Category: Politics

Seychelles’ Ministry for Environment is in the process of reviewing all its action plans to better conserve and protect endangered species, especially those under threat of extinction, such is the case of the Seychelles white-eye bird.

The principal secretary for environment, Denis Matatiken, told SNA that the ministry has started to engage with local stakeholders for the protection of this endemic species as well as other endangered species, following reports regarding an alarming decline in the population of the white-eye bird on the main island of Mahe.

A small grey bird with a narrow white ring around each eye, the white-eye was previously classified as critically endangered on the IUCN red list, and successful conservation work allowed the bird to be down-listed to vulnerable status. The species can currently be found on four of the 115 islands of the Seychelles archipelago; Mahe, Fregate, North Island and Grande Soeur.

“The ministry is aware of this situation and believes that conservation is key especially where our endemic species are concerned. It considers taking appropriate actions when needed,” said Matatiken.

He added that the government intends to review all the species action plans, including the one for the Seychelles white-eye, which was developed from 2009-2013.

“It is important to establish what has been done, what is known and what actions need to be undertaken. This is important given that a lot of efforts and resources were put in the protection and conservation of such a species,” he said.

SNA was alerted to the crucial state of the bird’s population on Mahe by the local conservationist turned tour guide, Perley Constance.

Constance has over 30 years of experience in conservation and research on bird and plant species and has worked as a conservation officer with the Ministry for Environment. Besides his tour guide business, Constance also works as a consultant. Bird watching is one activity that he offers visitors to the islands.

“It was during one of my latest tours, when I took clients to see the zwazo linet [white-eye in Seychellois Creole], something that I always include in my tours. I also bring visitors to see the scops owl. This was last week and I got a shock. At La Misere there was only a pair of the species. Normally there were a few of these birds at this location,” explained Constance.

Apart from La Misere, according to Constance, these species can be sighted on Mahe at Cascade, Sans Soucis, Grand Anse Mahe and Barbarons – though this site has not been accessible recently since the area was purchased by private owners.

Constance has expressed his fears about the current status of the white-eye, as he feels the relevant authorities should change their approach where conservation is concerned and emphasis should be put on field trips to better assess the status of endangered species.

“If something is not done now, it is with great sadness that we would lose the population on Mahe, just like we have lost the mother population on Conception Island,” added Constance.

Conception Island is a small island approximately 2 km west of the main island of Mahe. The island is privately owned and is uninhabited. Up to 2016, the island had a healthy population of over 300 white eye birds.

Rocamora and his team have been studying the Seychelles white-eye since 1995 when he arrived in Seychelles. (Gérard Rocamora) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

This was a result of successful work which started in the 1990s by a team of local conservationists headed by Dr Gerard Rocamora, a conservation biologist, and expert in ornithology, island conservation and invasive species management. Constance worked with Rocamora on the project.

The successful management of this population was done prior to the island being sold off to a private businessman who has not developed the island since. Unfortunately, over a period of only three years, the whole population of birds was eaten by rats.

In a past interview with SNA, Rocamora shared the latest development with regards to the threatened species, and where a project was being implemented to relocate species of white-eye on Mahe to other islands.

“The aim right now is to move some of the few birds left on Mahe to another island to ensure that the precious genes of the Mahe bird population, different from those of the birds present on the other islands, can be passed on and do not vanish forever,” said Rocamora in November 2021.

He explained that a morphology and genetics study of the birds on Mahe and Conception showed that those on the main island were slightly larger, however, this did not mean that the two populations were different.

Meanwhile, Constance is adamant that all the work done in the 1990s relating to conservation should not be in vain and is calling for an urgent partnership at the national level to reinstate the population of birds on Mahe before it is too late.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

The Secretary of State for Social Communication Nuno Caldas Albino Monday in Luanda stressed the role of journalism in protecting, promoting and guaranteeing human rights.

Nuno Caldas Albino made the statements during the opening of a training course on communication for decentralisation and participatory governance.

He stressed that this tool acts as an important instrument for achieving human, inclusive and sustainable development.

According to Nuno Caldas Albino, journalism plays a central role in the social process, as it enables democratic societies and defines the execution of public policies.

He underlined that carrying out the training promoted by the Support Project for Civil Society and Local Administration in Angola (PASCAL) will empower media professionals with knowledge that will allow them to address, with efficiency, the matters that concern the processes of decentralisation and participatory governance of the country.

“This is the trend we must follow, above all assuming a governance posture that is increasingly closer, interactive, inclusive and participatory”, he underlined.

