Supporting West Africa’s adaptation to Sea rises

West Africa consists of 17 countries, and measures 7,500,000 km² with a population estimated at 250 million inhabitants. The region’s geography is characterized by the following two major entities; the Sahel comprising Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Chad, and the Gulf of Guinea consisting of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire , Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo.

It is increasingly becoming manifest that West Africa is vulnerable to climate change and variability and this have been traced it some of its physical and social –economic characteristics, which predispose it in such a way as to be disproportionally affected by the adverse effects of climatic variations. One of such is the impacts of sea level rise. Oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface with an average depth of 3,800m. This huge mass of water (3 billion m³) traps heat and slowly releases it, thereby regulating the outside temperature.

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Nigeria at 48: Looking Back, Going Forward

October 1, the anniversary of Nigeria’s existence as an independent nation slipped by a few days ago. Aside from the usual tepid national broadcast by the President, little else stood the day out as special. Of course, listless squads of marchers went through the routine in various local government headquarters and state capitals. There were public displays, sumptuous banquets in various government houses and frolickers had memorable times at popular beaches, recreation parks, eateries and nightclubs. The usual prayers were held in various mosques and churches. Bemused viewers watched the special service held at the National Ecumenical Centre Abuja on NTA network: the richly attired and dazzling worshipers and the contented manner Mrs Patience Jonathan reclined patiently on the sofa provided for her and the Vice President! Read more

Yar’Adua:cultism takes over leadership in Aso Rock

Finally the rudderless governance of President Yar’Adua showed another sign of leadership imbecility on Tuesday when a group of presidential aids were forced to take oath of secrecy. The reason behind this oath is not known as is characteristic of this administration, journalists and Nigerians have been kept in the dark and speculations saturate the air.

The reason WWN was able to gather is the numerous apt information that have been finding their ways into the pages of Nigerian Newspapers, which the papers confirm that it is from reliable source in the Villa. Another reason we learnt, is the embarrassing pictures of the son of Mr. President circulating wildly on the internet. The picture has young Umar Yara’Adua brandishing AK 47 and in another pix, they young man of high school age, was carelessly playing with wads of 1000 naira notes. 1000 is the highest denomination in the arsenal of Nigeria’s Central Bank.

The most current of all the reasons is the point blank accuracy with which reports about the truth about the lesser Hajj was broken, when it was only a few inner members of the presidential staff knew that the sick president did not go to seek the face of Allah but mortal doctors who flew in from Germany.  To freeze this, the presidency took an unconstitutional means and forced civil servants to take oath unknown to the constitution. This is nothing but cultism and should be addressed as such.

Oath taking is not new in Nigerian politics. But the most freshly remembered in the post military democratic Nigeria, is the Ngige-Chris Uba saga in Anambra State. Ngige hungry for power, entered into a pact with the money bag Chris Uba and to seal the oath of allegiance the duo had to visit Okija Shrine.

This bizarre political behaviour of Nigeria’s ruling class has gotten a presidential blessing and Nigeria being a copy cat federation, we will see other state governors toeing this ignoble line of administration.

Haba Whichway Nigeria? When other nations pride themselves on openness and accessibility, Nigerian leadership is walking backwards to the dark days of feudal lords where Kabiesi

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Henry Paulson’s Plan: a 419 letter to Americans

Secretary, Henry Paulson:
America is feeling the heat of the credit debacle that is currently rocking its financial sector and the whole world is watching with frantic interest; as they say ‘when America sneezes the whole world catches the cold’. We are watching and waiting at our fire-sides at least to warm ourselves from the impending cold.

In a bid to rescue the crumbling house, Henry Paulson, America’s Treasury Secretary and the hawks at the Fed have come up with a bail out plan that has been a subject of intense debate in congress and all over America. Read more

Election 2007 Jigsaw: The final piece falls in place

The Supreme Court of Nigeria, has finally given a date-Thursday- to entertain the appeal of Gen. Buhari of the ANPP and Atiku Abubakar of the AC challenging the Court of Appeal decision throwing out their electoral petition challenging the alleged massive allotment of votes to President Yar’Adua and the PDP in the just concluded but echoing April 2007 General Election.

The Supreme Court adjourned sine die but the worrisome uncertain health condition of Mr. President is believed to be behind the fast tracking of the date. This informed sources, which we have reported in Yar’Adua’s Health Hullabaloo: The Untold Theories, that the Supreme Court will speedily assign date to hear the matter so as to find a political solution to Section 144-146 of the 1999 Constitution which provides for the legal solution should Yar’Adua die in Office or is so incapacitated by illness that he cannot perform the constitutional duties of Mr. President.

It is the consensus believe of all political gurus in Nigeria that the Supreme Court will nullify the election, call for a bye-election and in other to maintain the PDP power shift, Yar’Adua will resign for a Northern to pick up the mantle and run, there by frustrating any attempt by the south to take over through the back door.

With the date given, the final jigsaw has fallen into place unfortunately the opposition parties are embattled with rift over the ministerial crumbs from the PDP table to belt up for a serious challenge to PDP in any eventuality of bye-election.

 

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AMREF UN Press Release

AMREF CALLS FOR HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE PLANS IN AFRICA, CITES LACK OF DOCTORS, FACILITIES

AMREF applauds UN Commitment to Achieving Millennium Development Goals by 2015, but stresses need for additional resources and training

 

NEW YORK, NY - Insufficient numbers of doctors and nurses, lack of training and strained resources are just some of the challenges facing the health care system in Africa. Today, as the United Nations convenes to discuss the progress of the Millennium Development Goals, African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) Director Lisa Meadowcroft commented on the progress that has been made and the challenges that lay ahead, stating:

“The UN’s Millennium Development Goals are an important catalyst for reducing global poverty and disease. While the last eight years have seen some progress in improving the health care infrastructure in Africa, there is still much work to be done.

“In many parts of Africa, lack of training and treatment facilities remain the greatest challenge to improving care. In Southern Sudan, there are only 100 doctors and 600 nurses for a population of more than eight million people. Read more

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