benefit not only for Ethiopia but for the Horn of Africa and riparian countries. The dam has great significance for regional integration too. Even if the dam is being built by Ethiopians internal capacity and in their sovereign territory, the benefit of the dam is beyond the nation. In addition, the dam has huge benefits in protecting for the lower riparian countries from sediment, floods and ensuring sufficient water flow. Despite challenges, its success highlights Ethiopia’s determination to drive development. The project rallied citizens to donate funds and labor toward a historic national accomplishment.

Green Legacy Initiative

Ethiopia has been carrying out green legacy initiative with a view to fighting the challenges of climate change and ensures food self-sufficiency. Accordingly, the nation had planted over 25 billion seedlings over the past four years as part of the initiative, surpassing its goal of 20 billion. Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative has been an environmental success. During the second round of the initiative which was launched this rainy season, the nation planned to plant 25 billion seedlings from 2023 to 2026. Ethiopians have made another history at the national level by planting more than 566 million saplings in 12 hours during this rainy season. Millions have been participating across the country to restore land, improve soil, reduce erosion, and mitigate climate change through the initiative. Ethiopia’s green diplomacy work is also gaining international recognition. As a model for mobilizing the public to address sustainability, it has inspired other nations while creating green jobs. With care in planning,
it can continue offering economic and environmental benefits.

In summary, the ending year saw Ethiopia make great strides through peace building, food security, diplomacy, development projects and ecological initiatives. With unity and prudent governance, Ethiopia can fulfill its immense promises.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) on Tuesday described the death of the Doyen of Accounting profession, Pa Akintola Williams, as a great and unquantifiable loss.

Chairperson of SWAN, Mrs Hilda Ozoh, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos in reaction to the passing of Williams on Monday at age 104.

Born on Aug. 9, 1919, Williams was the first Nigerian to qualify as chartered accountant.

Ozoh said that the female accountants received the news of the passing of the Doyen with heavy hearts but great gratitude to God for a life well spent.

She stated that Williams was true to his leadership role as the Doyen of the accounting profession.

The SWAN chairperson said that late Williams exhibited excellent influence, mentorship, impact and blessing to the accountancy profession, Nigeria and humanity as a whole.

Ozoh also described the late Doyen as a God fearing, non-tribalistic, listener, humane and a ready-to-help man.

She said, the late Williams was a great pillar of support to SWAN and encouraged the female accountants never to relent, but to exhibit their best as professionals in whatever capacity they are called upon to serve.

Ozoh recalled that when the Doyen was much younger, he never missed any SWAN’s event, physically, and would rendered financial support and mentorship.

She noted that both young and older accounting professionals, including other professional bodies look up to Williams as a great icon.

According to her, Williams has left a legacy for all professionals to strive to attain greater heights.

She said: “The Doyen left us just 32-days after his 104th birthday celebrated on Aug. 9, marked as usual by accounting professionals and I was honoured to be present at that event.

“However, we thank God for the gift of Pa. Akintola Williams to our country, Nigeria, African race and indeed the global sphere, which I believe he impacted in one way or another. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

In his condolence message, Nigerian UK-based Chartered Accountant, Mr Olanrewaju Sharafa, also described the death of the Doyen as a great light that has gone out of the world of accounting.

Sharafa said that the global accounting community and the entire ICAN family had been thrown into mourning a man who laid the foundation of ICAN.

“The Doyen was a towering figure of our time, a legend in life and now in death; a true Doyen of accounting has left a huge vacuum for us as professional chartered accountants.

“My heart goes out to his family, the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA), the International Federation of Accountants(IFA) and the entire ICAN family,” he said.

According to him, the history of accounting in Africa and worldwide shall continue to honour Williams’s heroic contributions to professionalism, integrity and accuracy.

Sharafa prayed that God rest the soul of the doyen in eternal peace. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, Director General, National Institute for Democratic and Legislative Studies (NILDS), has urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint young person the Youth Minister.

Suleiman said this at a leadership conference to promote inclusive political party practices organised by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in Abuja on Tuesday.

He commended Tinubu for appointing a substantial number of women into his cabinet, most of whom he said were youths.

“You can see what the president has done by bringing sizeable numbers of women into his cabinet. Now we need a youth as the minister of youth, not person of my age,” he said.

He urged political parties reflect on how to deepen democratic processes through their actions by giving women, youth and persons living with disability a chance in their operations.

He said a political party that excluded the youth, women and persons living with disability had excluded a good percentage of the population from participating in the democratic process.

