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Tag: UK

  • UK grants first loan to Zimbabwe in 24 years

    The United Kingdom will provide the first commercial loan to the Zimbabwean private sector since 1994, local media reported on Wednesday.

    The Financial Times reported that the CDC Group development institution, owned by the UK Government and the Standard Chartered Bank, would lend $100m to Zimbabwean companies.

    iHarare reported that Governor of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, John Mangudya, confirmed this latest development.

    “This is a significant move, in that it is a medium-term facility to be used for the revival of companies in Zimbabwe.
    “There has been a deficit of medium-term funding, which was not forthcoming to Zimbabwe.
    “This is going to improve the competitiveness of the industry in Zimbabwe in terms of retooling and improvement of productivity.”

    Another media outlet added, citing Nick O’Donohoe, the CEO of the CDC Group, that the last direct loan provided by the institution to Zimbabwe took place in 1994 and was given to a fish farm.

    Since the 2000s, Zimbabwe has been affected by the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the EU over violations of human rights and democratic norms under the presidency of former leader Robert Mugabe.

    The restrictions had resulted in a collapse of foreign loans and investments to the economy of the African nation.

    The situation started changing in November, when Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s former vice president, was sworn in as president.

    The inauguration took place after the army deployed its vehicles to Harare and confined Mugabe to his house.

    The Zimbabwean parliament subsequently approved Mugabe’s impeachment, after which the long-serving leader stepped down.

    Sputnik/NAN

  • New York Times taunts Buhari over fifth medical tourism to UK

    New York Times taunts Buhari over fifth medical tourism to UK

    The New York Times on Monday mocked President Muhammadu Buhari’s fifth visit to the United Kingdom for medical attention.

    Recall that the president on Tuesday departed Abuja for the United Kingdom. His media aides had also earlier stated that only him (Buhari) can reveal the nature of his illness.

    The NYT in its publication on Monday said despite the president’s campaign promises and having condemned the then ruling party, People Democratic Party (PDP) for constantly traveling out of the country for medical attention, he (Buhari) has aggressively continued seeking medical attention abroad at the neglect of the health facilities in Nigeria.

    Read full publication below:

    Nigeria’s President Draws Criticism for Seeking Medical Care Abroad

    President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, who has urged politicians not to go abroad to seek medical care, has traveled to Britain on his fifth official trip to see a doctor there.

    Mr. Buhari, 75, left for London on Monday for a four-day visit, setting off renewed concerns about his health. His trip also comes after three weeks of strikes by health care professionals who are calling for better working conditions and more funding.

    For nearly two years, Mr. Buhari has been receiving treatment for an unspecified illness, which he has repeatedly refused to discuss.

    The president is scheduled to return to Nigeria on Saturday, at which point he will have spent more than 170 days in London on official medical leave since becoming president in 2015.

    Mr. Buhari recently declared his intention to run for a second term next year, but many people in Nigeria, including some former presidents, have called on him to step down because of concerns about his health.

    After Mr. Buhari visited Washington to meet with President Trump late last month, he surprised reporters by not returning directly to Nigeria but instead making what his media team called a “technical stopover” in London. His aides later confirmed that he received medical treatment while in Britain.

    Mr. Buhari’s aides have insisted that the president is healthy and capable of running for office again, claiming that his political enemies are exaggerating any health concerns to attack him.

    In April 2016, months before his first medical trip to London, Mr. Buhari condemned the use of Nigerian resources on international medical expenses.

    “While this administration will not deny anyone of his or her fundamental human rights, we will certainly not encourage expending Nigerian hard-earned resources on any government official seeking medical care abroad, when such can be handled in Nigeria,” Mr. Buhari said, according to a statement from the Health Ministry at the time.

    During his campaign the president promised to end “medical tourism,” the practice of Nigerian politicians receiving medical treatment abroad even as most citizens are forced to rely on underfunded state medical services.