The training action promoted by PASCAL is funded by the European Union and aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills of Media professionals and digital influencers to make journalistic coverage of issues related to decentralization, participatory governance, gender equality and inclusion more effective.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipal Assembly, has taken delivery of some equipment for the installation of a Plantain Processing Factory in the Municipality.

The equipment was received by the newly appointed MCE for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality, Mr. Paul Andoh and the Municipal Works Engineer.

The processing plant, which is expected to be installed at Kojina/Subiri Nkwanta would go a long way to provide 50 direct and 100 indirect jobs.

The factory is expected to process raw plantain into finished products such as flour and chips.

In a short remark, the MCE thanked the Government for the initiative and promised to supervise the project to ensure its successful completion.

The One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative is one of the resilient policies and the vision of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to change the nature of Ghana’s economy from one which is dependent on the import and export of raw materials to one which is focused on the manufacturing, value addition and export of processed goods.

In addition, the government’s flagship programme aims at creating employment for the youth.

Since its inception in 2017, the 1D1F policy had facilitated the establishment and expansion of about 297 factories operating in various districts across the country creating over 289,000 jobs.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Abuakwa North office of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Eastern Region is encouraging girls to participate in politics at the Junior High School (JHS) level by inculcating the spirit of governance in them at an early age.

The municipality, has, therefore, organised a ‘Girls in Parliament’ programme to build the girls’ capacity to assist in the country’s development.

Mr Samson K. Akoto, the Public Relations Officer of the Abuakwa North Municipal GES, said: ‘We want to inculcate the spirit of governance in girls to assist in the development of the country in future.’

He said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during the GES Education Week Celebration in the Municipality, on the theme: ‘Nurturing Minds for 21st Century Workforce – STEM Education, a Necessity.’

Mr Akoto said three political parties: Diligent Ladies Party, Progressive Ladies Party, and Virtuous Ladies Party, were created from which 39 members of parliament (MPs) were elected during the primaries. The 39 MPs would converge at the New Tafo Presbyterian Church Hall, their parliament house, to discuss some important issues, which was affecting the Abuakwa North Municipality.

The enthusiasm of the female students to participate in politics was encouraging, an indication that the number of women in government was sure to increase in the future, he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Preliminary investigation by the Engineering Council of Ghana into the collapse of a three-storey building in the Adentan Municipality has revealed that the owner of the building extended the approved storey without permit.

A team from the Council, on a visit to the disaster scene on Friday, uncovered that the approved permit for the building was two-storey but the ‘owner extended it to three without permit.’

Mr Wise Ametefe, the Registrar of the Council, told the Ghana News Agency on Friday that the Council would commence detailed investigations to establish the cause of the disaster from Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

One person was reported dead on Friday after being trapped in the rubble from the collapsed building situated at Nanakrom in the Adentan Municipality Friday morning.

The tragedy occurred barely a week after a similar three-storey building collapsed at Madina in the Greater Accra Region – which reportedly killed one person and injured three others.

Mr Ametefe said the Council had directed workers at the site not to ‘disturb the composition of the rubbles’ to facilitate smooth investigations.

‘We are going to test the foundation to see whether it is a foundation problem. We will test the concrete and if possible even the reinforcement,’ he said.

Mr Ametefe said the Adentan Municipal Assembly told the Council that they had approved the building but it appeared that the owner developed the structure beyond what was approved.

‘The approved permit was two-storey but the owner extended on his own to the third storey,’ he said.

Mr Ametefe said the outcome of the investigations would establish if there was any foul play to inform possible sanctions.

The Engineering Council, which is under the Ministry of Works and Housing, regulates the practice of engineering and provide for regulated matters to secure the highest professional standards in the practice of the engineering.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Angolan head of State João Lourenço Wednesday in Luanda recognised the power of Media in the fight against corruption and impunity, in promotion of social welfare and opinion formation that allow the taking of best political decisions.

The incumbent of the Executive Power highlighted, on the Presidency’s website, the achievements of the Media professionals on Wednesday.

” Today May 3, a day dedicated to press freedom, I congratulate all professionals in the sector on their commitment and dedication to their mission to inform with truth, impartiality and responsibility,” said the Angolan Head of State.

According to João Lourenço, guaranteeing freedom of press across the country is a no turning back path.

This date was created in 1991, in Paris, France, by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The objective of the date is to raise the awareness among political leaders and civil society to defend press freedom, as well as honour media professionals killed in the exercise of their duty

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)