- Nigerian government has filed charges against a dozen state officials, including the
controversial daughter of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and two ministers after they were accused of corruption.
Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello was accused by the anti-graft agency, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of playing a key role in the sharing of N300 million,
being the unspent 2007 budget of the Ministry of Health.
Senator Obasanjo-Bello, who sits on the Senate's Health Committee, had allegedly received
N10 million of the funds on behalf of her committee, but refused to return the money,
despite receiving directive from the EFCC. She also refused to make herself available to the commission.
She was absent in court while charges were read.
The health committee was also said to have received N10 million of the unspent funds. But
these funds were share when the curtain was raised on the matter.
The EFCC also filed cases against the former Minister of Health, Prof. Adenike Grange and
her Minister of State, Arch. Gabriel Aduku. The embarrassed ministers resigned from their
positions sometime back after investigations uncovered their failure to return huge sums of the budget.
The ex-ministers are expected to stand trial for fraud, breach of trust, conspiracy and
forgery.
Some top officials of the ministry were suspended indefinitely.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.