    After what was reported to have been motorbike accident in January, the president’s son, Yusuf Buhari, was also treated abroad, although the president’s aides would not confirm where he was treated.

    Nigerians see Mr. Buhari’s actions on health care as hypocritical, said Yemi Adamolekun, executive director of Enough Is Enough, a coalition of groups committed to building a culture of good government and public accountability in Nigeria. “As he’s getting a superior standard of health care for himself and his son, he’s done virtually nothing to invest in health care infrastructure and provision in Nigeria,” Ms. Adamolekun said.

    This year Nigeria spent 3.9 percent of its budget on health care, a fraction of the 15 percent target set by the United Nations.

    “Health professionals have been on strike now for three weeks, and they aren’t even talking about it,” Ms. Adamolekun said, referring to the government. “So we have poor health infrastructure, an exodus of qualified medical staff and now a strike with no conversation on how to fix it, yet our president jumps off to the U.K. for his own health.”

    A nationwide strike of 72,000 public health care workers has crippled medical services in state hospitals across Nigeria, and many more are expected to join the protest in the next few days.

    Biobelemoye Josiah, president of a coalition of unions involved in the strike, said that health care in Nigeria had suffered under Mr. Buhari’s administration. “There has long been medical tourism because our hospitals are grossly underfunded and that has continued,” Mr. Josiah said.

  • UK approves £12m funding to support open governance, accountability in Nigeria

    The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced the approval of a £12 million new funding as support to help entrench basic ethics in running in the day-to-day running of the country.

    The UK Ambassador to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, disclosed this in Abuja at the opening of the 2018 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week.

    Mr Arkwright, who was the special guest speaker at the event said Nigeria’s progress since joining the 70-member countries OGP in 2016 has been commendable and deserved the continued support of the UK government.

    The ambassador, who described the UK as the proud global leader on transparency and accountability, identified the OGP as an important part of its agenda.

    Open government is the process of engaging with civil society and the citizens’ in a transparent and accountable partnership to promote democratic, equal, sustainable and prosperous society.

    Noting transparency as a principle that does not stop at national borders, Mr Arkwright commended five states of the federation that have so far signed up to the OGP, to deepen sub-national transparency in the country..

    Urging more states to emulate these, the Ambassador assured that the UK government would continue to support Nigeria to ”engage, reform and learn”.

    He said the government would also lend its facility to support the country’s effort to open up governance, legislature other institutions’ work for scrutiny work and allow citizens hold them accountable

    “UK and Nigeria has a fledging partnership,” Mr. Arkwright noted. “Nigeria’s decision to join the OGP not only sends a strong signal about the way it sees the inherent value in openness in civil society and government working together, but also a strong national and global message and commitment to tackling corruption.

    “Nigeria’s progress has been very commendable. The OGP self-assessment report indicates reforms in the country’s first national action plan are on track. Citizens’ engagement in the federal budget process has been strengthened by the timely release of budget information and consultations with civil society organisations.”

    On 2019, the envoy said while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has a job to do to bring about credible elections, the citizens have a role to play.

    On the other hand, he said the government has a responsibility to demonstrate leadership and maturity by bringing transparency in the process to bring a peaceful, free, fair and credible voting.

    “We want to encourage transparency around the 2019 elections process so that Nigerians will accept the result as credible and reflect the will of the people,” Mr Arkwright said.

    While secrecy enables corruption, injustice and negligence to go unchecked, he said transparency matters for sustainable development.

    He said when citizens ”see how government spends public funds and what that achieves for them, and have a say in how the government is run, trust and confidence would be built in political leadership.”

    Besides, with open, accountable and responsive government, he said citizens are more likely to pay taxes, vote and get involved in decision making, shine the light on financial flows to ensure that transparency reduces opportunities for corruption.

    “Sunshine is the best disinfectant. Open government is a better government,” he said. ”The UK and Nigeria government will have to ensure that openness and accountability are embedded across institutions”.

