Bodinga community in Sokoto State has ratified Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Harmful Practices prevention guidelines to support the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) and Child Protection laws. The document was signed by the District Head, Alhaji Bello Abdulrauf, and Chairman of Bodinga Local Government Area, Alhaji Shehu Dingyadi, following a three-day Community Guideline Development meeting on GBV and Harmful Practices on Friday. At least 60 religious and community leaders, civil society representatives, law enforcement officials, youth, and women groups reviewed the document before agreeing on its contents, ensuring broad community ownership. The programme, organised by UN Women…
Author: Newsdesk
The Abia State Ministry of Environment says it will collaborate with the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), a non-governmental organisation, to promote disability-inclusive climate change policy and programmes. The Commissioner, Mr Philemon Ogbonna, made the pledge, when a delegation from CCD visited him in his office in Umuahia on Friday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the policy is expected to guide Abia’s transition to a low-carbon economy, promote sustainable land use, and attract development partnerships. Ogbonna, who said that CCD formed a major part of the ministry’s climate change programme, assured the group that it would be…
Agri Western Cape (AWC), the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation Western Cape (RPO WC), and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services have banded together to activate the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) that is coordinating disease-control activities in the province. “The [vaccinated] animals are now undergoing a mandatory 14-day observation period, after which they may be slaughtered but only at an approved abattoir, provided no new symptoms appear,” the organisation said in a statement. The vaccination of these animals forms part of the Western Cape’s urgent response to the first confirmed outbreak of FMD recorded in the province, detected after the…
Food security is one of the most pressing issues facing the world. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ ‘State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025’ report, between 638 million and 720 million people (7,8% to 8,8% of the global population), faced hunger in 2024. In Africa, hunger levels are more than double the global average. For South African farmers, these figures matter; they reflect the pressure on production systems, markets, and policy environments that ultimately influence profitability and producers’ long-term sustainability. The culprit behind these hunger levels is not insufficient production. Instead, global…
The US’s strong demand for South African table grapes is reflected in a sharp rise in South Africa’s exports to the US, which jumped by 65% between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 export seasons, from 1,3 million 4,5kg cartons (6 000t) to 2,2 million cartons (9 900t). The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) noted in a statement that table grapes were not exempted from severe import tariffs included in US President Donald Trump’s latest revision of reciprocal tariffs, announced on 14 November. “We welcome any movement towards tariff reduction. However, it is disappointing that table grapes were excluded from the list of exempted products,…
The Ministry of Environment, in partnership with the First Lady Sen. Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), unveils the Environment Club and Environment Society for a cleaner and healthier nation. The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu launched the club on Friday at the State House Banquet Hall Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the occasion marks a significant step toward promoting youth empowerment, job creation, and environmental sustainability nationwide. The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal said the club and society initiative, which was initiated by Mrs Tinubu, was a transformative intervention that aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s…
Nigeria has reported a slight drop in new Lassa fever cases in epidemiological week 45, even as the disease’s fatality rate continues to rise, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said. The agency reported on its official website that ten confirmed cases were documented between Nov. 3 and 9, reflecting a decline from the twelve cases reported nationwide during the previous epidemiological week. NCDC noted that the infections were detected in Ondo and Edo, two states that had consistently remained hotspots for Lassa fever, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s annual caseload and sustained transmission patterns. “In spite of the reduction…
The Anambra State Government says it will commence full implementation of its Environmental Management, Protection and Administration Law, 2024, on Monday. The Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Felix Odimegwu, announced this during a news briefing in Awka. “Following extensive sensitization, public education and stakeholder consultations across the state over the past one year, the Ministry of Environment will now apply the provisions of this law fully, firmly and without exception,” he said. Odimegwu explained that the law is designed to safeguard public health, strengthen climate resilience, prevent flooding and erosion and ensure orderly, sustainable environmental management across all communities. ALSO READ:…
The Hadejia Jam’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) says it will implement proactive measures to control erosion affecting irrigation activities in Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The Managing Director, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, disclosed this on Friday in Kano during an interview with reporters. He said he led a team of engineers on an inspection tour, where they carried out a comprehensive assessment of the damage to identify appropriate mitigation steps. ALSO READ: Drivers lament delays, insecurity on Sokoto–Gusau highway “They also inspected gully-erosion sites to determine suitable intervention measures,” he added. Bichi said the authority plans to construct…
The much-awaited list of commissioner nominees has been transmitted to the Niger State House of Assembly by Governor Muhammad Umar Bago for screening and confirmation. A gender review of the list shows that women remain significantly underrepresented, with only three women nominated out of 30 candidates—representing just 10 per cent. This marks a decline from the previous cabinet, where female representation stood at 16.7 per cent. The figure is also far below Nigeria’s National Gender Policy, which recommends 35 per cent female inclusion in political appointments. The three women on the new nominees list are Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed (Bida…