“Political parties exist as platform where broad based ideas should be actualised and it’s a fulcrum for inclusion where ambitions should be realised,” he said.

He said the abysmal representation of women as candidates in 2023 election where 3.6 per cent women were represented in elective position was unacceptable.

According to him, Nigeria retrogressed from 25 women Senators to 15 Senators and nine to three House of Representative members from 2019 and 2023.

He said as long as persons living with disability, women and youths were left out of decision making, the country was still practicing monarchical government.

Mr Adebowale Olorunmola, WFD Country Director, said in 2027 Nigeria should have a totally different story contrary to what obtained in 2023, especially among the under-represented groups.

“Political party is the only platform where all, including the vulnerable, can contest for election because the country does not have independent candidate yet”, he said.

He said there was need to have inclusion of under-represented group in political participation, while calling on political parties to make their platform opened to them.

According to him, how many political parties have persons with disability in their Board of Trustee, National Working Committee or delegates during their primary elections.

Prof. Fatai Badru, University of Jos, who gave the keynote said there was need to promote inclusive participation among political parties and commitment to implementation.

He said political parties should proffer mitigating solution to deal with exclusion of these group, adding that the factors responsible for the discrimination must be identified.

He called for strategy to ameliorate the menace, adding that there was no conscious evidence that political parties were ready to absorb the under-represented group.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the political parties present at the event included the All Progressives Congress and All Progressives Grand Alliance.

Others are People’s Redemption Party, Accord Party Labour Party among others. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has called for urgent action to accelerate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) and reduce maternal and child mortality.

This was contained in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seventh annual Goalkeepers Report released on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Goalkeepers Report showed where the world has collectively fallen short at halfway point in achieving the SDGs.

It also showed where innovation and investment could advance progress, particularly in the fight against the global epidemic of maternal and child mortality.

The report, co-authored by the foundation Co-chairs, Melinda French-Gates and Bill Gates, highlighted new data that showed the potential of scaling up global access to seven innovations and practices.

This, the report would address the leading causes of maternal and newborn deaths.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the global maternal mortality rate (MMR) in 2020 was 223 per 100, 000 live births, while achieving a global MMR below 70 by 2030 will require an annual rate of reduction of 11.6 per cent.

“By making new innovations accessible to those who need them most, two million additional lives could be saved by 2030, and 6.4 million lives by 2040.

“That’s two million families spared an unimaginable heartbreak and two million more people who can shape and enrich our world,” the authors said.

The report noted that since 2016, progress in reducing global maternal mortality had stalled, and in some countries, including the United States, death rates had risen steadily.

It said, globally, nearly 800 women die in childbirth every day, acknowledging that deaths of children under five continued to decline since the mid-2010s.

The report explained that the first month of a newborn’s life continued to be the most dangerous, accounting for almost half of all under-five deaths today

It also said that 74 per cent of child deaths happen during a baby’s first year.

The report acknowledged the global efforts between 2000 and 2015 that significantly improved the health of mothers and babies and the progress stalled since COVID-19 hit.

It explained how the discovery of revolutionary information about maternal and child health in the last 10 years led to low-cost and easy-to-implement innovations and practices.

According to the report, these innovations and practices prevent and treat deadly childbirth complications such as post-partum hemorrhaging, infections, and maternal anemia.

It called for immediate action to help put the world back on track to achieve the global goal of cutting the maternal mortality rate to less than 70 out of 100,000 births and newborn mortality to 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030.

“As is so often the case in global health, innovations aren’t making their way to the people who need them most; women in low-income countries, Blacks and indigenous women in high-income countries like the United States, who are dying at three times the rate of white women. That needs to change.

“We have seen over and over again that when countries actually prioritise and invest in women’s health, they unleash a powerful engine for progress that can reduce poverty, advance gender equality, and build resilient economies.

“Over the past decade, the field of child health has advanced faster and farther than I thought I’d see in my lifetime.

“If our delivery can keep pace with our learning; if researchers can continue developing new innovations and skilled health workers can get them to every mother and child who needs them. Then, more babies will survive those crucial first days,” the report said.

It also said that the life-saving innovations and practices highlighted in the report could be delivered by midwives and birth attendants in communities.

The report listed the innovations as a bundle of interventions that can reduce postpartum hemorrhage, the major cause of maternal death, by 60 per cent for less than one dollar per package.

Bifidobacteria (B. Infantis), a new probiotic supplement that, when given to an infant alongside breastmilk, combats malnutrition—a leading cause of newborn deaths.