    “Civil society must seize the opportunity and hold government to account for its progress. The OGP is a shared process, but leadership has to come from both sides.”

    In his speech, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, acknowledged the significance of open government partnership with civil society, saying “all over the world, people seek to have a government that realises its partnership with citizens is its present and future”.

    Mr Symington commended plans by the Nigerian government to come up with independent mechanism on corruption indices, as he believes “the score about corruption that mattered was the score marked by the citizens”.

    The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said so far, five states, namely Kaduna, Kano, Anambra, Ebonyi and Niger have adopted the OGP principle, out of which Kaduna was nominated as one of the global sub-national pilot states

  • Urhobo Roundtable Discussion at No. 10 Downing Street, UK

    The Urhobo’s are a people with a proud history, culture and heritage; originating from Nigeria and have spread across the world. The UK is the major hub of Urhobo people in diaspora.

    Our fathers before us founded our great Urhobo Progress Union, to promote the values of unity and togetherness as the bedrock of progress. This next generation of Urhobo people must draw on the strength and conviction of our fathers to drive forward a new and bold vision of togetherness and development amongst Urhobo people, as the right legacy of the efforts of our fathers, to take advantage of the opportunities in the United Kingdom for the advancement of all Urhobo people.

    This was the rallying call of Nero Ughwujabo, the Special Adviser – Social Justice, Opportunities and Young People to Prime Minister Theresa May; calling on 10 Urhobo younger people to a roundtable discussion to understand the challenges facing the Urhobo community but also to understand the vast opportunities open to us to help our community flourish.

    The Special Adviser is in a unique position being the first person of African descent to hold the position of Special Adviser to a Prime Minister of Britain. In his very important role as the Special Adviser on Social Justice, Opportunities and Young People, he is actively involved in helping the government to deliver its response to the Race Disparity Audit which identified significant disparities for black and minority ethnic communities.

    The Roundtable discussion was held on 13th April 2018 at N0.10 Downing Street, the heart of Her Majesty’s Government. The Special Adviser led the discussion in the same way he hosts other community groups lobbying the government for support. It was a very fruitful discussion with strong ideas on the way forward for our community.

    There was consensus that the Urhobo community needs to be better coordinated and better led so that it is better able to access the range of government support at its disposal. It was agreed that this generation of Urhobo people should build an organisation that uses the skills and abilities of Urhobo professionals, which works with existing Urhobo community groups, so that progress and change can begin to happen.

    Delegates identified a number of immediate challenges the new organisation can help to tackle, including:

    • Building capacity within existing Urhobo organisations and helping to realise the vision of an ‘Urhobo Resource Centre’

    • Advancing education and access to leadership opportunities

    • Supporting younger generations to access and appreciate their Urhobo roots

    • Co-ordinating access opportunities, creating development and empowerment activities for the Urhobo youth

    • Using modern tools and social media to raise awareness of Urhobo culture and language Through the creation of a “special purpose vehicle”, efforts to realise these aspirations can commence without further delay.

    The overall goal is to create an organisation with a clearly defined purpose, which the entire community in the UK endorses to work in its best interest.

    There will be further information on how to get involved in this new movement, so that through our collective efforts, our community will become more effective, stronger and better placed to deliver to its aspirations.

  • South Africa: President Ramaphosa cuts short UK trip to deal with protests at home

    Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa cut short his visit to Britain by a day to return home to deal with protests in the country’s North West province.

    Protesters seeking jobs, better housing, roads and hospitals frequently clash with police in a country faced with weak economic growth and near-record unemployment – but these are the first big demonstrations since Ramaphosa took power in February.

    The unrest, dubbed “service delivery protests”, has mounted over the years.

    The latest protests erupted on Wednesday with residents demanding that the province’s Premier Supra Mahumapelo, a member of Ramaphosa’s ruling African National Congress party, step down.

    Ramaphosa called for calm, ordered police to exercise maximum restraint and urged the aggrieved parties to express their grievances without resorting to violence.

    He was due to return to South Africa on Friday from London, where he is leading a delegation to a Commonwealth summit.

    “The president will return to Pretoria,” the president’s office said in a statement.

    South African media reported that a bus was set alight, vehicles stoned and roads blockaded by protesters calling for Mahumapelo to quit because of a failure to adequately deliver services.

    Polife fired teargas to disperse the crowds.

    Botswana’s government said on Thursday it had closed exit points to South Africa’s North West province, where the two countries share a border.

    The troubled province lies 300 km west of South Africa’s commercial hub Johannesburg.

     

  • 2019: We’ll pay for Buhari’s nomination form – APC UK

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) United Kingdom chapter, said it would pay for Expression of Interest and Nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest in 2019.

    The chapter made the promise in a statement by its Spokesman, Mr Jacob Ogunseye, on Tuesday in Abuja, following Buhari’s declaration on Monday that he would seek a second term.

    It said that the president’s declaration was reasonable and satisfactory, adding that his second term would make Nigeria stronger as well as preserve the tenets of democracy in the country.

    It stated that the chapter`s expectations had been met by Buhari`s declaration, and assured that it would work assiduously for the electoral success of the APC at all levels.

    President Buhari needs to consolidate on the achievements his administration has recorded in over three years, especially in economic growth, anti-graft war, security and youth development.

    “He deserves a second term and we are proud that he has yielded and declared his readiness to re-contest the election as Nigeria’s President in 2019 in earnest.

    “His administration’s achievements in the areas of security, economic growth, anti-corruption war and social development and other areas are visible to Nigerians,’’ the chapter said.

    It added that Nigerians should consider the re-election bid as a major step to consolidate and re-invent the country into an emerging economic and democratic world power.

    It called on Nigerians across the world, irrespective of religion and geographical location, to see the re-election bid of the president as a major step that would help Nigeria to stabilise.

     

  • Buhari leaves for UK today

    President Muhammadu Buhari will on Monday travel to United Kingdom.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement on Sunday described the President’s trip as an official visit.

    Shehu said the President would be meeting with some persons, including the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.

    Buhari’s trip is however coming more than one week ahead of the CHOGM meetings billed for between April 18 and 20.

    The statement partly read, “President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja on Monday 9, April, 2018 for an official visit to Britain where he is due to hold discussions on the Nigerian-British relations with the Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May, prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for 18th to 20th April, 2018.

    “The President will also meet the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Dutch Plc, Mr. Ben van Beurden, in connection with Shell and other partners’ plan to invest $15bn in Nigeria’s oil industry.

    “These investment ventures will lay the foundation for the next 20 years production and domestic gas supply, bringing with it all the attendant benefits both to the economy and the wider society.

    “President Buhari is due to renew discussions with the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, a good friend of the President on inter-religious harmony in Nigeria and in the world.

    “Further meetings have also been scheduled for the President to see some prominent British and Nigerians residing in Britain.”

  • Deontay Wilder ready to battle Anthony Joshua in the UK

    Deontay Wilder ready to battle Anthony Joshua in the UK

    WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder says he is “ready to come to the UK” for a unification bout with WBA, IBF and WBO title holder Anthony Joshua.

    American Wilder, 32, said his team are “ready to meet” the Briton’s side for talks and “the sooner the better”.

    Barry Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Sport, which promotes Joshua, confrimed that negotiations could start this week.

    Joshua, 28, defeated New Zealander Joseph Parker on points to claim the WBO title in Cardiff on Saturday.

    However, a potential Joshua-Wilder meeting is complicated by the fact the International Boxing Federation has ordered a fight between heavyweights Dillian Whyte of Britain and Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev.

    The winner would become the mandatory challenger for Joshua’s IBF crown.

    A bout between Joshua and Wilder would deliver the first man to hold all four major heavyweight titles.

    Joshua had said after Saturday’s victory that he is in “the most powerful” negotiating position and his side are “serious” about talks.

