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Equatorial Guinea compensates victims of 2021 Bata blast but will it bring solace?

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The government of  Equatorial Guinea said it has compensated 84 families of victims of explosions in a military camp in Bata that had killed 107 people and injured 615.

A series of powerful explosions at a military base in Equatorial Guinea’s largest city of Bata in March 7, 2021 literally devastated the Nkoa-Ntoma camp in Bata, the economic capital, and many neighboring residential areas after a fire caused by a poorly controlled burning had set fire to the arsenal and the armory of the military hold.

An official statement from the presidency in Equatorial Guinea said the blasts were caused by negligence of a military unit “in charge of storing explosives, dynamite and ammunition at the Nkoa Ntoma military camp”.

The compensation ceremony was presided over by vice president of the Central African country and son of the head of state, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.

Each family received eight million CFA francs, about 12,000 euros. People who were amputated as a result of the disaster received 4 million CFA francs, about 6,000 euros.

“The government of Equatorial Guinea has released 700 million CFA francs (about 1.1 million euros) to compensate the victims,” said state television station TVGE.

Equatorial Guinea, like most other African countries, has had its fair share of misrule, with corruption an endemic challenge. Poverty remains rife and many watchers of the country’s political space doubt if the handouts made by government would have the desired  soothing effects.

Bata is a port city on the mainland of Equatorial Guinea in Central Africa. A long, palm-fringed esplanade stretches along its waterfront. The colossal, futuristic Freedom Tower overlooks the Gulf of Guinea. The colonial-style Bata Cathedral dates from the 1950s. The city’s busy markets sell clothing, crafts, fresh fish and produce. Just outside the center, Bomé is a popular beach lined with restaurants and bars.

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Zambian govt snubs transparency calls, says no law compels President Hichilema to declare assets annually

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The Chief spokesman for the Zambian government, Cornelius Mweetwa, has countered calls for President Hakainde Hichilema to declare his assets every year, saying there is no law in the country that compels the president to do so.

The calls had come from the US Ambassador to Zambia, Michael Gonzales, who urged Hichilema and Vice President Mutale Nalumango to consider declaring their assets annually until their term in office expired so ass to set an example for all other public servants to emulate.

However, Mweetwa, at a press conference in Lusaka on Tuesday, said Zambia had no law compelling a sitting Head of State to declare his or her assets annually.

Mweetwa said the only law which required a declaration of assets was the Electoral Commission of Zambia during the filing of nominations, though there was no requirement for publication of same.

While addressing the gathering, the government spokesman alleged that the previous government of the Patriotic Front (PF) had removed the clause from the Constitution following a debate on the accumulation of wealth by former President Edgar Lungu university within a year of his presidency.

“You will all recall that the previous government eliminated Article 30 which provided previously that such declaration should be made public,” Mweetwa stated.

Mweetwa also alleged that the PF left the country with a “Constitution full of either lacunas or provisions that are plugging and negating good governance.”

“Talks to amend the Constitution were orchestrated by our colleagues in the opposition and they wanted to u-turn over the same,” he said, but however, expressing shock over the alleged u-turn by the opposition.

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Nigeria set to begin passport automation 

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Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that the automation of the country’s passport application is in its final stages.

In an interview, the minister stated that the automated application was 99% complete and would go live in a week, adding that Nigerians would only need to visit immigration centres to complete their fingerprint biometrics for passports after that point.

Ojo went on to say that Nigerians can upload their passport photos and other supporting documents using the new system from the comfort of their homes.

The minister said: “We gave a date — December 2023. We are 99 per cent done. In fact, we have done the testing and we should be going live in the next week or thereabouts.

“This will ensure that what Nigerians need to do at an immigration centre is just fingerprint biometrics.

“Everything regarding pre-biometrics will be done in the comfort of your homes, including uploading passport photographs and supporting documents.

“They went live about two weeks ago but I saw some errors when they came to do the presentation and I said no. We were talking about balancing national security and convenience.”

Nigeria’s passport system has been characterised by racketeering, logistics failure, and poor due diligence which have frustrated many, home and abroad, in their quest to own their entitlement as Nigerian citizens.

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