Foreign
Over 7 Million Niger Republic Citizens Elect New President
About 7.4 million Nigeriens are voting to elect legislators and the successor to President Mahamadou Issoufou
This is the first time since Independence that the country, the poorest in the world according to the UN, will be transiting from one elected president to another.
According to Jeune Afrique, voting started by 9.00 am, an hour late, in one of the working-class neighbourhoods of Niamey, the capital city.
The elections are taking place amidst dual security challenges: incessant attacks from Al-Qaeda and Islamic State linked militants in Mali and Burkina Faso near its western border and those of Boko Haram near its border with Nigeria in the South-East.
The UN has said that 4,000 people died last year in Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria from violence and ethnic bloodshed instigated by Islamist militants.
Issoufou voted on Sunday with his wife and the president of the National Assembly.
He said he hopes the election “will allow Niger to consolidate its status as a model of democracy in Africa and in the world.”
More than 6,800 observers from various organisations are deployed around the country.
Niger’s next president will have to deal with major problems, including extremism, poverty, displacement and corruption.
Attacks by Islamic extremists have affected local elections for weeks. In the most recent incident, the Nigeria-based Boko Haram fighters killed more than 28 people in Toumour in the Diffa region, the day before voting started.
Niger also faces increasing attacks from fighters linked to the Islamic State group and al-Qaida. Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced despite the presence of thousands of regional and international troops.
Former foreign affairs minister, Mohamed Bazoum, the candidate of the current president’s Nigerian Party for Democracy and Socialism, is among the front runners in the election.
A teacher by training, Bazoum has promised to build boarding schools for girls to encourage them to stay in school longer, which he said would help reduce child marriage in a country with many teenage pregnancies.
Another candidate, retired Gen. Salou Djibo, a former head of state who staged a coup in 2010, has said he is best placed to fight extremism.
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Ibrahim Yacoubou, a former foreign affairs minister who was kicked out of the ruling party because of indiscipline, is campaigning against corruption.
But Bazoum’s biggest competition comes from former President Mahamane Ousmane, who has the endorsement of opposition leader, Hama Amadou, whose candidacy was rejected by the constitutional court because of a one-year prison sentence for charges of human trafficking. Amadou denies the charges, calling them politically motivated.
If no one candidate wins more than 50%, Nigeriens will vote in a second round on Feb. 21.
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Customs Corner
Nigeria Customs Service Signs MoU with China Customs to Enhance Trade
Author: Muhammad Bashir.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) to foster bilateral relationship for the enhancement of economic growth.
On Wednesday, 8 May 2024, Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi led some of his management team in Shenzhen, where he highlighted the significance of knotting bilateral affiliation with China, which, according to him, will boost the two countries’ import-export operations and favour the businesses of MSMEs in Nigeria.
The CGC appreciated the Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Lingjun, for showing interest in signing MoU with the NCS. He also applauded the recent exponential rise in the development of e-commerce, adding, “We know a lot of Nigerian companies and SMEs take advantage of the opportunities aided through e-commerce.”
CGC Adeniyi expressed optimism that the NCS-GACC Memorandum of Understanding will serve as a critical component of cooperative security and trade relationship between the two nation’s Customs agencies, reiterating that “The relationship will create a cooperative mechanism for NCS and the GACC to collaborate on supply chain security standards and enhance the economic stability of both nations.”
“These are some of the many reasons why Nigeria Customs Service pays attention to what is happening in China. As you have said, China is making the biggest trade in Nigeria, and the basic context of International Trade is ‘your export is our import’. I appreciate the numbers that you gain in Nigeria. But it is also common knowledge that those numbers sometimes must take account of the large volume of informal trade that exists between us.” CGC Adeniyi said.
Mr Wang Lingjun of the General Administration of Customs, who represented Vice Minister Sun Yuning, and signed the MoU on behalf of the People’s Republic of China, expressed satisfaction over CGC Adeniyi’s vision that the affiliation between two agencies will serve as a mechanism for creating opportunities that Nigeria and China share on a wide range of economic issues and trade facilitation.
Customs Corner
Volleyball: Customs Strikes Again, Defeats Saint Denis Olympique at 37th Club Championship in Egypt
Author: Cynthia Idowu.
The Nigeria Customs Service is not only known for its doggedness in fighting smuggling and generating revenue for the federal government, the service has demonstrated a high level of professionalism in sport at the ongoing 37th Women’s African Volleyball Club in Cairo, Egypt.
The Customs Volleyball Women’s Team defeated its opponent, Saint Denis Olympique, by 3 – 0 to imprint its first win at the ongoing championship on Saturday, 27th of April, 2024.
The team who came out strong displayed the anti-smuggling doggedness with a lead in the first set of the game with a 25 – 21 score, sending shivers down the opponent’s spine.
Coach Pricillia Agera led the team, who displayed good skill and dominance with a nail-biting scoreline of 29-27 to clinge victory and secure a place in the annals of volleyball history.
Coach Priscilla Agera hailed the players for their unwavering commitment and tenacity, recognising the challenges they had overcome to achieve victory on the court.
In her words, “Despite the obstacles we’ve faced, you’ve shown the world what it truly means to be a team. Your resilience, your determination, it’s what sets you apart.”
Agera also commended the unwavering support of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for his steadfast commitment to ensuring the team’s participation in the championship and his instrumentality to their success, providing them with the resources and support they needed to compete at the highest level.
She said, “I appreciate CGC for taking a bold step to allow the team to fly the flag of the nation in this championship.
“I also want to give kudos to the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod, for his approval in ensuring the team returns, not forgetting the President of Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engineer Habu Gumel, for his relentless support for volleyball”.
Nigeria Customs Service will face Mayo Kane Evolution on Sunday in their third match after losing to Kenya Pipeline in their first game on Friday.
Recall that the basketball team of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) secured a spot among the top three teams at the recently concluded tournament held at the Indoor Hall of the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abuja.
Customs Corner
Nigeria Customs Service Reaffirms Commitment to Gender Equality in Decision-Making
Author: Bashir Muhammad.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reiterated its dedication to promoting gender equality in decision-making processes as part of its efforts to combat gender discrimination and gender-based violence.
At a capacity-building workshop on gender inclusivity, co-organized by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the NCS in Abuja on Monday, April 22, 2024, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, reaffirmed his commitment to fostering a gender-inclusive environment within the service.
Acting Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Caroline Niagwan, represented the CGC at the event, where she emphasised the need for clear policies and procedures to address gender discrimination, harassment, and biases within the NCS.
“Our aim is to create a workplace where everyone has equal opportunities to grow and contribute to the service’s success, regardless of gender,” the CGC said. “We are committed to addressing gender discrimination, harassment, and biases within our ranks, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that our policies and practices reflect this commitment.”
The workshop brought together customs officials, gender experts, and stakeholders to discuss strategies for promoting gender inclusivity and addressing gender-based violence in the workplace.
With this reaffirmed commitment, the NCS demonstrates its dedication to creating a more inclusive and equitable work environment where all employees can thrive and reach their full potential.
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