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Zambia demands increased international cooperation to achieve sustainable transportation.

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Zambia has requested for increased international cooperation to achieve sustainable transportation at national and regional level.

Speaking at the World Bank’s briefing on the Sustainable Mobility for all Initiative in New York, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zambia to the United Nations Chargé d’Affaires Ad Interim Ms. Christine Kalamwina said there was need to build momentum and synergies on the importance of sustainable transportation to complement national and regional efforts through improved cooperation.

Ms. Kalamwina assured the World Bank of Zambia’s support and cooperation in promoting sustainable mobility and implementing the goals and targets towards achieving sustainable transport at all levels.

“Zambia as Chair of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries do recognize the importance of Sustainable Transport,” Ms. Kalamwina said. “Zambia and all other LLDCs face special challenges that are associated with the lack of direct territorial access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets. Due to geographical position, the LLDCs’ international trade is dependent on transiting through other countries, with substantially increased expenses for transport and other transaction costs as a result of the additional border crossings and long inland distances.”

She said landlocked countries’ geographical position reduce their competitiveness and negatively affects overall development of the countries.

“Zambia has heavily invested in road, rail, air and water transportation”.

“Improvement of transport systems as well as physical infrastructure in the LLDCs and transit countries to allow smooth transit connectivity of the LLDCs to the seaports is therefore important,” she said. “Enhanced bilateral and regional cooperation is important to allow for joint soft infrastructure programmes, harmonisation of policies and shared legal framework between the LLDCs and their transit countries.”

The Chargé d’Affaires said sustainable transport was indispensable and very important to achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Vienna Programme of Action.

She said the World Bank’s new initiative should focus on the increased involvement and integration of member states to address a huge infrastructure gap in transport and ICT infrastructure to be able to meet objectives of interlinked Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ms. Kalamwina called for multilateral cooperation to strengthen regional projects through increased financing and a deliberate focus on strategic regional tailored solutions to assist in the preparation and implementation of regional projects.

“Zambia has heavily invested in road, rail, air and water transportation. Some of the projects includes implementation of the Link Zambia 8000 Road Project aimed at connecting all districts by road and onwards to the neighbouring countries,” said Ms. Kalamwina. “Link Zambia 8000 Road project has significantly transformed the country into a land-linked country with a good network to all our eight neighbouring countries. The aim is to ensure that Zambia becomes the preferred transit point in the region in line with our Vision 2030 Development Agenda.”

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IGP Steps In: FCID to Investigate Death of Man Detained Over N220,000 Debt

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IGP Kayode Egbetokun during his visit to the family of late Jimoh Abdulquadri in Kwara

 

The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the death of a 35-year-old man, Jimoh Abdulquadri, who passed away in police custody in the early hours of Friday.

 

Abdulquadri, who was arrested on December 19, 2024, reportedly died under controversial circumstances, with his family accusing police operatives of subjecting him to brutal treatment during his detention. Reports indicate that the deceased had been detained over an alleged debt of N220,000 owed to an individual identified as Peter.

 

In response to the incident, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has directed the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) to immediately take over the case. A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed that the IGP also visited Kwara State to meet with the bereaved family.

 

During the visit, the IGP was received by the Balogun Fulani of Ilorin, Alhaji Sadiq Atiku Fulani, who represented the family. The IGP expressed his condolences and assured them of a thorough investigation.

 

“The IGP expressed his profound condolences and assured the family that no stone would be left unturned in uncovering the circumstances that led to the tragic incident. He has ordered the FCID to handle the case with utmost diligence and ensure a conclusive and impartial investigation,” the statement read.

 

The IGP reiterated the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to upholding accountability, professionalism, and respect for human rights. He further called on all stakeholders to remain calm and allow the due process of law to take its course.

 

 

 

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FG Lifts Five-Year Ban on Mining in Zamfara, Eyes Economic Boost

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The Federal Government has officially lifted the five-year ban on mining activities in Zamfara State, citing improved security and the potential for economic growth in the mineral-rich region.

The announcement was made on Sunday by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, through his representative, Segun Tomori, during a press briefing in Abuja.

“The Federal Government has lifted the ban on mining exploration activities in Zamfara State, citing significant improvements in the security situation across the state,” the minister said in a statement.

Security Gains and Economic Promise

The ban, imposed in 2019 due to escalating insecurity and illegal mining, was described by Alake as a necessary but temporary measure to protect lives and resources. However, he noted that the ban inadvertently created a vacuum exploited by illegal miners, leading to resource plundering.

Alake praised recent security advancements under the Tinubu administration, highlighting the neutralization of notorious bandit commanders and other strategic wins, including the capture of Halilu Sububu, one of the state’s most wanted criminals.

“The existential threat to lives and properties that led to the 2019 ban has abated. The security operatives’ giant strides have led to a notable reduction in the level of insecurity,” Alake said.

He added that with the restoration of mining activities, Zamfara’s mineral wealth—ranging from gold and lithium to copper—could now be harnessed under strict regulation to contribute significantly to national revenue.

Boosting Regulation and Combating Illegal Mining

The minister emphasized that lifting the ban would pave the way for better regulation and monitoring of mining activities. This, he said, would enable authorities to tackle illegal mining more effectively and ensure Nigeria benefits fully from Zamfara’s mineral resources.

“By reopening this sector, we are prioritizing not only revenue generation but also intelligence gathering to curb illegal mining,” he said.

Addressing Controversies

Alake also addressed concerns surrounding Nigeria’s recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with France, which had sparked controversy. He clarified that the agreement focused solely on capacity building and technical support for the mining sector.

“The high point of the MOU is on training and capacity building for our mining professionals. Similar agreements have been signed with Germany and Australia. Misinformation about ceding control over our mineral resources is uncalled for,” Alake said.

Press as Partners in Progress

Commending the media for their role in promoting reforms in the mining sector, Alake urged continued collaboration to drive transparency and attract foreign investments.

 

 

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NNPCL Refutes Shutdown Claims: Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed media reports suggesting that the recently resuscitated old Port Harcourt refinery has been shut down, labeling such claims as baseless and misleading.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, clarified that the refinery, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, is “fully operational.”

The facility resumed operations two months ago after years of inactivity.

“We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false, as the refinery is fully operational, as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC,” Soneye said.

He added that preparations for the day’s loading operation are currently underway, emphasizing that the public should disregard the claims.

“Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip off Nigerians,” Soneye stated.

The old Port Harcourt refinery is part of the country’s efforts to revive its local refining capacity. Three years ago, the Federal Government approved $1.5 billion to rehabilitate the plant, which was initially shut down in 2019 due to operational challenges.

Despite being one of the largest oil producers globally, Nigeria has long relied on fuel imports to meet its domestic needs, swapping crude oil for petrol and other refined products. This dependency, coupled with government subsidies, has strained the nation’s foreign exchange reserves.

The recent return of the Port Harcourt refinery to operation follows the commissioning of the Dangote refinery, which began petrol production in September 2024. These developments are expected to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports and address long-standing issues in the petroleum sector.

 

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