CEO of Kan Royal Group enstooled Nkosohene of Sefwi- Wiawso

 The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of “Kan Royal Group of Companies”, Mr. Kwame Amoah Nyame, has been enstooled Nkosohene of Sefwi Wiawso.

With the stool name Nana Adu-Kwasi Botafo II, the business mogul swore the customary oath to the Paramount Chief of Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Area, Katakyie Kwasi Bumangama II and his elders.

This was after he had gone through the necessary customary rites.

The new chief was out-doored and presented to the large family and the people of Sefwi-Wiawso during the 2021 Elluo Festival (Yam Festival).

In his acceptance speech, Nana Botafo thanked Katakyie Bumagama and the entire Traditional Council for the confident reposed in him.

He urged the people of Sefwi-Wiaso to rally behind him as he had plans to accelerate the development of the area.

Nana Botafo pledged to use his rich business experience to lure more investors to the newly created Western North Region to ensure rapid development to reflect on this year’s theme for the Elluo Festival which was “Uplifting the image of Sefwiman and beyond”.

He commended the government for the introduction of Community Mining Programme which sought to create sustainable jobs for the unemployed youth in the Region and the country at large.

He thus, urged authorities to speed up the processes of acquiring mining license to enable investors take advantage to programme to mine responsibly in the area.

Mr Augustine Yaw Blay, the Executive Secretary to the Vice President and Oheneba Kwabena Osei Agyapong were enstooled as Abuafohene and Ntotoyhene of Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Area respectively.

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U.S removes sanctions on Burundi

 The US government removed sanctions placed on Burundi six years ago on Thursday, crediting elections, a fall in violence, and reforms by President Evariste Ndayishimiye.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order revoking the sanctions announced in November and December 2015 that targeted eight powerful military and security officials in the central African country, including then-Public Security Minister Alain Guillaume Bunyoni, who was the number two official in the government.

The situation in Burundi “has been significantly altered by events of the past year, including the transfer of power following elections in 2020, significantly decreased violence, and President Ndayishimiye’s pursuit of reforms across multiple sectors,” Biden’s order said.

“The United States recognizes the positive reforms pursued by President Ndayishimiye, while continuing to press the Government of Burundi to improve the human rights situation in the country and hold accountable those responsible for violations and abuses,’ said Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the US Treasury, which administers sanctions.

Burundi had descended into violence in April 2015, after President Pierre Nkurunziza launched a bid for a third consecutive term in office, despite concerns over the legality of such a move.

That move led to the deaths of 1,200 Burundians and send 400,000 fleeing the country.

US and UN officials said at the time that they feared the country could plunge into civil war marked by genocide, and the eight hit with sanctions were considered key instigators of the violence and human rights abuses.

Nkurunziza held a lock on power until June 2020, when he died just weeks after the election of his designated successor, Ndayishimiye.

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Nigeria: 80% Drop in Food Import Bill Shows Buhari’s Policies Working – BMO

 The drop in food import bills from 3.40 dollars billion to 0.56 dollars billion, representing a drop of over 80 per cent over the last six years, is proof that President Muhammadu Buhari’s various interventions to boost food production and food safety in the country are yielding the desired results.

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) made this observation in reaction to the disclosure by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Godwin Emefiele that the country was making huge savings from a reduction in food importation. The Governor was speaking at a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop on the National Agricultural Sample Census in Abuja.

At the workshop which was organised to update Nigerians on the state of food production and successes recorded under the CBN’s interventions to boost agriculture and food production, it was revealed how the country’s fortune on food security has improved massively.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO noted that it takes only a serious and focused leader like President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve this laudable feat within the said period and that the President at no point in time, left no one in doubt about his patriotism and sufficient capacity to sustain his various interventions to boost job creation, food self-sufficiency, and good nutrition for Nigerians.

‘It is gratifying to note that most of the agricultural interventions of the Buhari administration in the last six years have created jobs for millions of Nigerians. And this has brought about poverty reduction, reduction in food import bills and has saved the government hard-earned foreign exchange”.

BMO said now that successes are being recorded in this direction, it is incumbent on policymakers and stakeholders across every sector of the economy to redouble their efforts in whatever they are doing to strengthen the government’s efforts in improving agriculture and food production.

The group assured Nigerians that the current administration will continue to show a strong commitment to diversifying the economy through robust and aggressive agriculture policies as well as leaving a legacy of food security and good governance.

The group commended the CBN Governor and his team, and other major stakeholders in the agriculture sector for their commitment and for coming up with result-oriented policies to support the government’s efforts in boosting food production in the country.

BMO also encouraged Governors of the 36 States of the Federation to take a cue from President Buhari’s disposition towards agriculture by putting in place more viable and robust policies and funding support to drive agriculture and food production and sufficiency in their respective States. (NAN)

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Peng Shuai: Serena Williams says case ‘must be investigated’

 American great Serena Williams says the case of Chinese player Peng Shuai “must be investigated” and urged people “not to stay silent” about her welfare.

