Day: May 18, 2023

The Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF) has trained and empowered students and youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)with sewing equipment as starter packs.

The Foundation donated 40 industrial sewing machines and other sewing equipment to schools in the FCT.

During the event on Wednesday, the Executive Director, LMF, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, said the idea of the programme was engaging stakeholders support for technical vocational education.

These, she said, were through the Incentivised Pilot School sewing championship Project 2023 (SSCP23).

According to him, the idea is to incentivise stakeholders across different sectors because education seemed to have been by-organised into different sectors and the industry is far from the school.

She said “so we thought we could bring everybody together on the same page and as you could see here today, we did it, we got support from everybody.

“What have we done today? We have equiped three schools with minimum sewing equipment that they need. We have also equiped five individuals from what you could see.

“If you put all of that together, you have about 10 individuals so all together we have produced about 40 sewing equipment that is going to different schools and I think it is a good thing to be sustained.

“The process is competitive but you could see everyone has to put in their best but for that best dress to come out soon after four hours, it shows the person has taste and competence and we are grateful for that, “he said.

“Like I said, about 15 individuals benefited but when you look at the fact that some schools, like the three schools that received the equipment, have over 1000 students each, it tells you that we have actually reached in real verifiable terms, more individual than 2000.

“And it means that for these particular three schools and for these individual, the rippling effect is large, ” he said.

Osikoya however, said that the National Senior Secondary Education Commission had promised to give support for the project to become a national competition in 2024.

She said: “we want to encourage that every other persons support them. FCT have also promised they will continue with this. That is promising.

Also at the function, the FCT Secretary for Education, Alhaji Sani El-Katuzu, commended the foundation for the initiative.

El-Katuzu assured the continuous support of the FCT minister, adding that the empowerment programme was a way of also curtailing idleness among youths.

He, however, urged youths to use the opportunity that had been given and ensure they participated in all tasks.

One of the beneficiaries, Susan Audu, appreciated the organisers for creating the empowerment programme, adding that she would use the equipment given and ensure she excelled in all.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that UNESCO, Ministry of Education among others, supported the event.

Awards and equipment were given to winners and other beneficiaries.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Federal Police Commissioner General Demelash Gebremichael launched a welcome and training program for former special force members from across the country today.

The program, attended by senior police officers, was conducted at the Ethiopian Police University.

Commissioner General Demelash Gebremichael said on the occasion that members of the former special force who chose to join the federal police should repeat the contribution they had been making at regional level.

He explained that the reorganization decision passed by the government to build a strong police and defense force through reorganizing former regional Special Forces is being realized.

The commissioner general urged the members to acquire the knowledge and skill that enable them to serve the people loyally and ethically during their stay at the police university.

He further stressed that upon the completion of their training they have to serve the community impartially and free from ethnic, religious and political biases.

Police University President Deputy Commissioner General, Mesfin Abebe said on his part that the university would provide them with training which makes them competent enough for their next mission.

The trainees have expressed their commitment to attend the program diligently and ethically, and serve the people and their country at the utmost level.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

President Sahlework Zewde has held talks with Colombia’s Vice President Francia Márquez in her office today.

VP Francia Márquez arrived in Addis Ababa yesterday for a two-day official visit to Ethiopia.

Sahlework and Márquez discussed about ways of strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

During the discussion, President Sahlework said that there are many areas where Ethiopia and Colombia can work together.

Vice President Francia Márquez stated on her part that Colombia is interested in consolidating its relations with Ethiopia on cultural, economic, political, and social affairs.

According to her, the two countries have similar history and both are working for better peace.

Recall that the vice president had discussions with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonon yesterday.

Ethiopia and Colombia established diplomatic relations in 1947.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and Prosperity Party (PP) stressed today the need for indigenous modernization at a seminar held in Addis Ababa today.

The half-day seminar titled “China-Ethiopia dialogue on autochthonous modernization seminar” aimed at consolidating cooperation between the Communist Party of China and Prosperity Party.

During the occasion, Ningxia Autonomous Region Secretary of Communist Party, Liang Yanshun, said China and Ethiopia share the same goal of achieving modernization.

“As developing countries, China and Ethiopia share the same goal of achieving modernization. As a good friend and partner China walks along with Ethiopia to explore and realize its modernization,” he underscored.

Accordingly, the secretary stressed the need for cooperation in implementing indigenous policies by the ruling parties of the two countries to achieve modernization.

The secretary reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthen cooperation with Ethiopia, one of the strategic partners and historical nations in Africa.

According to him, Ethiopia and China have already established a multilateral cooperation that could lay a foundation to accelerate modernization in all spheres.

“We can (also) say that we have achieved a lot. For instance, despite COVID-19 in recent years, the bilateral trading between Ethiopia and China has maintained a good momentum.”

The trade between the two countries has jumped over 2.6 billion USD; and in the first quarter of this year the trade volume reached 750 million USD, an increase of 22.1 percent when compared to that of same period last year, he elaborated.

Yanshun underlined that the two countries have potential for cooperation to realize modernization by sharing experiences on theories and indigenous knowledge that are driving forces for modernization.

Prosperity Party Research Department Head, Sintayehu Woldemichael said on his part that his party is working hard to ensure inclusive prosperity in the country.

Alongside a vast ethnic diversity in Ethiopia, Prosperity Party has a unitary position to bring a united strong nation, he underlined.

Moreover, “Prosperity Party is implementing a ten-year development plan and homegrown economic policy. Thus, we strongly believe that the plan and policy will shift the Ethiopian development trajectory in a very short period of time,” he added.

According to Sintayehu, support and cooperation from China is instrumental to Ethiopia while it implements its development plans.

As Ethiopia and China have been enjoying fantastic relationships, the head also called for more consolidated cooperation.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) Chairperson, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo is impressed with the recommendations put forward during the SADC Multi-Stakeholder Regional Conference on Transnational Organised Crime.

Among the strategies and recommendations resolved is the enhancement of inter-agency cooperation at national and government levels and effective implementation of regional and international strategic instruments to combat transnational organised crime.

Shikongo at the closing ceremony of the conference at Swakopmund on Wednesday said the region cannot afford to continue playing second to criminal syndicates; hence, the collective goal to decimate these criminal enterprises and syndicates perpetuating illicit activities in southern Africa.

“This conference has laid the foundation of how crimes such as financial crimes, corruption, trafficking in illicit drugs, infrastructure crimes, trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons as well as explosives, are negatively impacting the region. It is significant that you were able to identify challenges confronting law enforcement agencies as well as the steps necessary for the region to effectively combat these serious crimes,” he expressed.

The chairperson called on the region to strengthen the high level of cooperation exhibited throughout the multi-stakeholder conference while at the same time enhancing information sharing and undertaking joint operations.

“Let us not forget that we are operating in a modern terrain where criminal syndicates just like law enforcement agencies, are equally exploiting and harnessing contemporary tools including artificial intelligence to broaden their illicit activities,” Shikongo urged.

Erongo Governor Neville Andre Itope concurred with Shikongo’s sentiments, saying globalisation, digitisation and other advances in technology are further changing the nature of illicit markets and the modus operandi of transnational organised crime, recently including the emerging use of cryptocurrencies that make illicit financial flows harder to trace.

The first-ever three-day conference was attended by Chiefs of Police from SADC countries and different law enforcement agencies including anti-corruption and immigration amongst others, to enhance regional frameworks and efforts to prevent and combat transnational organised crimes.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency