Author: WAJ Editor

Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has selected Johnson Asiamah as the country’s next central bank governor, pending approval from the Council of State, the presidency announced on Friday. Asiamah, who previously served as the Bank of Ghana’s second deputy governor from 2016 to 2017, is set to replace the outgoing governor, Ernest Addison. Addison is expected to retire at the end of March and will commence his leave on February 3. The president’s office highlighted Asiamah’s extensive experience in monetary policy, noting that he has spent over 23 years working at the Bank of Ghana. Economic Recovery at the Forefront…

Uganda’s Supreme Court has ruled that trying civilians in military courts is unconstitutional, ordering an immediate halt to such prosecutions and the transfer of all ongoing cases to civilian courts. The decision brings relief to opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who was facing trial before the country’s General Court Martial. His lawyer, Erias Lukwago, confirmed that Besigye would no longer be required to appear before the military court as initially scheduled. Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, delivering the court’s ruling, emphasized that all criminal charges and ongoing trials of civilians in military courts must cease immediately. He stated that military courts lacked…

A tragic mine collapse in Mali’s Koulikoro region has claimed multiple lives, as a landslide buried a group of women gold miners, officials confirmed on Thursday. According to a statement aired on Malian national television, Colonel Lamine Kapory Sanogo, the region’s governor, explained that the miners were working inside an excavation when a surrounding dike gave way, causing water and mud to engulf them. The incident occurred on Wednesday at an artisanal gold mine in southern Mali. While authorities confirmed several fatalities, they did not specify the exact number. This latest disaster highlights ongoing concerns about unregulated gold mining in…

The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC (NAHCO Aviance) has been chosen by regional airlines Air Sierra Leone and Afrijet to manage their ground operations in Nigeria. As part of the agreements, NAHCO will handle Afrijet’s flights into Lagos and Port Harcourt, while also overseeing Air Sierra Leone’s operations in Lagos. Afrijet has signed a three-year contract (2024–2027), while Air Sierra Leone has committed to a five-year agreement (2024–2029). Expressing his delight over the new partnerships, Prince Saheed Lasisi, NAHCO Plc’s Group Executive Director of Commercial & Business Development, emphasized the company’s expertise and strong reputation in the aviation sector. “NAHCO…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a $1 million emergency response to assist Uganda in containing the ongoing outbreak of Sudan virus disease. The Sudan virus, a member of the same family as the Ebola virus, is a severe and often deadly illness affecting humans and primates. According to scientists, it belongs to the Orthoebolavirus sudanense species. Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, confirmed that the funds will be drawn from the agency’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies to facilitate swift intervention. WHO is also preparing to dispatch medical supplies, including protective gear, from its Emergency Response Hub…

Niger’s army has recovered four lorries used by Moroccan truck drivers who went missing in mid-January near the Burkina Faso border, a region known for insurgent activity. According to the military’s latest report, the drivers were abducted on January 18 while traveling on the Tera-Dori road without a security escort. The trucks, which were transporting equipment for Niger’s state power company, NIGELEC, were found during a reconnaissance operation and taken to Niamey for further investigation. Ongoing Search Efforts Despite locating the vehicles, there is still no information on the whereabouts of the missing drivers. The Nigerien army has pledged to…

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Tems has canceled her upcoming concert in Kigali, Rwanda, citing the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo. Tems, whose real name is Temilade Openiyi, announced on social media that she was unaware of the tensions between Rwanda and DR Congo when promoting her March 22 show at BK Arena. She apologized for any insensitivity, expressing sympathy for those affected by the crisis. Growing International Scrutiny The cancellation comes amid growing criticism of Rwanda’s alleged support for the M23 rebel group, which recently took control of Goma, a key city in DR Congo’s mineral-rich east. The UK government…

A court in Benin has sentenced two former allies of President Patrice Talon to 20 years in prison on charges of “conspiring against the authority of the state.” Olivier Boko, a businessman once considered Talon’s right-hand man, and former sports minister Oswald Homeky were accused of plotting a coup. Both men, arrested in September, denied the charges but were sentenced without legal representation after their lawyers withdrew from the trial. The court also imposed financial penalties, ordering the defendants to pay 60 billion CFA francs ($95 million) in damages to the state, along with individual fines of 4.5 billion CFA…