Peng, 35, has not been heard from since she made sexual assault allegations against a leading Chinese government official two weeks ago.

Chinese state media has released an email attributed to Peng, but doubt has been cast about its authenticity.

“I hope she is safe and found as soon as possible,” said Williams.

Concern for Peng’s welfare has continued to grow since she said she was “forced” into a sexual relationship with former China vice-premier Zhang Gaoli.

The allegations were made in a post on Chinese social media site Weibo on 3 November and soon deleted from China’s internet.

It is the first time such a claim has been made against one of China’s senior political leaders.

Steve Simon, chairman of the Women’s Tennis Association, said Peng deserved “to be heard, not censored” on the allegations.

On Wednesday, he cast doubt on the email released by Chinese state media, saying it “only raises” concerns about Peng’s safety.

Williams is one of many leading players to speak out about Peng’s welfare, following men’s world number one Novak Djokovic and Japan’s four-time major winner Naomi Osaka.

“I am devastated and shocked to hear about the news,” said Williams, who is a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion.

“This must be investigated and we must not stay silent.

“Sending love to her and her family during this incredibly difficult time.”

Peng is a former world number one doubles player who has won two Grand Slam titles – at Wimbledon in 2013 and the 2014 French Open, both alongside Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-wei.

She also achieved a career-high singles rankings of 14 in 2011 and reached the US Open singles semi-finals in 2014.

Peng, who has not played on the WTA Tour since March 2020, acknowledged she would not be able to provide proof to back up her claims.

Her allegation is the highest-profile incident in China’s #MeToo movement.

Zhang, 75, has not responded to Peng’s claims. He served as China’s vice-premier between 2013 and 2018 and was a close ally of President Xi Jinping.

On Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said he was “not aware of the relevant situation” when asked about it by a reporter.

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Blinken urges greater role – and accountability for Nigeria

 Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday backed a greater leadership role by Nigeria but also encouraged accountability over human rights concerns which have rattled the US relationship with Africa’s most populous nation.

On his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa, Blinken is seeking to show US commitment in the face of a rising China but is also encouraging African-led solutions to problems, including the spiralling war in Ethiopia.

“We strongly support Nigeria’s engagement, leadership and strong voice,” Blinken told a news conference in the capital Abuja.

With 20 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population and its largest economy, Nigeria has worked with successive US administrations since the return of civilian rule in 1999.

But US views of Nigeria, already marred by years of violence and rampant corruption, hardened last year after security forces were accused of unleashing deadly violence during massive protests against police brutality.

Blinken welcomed a Nigerian investigation into the violence but called for more action.

“We anticipate and look to the state and the federal governments’ response to the findings and expect those to include steps that ensure accountability and address the grievances of the victims and their families,” Blinken said.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in a meeting with Blinken, said that Nigeria has been transparent and followed a process.

“We at the Federal have to wait for the steps taken by the states, and we have to allow the system to work. We can’t impose ideas on them,” Buhari said.

Concerns over human rights have prompted wide concern in Congress, with Senator Bob Menendez, a member of President Joe Biden’s Democratic Party who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, calling for a “fundamental rethink” of the relationship.

Congressional objections have held up the sale of 12 US Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria amid calls to probe whether the military is doing enough to prevent civilian deaths as it battles the two-decade Boko Haram jihadist insurgency.

But Nigeria recently started receiving a separate shipment of Super Tucano warplanes after former president Donald Trump gave the green light to the sale.

“Capacity building goes much deeper than delivering military hardware,” Blinken said, pledging efforts on training on human rights law.

On the eve of his visit, Blinken undid one Trump action by removing Nigeria from a US blacklist of nations that violate religious freedom.

Blinken’s predecessor Mike Pompeo made the decision late in his term at the urging of evangelical Christians who say that attacks on the community in the religiously diverse nation are systematic.

Nigeria hailed its removal from the list, with a government statement saying that the country does not “have a policy of religious persecution”.

A senior US official said that the Biden administration hoped to engage more with Nigeria, drawing an implicit contrast to the perceived lack of interest in Africa by Trump.

“I think we’ve been a little erratic and maybe inadequate in recent years, so I would like to see us up our game in terms of the quality and quantity of our engagement,” the official said.

Biden is hoping to show US leadership in Africa, including on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and battling climate change, as part of a global competition with a rising China — which has avidly pursued resources in the continent with little fuss about democratic governance.

Using language more subtle than the Trump administration, Blinken said the United States was not focused on China but wanted a “race to the top”.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, speaking with Blinken, dismissed concerns about China, saying that the Asian power offered a “great opportunity” for a country in need of infrastructure.

“We would have gone with anybody else, providing something at a competitive rate for us,” he said.

In each stop on the three-nation tour, Blinken is meeting with civil society as well as governments as part of a push for democratic values.

Oge Onubogu, West Africa director of the US Institute of Peace, said there should be no more “business as usual” after last year’s protests and that the United States needed to deal more directly with the Nigerian people.

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