Also, Multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) that boost survival rates for babies by helping replete nutrients stored in pregnant women and ensuring those vital nutrients are transferred to the baby.

Others are one-time infusion of IV iron for women that replenishes iron reserves during pregnancy, protecting against and treating anemia, a condition that is both a cause and effect of postpartum hemorrhage and affects almost 37 per cent of pregnant women.

It also includes antenatal corticosteroids (ACS), which are given to women who will give birth prematurely to accelerate fetal lung growth, providing several weeks of maturation in just a few days.

Also, Azithromycin, which reduces maternal infections during pregnancy and prevents infections from spiraling into sepsis—the cause of 23 per cent of maternal deaths in the United States—and reduces mortality when given to infants in high-mortality settings.

Similarly, an AI-enabled portable ultrasound that empowers nurses and midwives to monitor high-risk pregnancies in low-resource settings to ensure that risks are diagnosed and addressed early.

On providing access to the quality health care for mothers and babies to live long and have healthy lives, it said that this would require policy changes, political will, and more investment in women’s health and health care workers, including midwives.

Halfway to the deadline for the SDGs, the Goalkeepers Report shows that on 18 indicators, from poverty to gender equality, education to food security, health to climate, the world was off track.

It underscores the urgent need for action, as well as a renewed global commitment to ensure a more equitable and safe future for all by 2030.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.

The foundation’s work in developing countries focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ethiopians in the diaspora are celebrating the 2016 Ethiopian New Year that started on the 12th of September.

Ethiopians across the nation have received their New Year today September 12th.

Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia have celebrated the New Year at the Ethiopian Embassies in various parts of the world.

Ethiopians in the United States, United Kingdom, Djibouti, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Japan, South Sudan and others have celebrated the 2016 Ethiopian New Year in various ways.

During the occasions, Ethiopian Ambassadors in these countries have extended New Year best wishes to all Ethiopians.

The ambassadors have also urged Ethiopians in the diaspora to further strengthen their continued support to realizing the multifaceted development efforts of the country.

Ethiopia has its own calendar with 13 months, and each of the 12 months has 30 days, while the 13th month called Pagumen has five days, which becomes six in each leap year.

The New Year marks the end of the main rainy season in Ethiopia and countryside turns into gold with daisies (adey abeba) covering the entire fields in rural areas in bloom at this time of the year.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Western Regional office of the Minerals Commission says Omni Quarry, the company at the centre of Saturday’s quarry explosion, has no legal backing for quarrying in the Shama District. It said, at the time of the explosion, the company had not been issued with a lease by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources while, the site of the explosion was the residential facilities for the company. The Anto-Abosso area in the Shama District at about 11.50pm on Saturday, recorded a deadly explosion at the Omni quarry site, in which five lives were lost and many injured, who were sent to various hospitals within Sekondi-Takoradi for treatment. Additionally, all the facilities, including light vehicles and equipment close to the residential structures on site were destroyed. A statement cited by the Ghana News Agency from the Commission, said the company had applied for a Restricted Mining Lease for granite commonly referred to as a quarry and recommendation for the company to be considered for the grant of a fo
rmal lease was granted on 20 March 2023. However, the Commission, after the preliminary investigations could confirm that the site of the explosion was a subject of an application by a company with the name Sta Addsams Enterprise. It said, a routine monitoring visit by the inspectors from the Takoradi Office to the site revealed that the enterprise was engaged in site cleaning and preparatory works and had conducted run of the machines and equipment on site without the approval of the Commission. The statement noted the enterprise was, therefore, notified by the inspectors that such activities were illegal and was directed to cease any activity on the site until the lease was granted and all other permits and approvals for the storage, transportation and use of any substance to undertake operations were obtained. In this regard, pending the completion of a full investigation into the cause of the explosion, the enterprise had no lease, approval or permit to undertake any activity or operation at the site. Alr
eady, a team of Mine Inspectors from the Takoradi Office of the Commission had visited the site of the explosion which was about 1.5 km away from the nearest settlement. The inspectors were joined by officials from other State institutions comprising the National Disaster Management Organisation, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Ghana Police Service and officials from the Shama District Assembly. The inspectors also found empty drums at the site believed to have contained diesel, other lubricants, cigarette pieces and oxy-acetylene cylinders. The statement said the Commission remained committed to ensuring that all quarry sites were licensed, and all the requisite approvals, including permits were obtained before any operations could be undertaken.

Source: Ghana News Agency