A landslide at a gold mine in southern Mali has claimed the lives of at least 10 people, with several others still missing, authorities reported on Thursday. Most of the victims were women. The collapse occurred on Wednesday in the village of Danga, where a group of artisanal miners became trapped in a pit filled with muddy water, according to the governorate of the Koulikoro region. No Survivors Reported “The victims were engulfed in a flooded pit, and unfortunately, none were able to escape,” the statement read, adding that search efforts remain difficult due to unsafe conditions at the site.…

Niger has made history as the first African country to successfully eliminate river blindness, a parasitic disease that is the second-leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday. The UN health agency recognized Niger as “the fifth country globally and the first in Africa to stop the transmission of Onchocerca volvulus,” the parasitic worm responsible for river blindness. The disease is spread to humans through the bite of infected black flies, commonly found near rivers. WHO stated that a combination of medication and vector control had significantly reduced the disease’s prevalence from approximately 60%…

Mozambique’s military has launched an operation in the country’s northern region following a recent attack blamed on insurgents, in which three people were reportedly beheaded. The Mozambique Defence Force confirmed on Thursday that troops, supported by Rwandan forces, have been mobilized to track and neutralize the militants responsible for the attack, which took place over the weekend at an artisanal gold mine in Meluco district, Cabo Delgado province. The attackers allegedly demanded money from other miners in exchange for their lives. Cabo Delgado, a resource-rich province home to vast offshore natural gas reserves, has been plagued by militant violence since…

Zimbabwe is actively identifying and preparing to sell several state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to help manage its escalating public debt, which has now surpassed US$21 billion. This debt, representing nearly 90% of the country’s GDP, is hindering economic development and threatening fiscal stability. Key creditors include the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and both Paris and non-Paris Club members. Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, speaking at the launch of the National Venture Capital Company of Zimbabwe (NVCCZ), stated that the government is evaluating assets for potential sale to address the mounting debt. He expressed concern that Zimbabwe’s economic growth rate…

South Africa’s energy regulator, Nersa, has approved a 12.7% tariff hike for Eskom in the 2025/26 financial year, significantly lower than the 36% increase the debt-stricken state power utility had requested. Eskom had also sought additional increases of 12% in 2026 and 9% in 2027, but these proposals faced opposition from political parties and consumers, who cited the struggling economy and cost-of-living challenges. The decision by Nersa denies Eskom the substantial revenue it sought to cover expenses related to coal contracts, a rising carbon tax, and growing municipal debts. However, Nersa approved more modest increases for the following two years,…

The World Food Program (WFP) raised alarms on Thursday over the worsening food crisis in Sudan, highlighting how ongoing armed conflict is obstructing food aid operations and exacerbating hunger in the country. Although the WFP has launched a large-scale operation aimed at assisting up to 7 million people, efforts are being severely hindered, especially in areas hardest hit by famine. Alex Marianelli, the WFP’s acting country director for Sudan, emphasized the challenges of reaching vulnerable communities despite recent successes in delivering aid. “We cannot afford to treat these breakthroughs as isolated incidents,” Marianelli said. A significant issue has been the…

Algerian Parliament Speaker Ibrahim Boughali has called for the passage of a law to criminalize French colonialism, citing rising tensions between Algeria and France. In an interview with Echorouk TV, Boughali condemned what he described as “repeated French attacks” aimed at tarnishing Algeria’s reputation and stated that it was time for the draft law to be formally presented. “The time has come to put the draft law criminalizing colonialism on the table so that it takes its natural course,” he said, referring to France’s ongoing criticism of Algeria. This marks the first time a senior Algerian official has publicly supported…

Morocco has halted imports of feed grains from Germany following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, according to Omar Yacoubi, head of Morocco’s grain trade federation (FNCL). The suspension applies to all untreated plant-based feed intended for animal consumption from Germany. The Moroccan food safety agency, ONSSA, confirmed that plant-based feed imports from Germany will remain suspended until the country is declared free of the disease, or specific regions are certified as disease-free. Germany reported its first foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in nearly 40 years on January 10, in a herd of water buffalo in Brandenburg. This has prompted several countries, including…