    Wilder released a statement on Tuesday saying “I want to congratulate Anthony Joshua on his win last Saturday. Anthony, I am so glad we finally heard from you on Saturday and that you want to fight me as your next opponent and you want the fight to happen in the UK.

    “I accept that challenge and I am ready to come to the UK for my next fight. There is nothing on Team Wilder’s side to prevent me from fighting you next.

    “You also said on Saturday that your team is ready to meet with Shelly Finkel and Al Haymon from my side to get this deal done. They are also ready to meet with your team immediately. Let us know when the sooner the better.”

    BBC

  • UBA expands presence in London as Regulatory Authorities Grants Wholesale Banking Licence to UK Subsidiary

    United Bank for Africa (UBA PLC), Africa’s global bank, announced today that its London subsidiary has obtained regulatory permission to carry out Wholesale Banking activities in the UK. Following this authorization, UBA is now the only Sub-Saharan African bank to conduct banking activities in New York and London, as well as in 20 other countries across Africa.

    Commenting on the landmark achievement, the Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA PLC, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka said: “This authorization strengthens our capabilities in meeting the growing cross-border financing needs of our customers. It enhances our customer coverage and product offerings whilst positioning our Group as an optimal conduit for trade and foreign investments into and across Africa as well as export flows to the United Kingdom. Importantly, the licence will enable us to fulfill our aspiration of deepening financial intermediation in Sub-Saharan Africa and providing the much-needed financial support to the broader real sector of the African economy,” he added.

    The CEO of United Bank for Africa (UK) Ltd (“UBA UK”), Mr. Andrew Martin noted further, “this enhanced positioning of our business is timely, as it comes at a time when the UK is seeking to expand trade and broaden economic ties with Nigeria and Africa in general.”

    As part of the transformation process, resulting from the authorization, the current name of UBA Capital (Europe) Ltd will change to United Bank for Africa (UK) LTD. In addition to a full suite of treasury services, cash management, corporate lending and wholesale deposit offerings to professional and eligible counterparties, the operations of United Bank for Africa (UK) Limited now extends to all aspects of trade finance; issuance, acceptance, confirmation and refinancing of Letters of Credit of different variations, including SBLCs.

    UBA PLC, is a leading Pan- African financial institution, offering banking services to more than fourteen million customers, across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 19 African countries. UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa with presence in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France

  • 2019: UK not against Buhari’s second term bid — High Commissioner

    The United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, has said his country is not against the second bid of President Muhammadu Buhari come 2019.

    Recall that there has been speculation that the UK and other Western countries are not in support of the president’s reelection bid.

    Arkwright who spoke in an interview with Premium Times on Thursday said: “I am very happy to put that rumour to bed. The United Kingdom supports a process whereby the people of Nigeria can exercise their democratic right to vote.”

    Though the president has not openly disclosed his reelection plans, but he has repeatedly indicated he might seek a second term.

    During a visiting to Abidjan late November, the president told Nigerians in the Ivory Coast capital that some of them are his potential voters.

    While touring Kano on a working visit less than two weeks later, the president told a field packed with his admirers that the turnout was a sign that he remained popular and would easily defeat his challengers if the election were held that day.

    On January 3, the minister of communication, Adebayo Shittu, after meeting Mr. Buhari, also spoke about setting up a campaign organisation for the president.

    During a recent trip to Benu State, the president vaguely told his hosts at Government House, Makurdi, he might be back there to campaign soon.

    Mr. Arkwright did not say whether he knew Mr. Buhari would run or not, but made it clear that the UK would not favour him over his opponents and vice versa.

    “All of Nigeria should feel that they have a part to play in the democratic process. I encourage people to go out and get their PVCs.

    “Who they vote for is a matter for their conscience and not for the United Kingdom government. Whichever candidate is standing, they need to make up their minds and decide who would best suit them.

    “And that’s an individual choice. We favour a free, fair, credible and peaceful process and we’re working with INEC to make that happen,” Arkright said.