Day: May 22, 2023

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Angolan Epolua crowned African bodybuilding champion

The bodybuilder Aquiles Epolua won Sunday in Johannesburg (South Africa), the international bodybuilding tournament “Arnold Classic”, in the category Elite Pro Bodybuilding up to 95 kg.

Aquiles, vice-world champion in the amateur category, beat the competition in his debut in the professional category.

In individual women, Helena Gonçalves won the “wellness fitness” category, after the last stage of the competition called “Overall”, where the winners of all classes compete.

Maria Faria, in the amateur class, “Bodybuilding” category, won the trophy, performing the same feat as her colleague Aquiles Epolua.

Angola national teams, amateur and professional versions, were also champions in the continental competition.

In this international competition, disputed in honour of the world icon of the bodybuilding sport “Arnold Schwarzenegger”, Angola was represented with a delegation that included ten athletes.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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Angola needs US$1 bln to launch ELP – Angola 2050

Angola said it needs to mobilise about US$1 billion to launch the Long-Term Strategy (ELP – Angola 2050).

The intention was announced by minister of Economy and Planning Mário Caetano João on Monday in Luanda.

The minister was speaking to the press on the sidelines of a consultation of International Organisations, Development Agencies and Diplomatic Missions, on ELP – Angola 2050.

He mentioned human capital (education, health and others), infrastructure (production, transport and distribution of electricity) and diversification as priority for the country’s new dimension of economic growth.

Caetano João said the amount will be needed to ensure progress by 2050, and added that such value should be mobilised via foreign direct investment, citizens’ resources and commercial banks.

As for the strategy, the minister said the education should have an impact on the other areas, stating that human capital is crucial for a more participative governance.

In his speech, the official spoke of the need to boost pre-school education, “from zero to five years old. “We have to work on nutrition by allowing proper formation of the cognitive organs and enabling the capacity to absorb the necessary information to occur without interruptions”, he said.

Mário Caetano said that the Government will strengthen the financial products available to the market, micro-credit, PAC, Planagrão, so that it contributes to the natural exodus of those who are in urban areas, towards rural areas, with a focus on agri-business.

He stressed that the objective was to unblock Angola’s economic growth, building a resilient economy that would benefit all citizens, and that it was necessary to invest in infrastructure, as a driving factor for inclusive economic growth, productivity and social development.

The Long-Term Strategy is the basic tool for drafting the National Development Plan (PDN), which presents the country’s long term strategic development options and is worked out based on scenario analysis for national, sector and territorial levels.

The document under discussion predicts that the non-oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP-NP) will grow 3.3 times, from US$84 billion to US$275 billion, by 2050, with an estimated population of 70 million.

The ELP – Angola 2050 also plans that non-oil GDP per capita will rise 1.2 times, from US$3.67 billion to US$4.215 billion, supported by non-oil exports that are expected to grow 13 times more, from US$5 billion to US$64 billion.

GDP, currently at US$122 billion, is expected to reach US$286 billion, which will represent a growth of 2.4 times more and Public Debt will see a reduction of 6 percent, from 66 to 60 percent of GDP.

Estimates show that under Angola 2050, in the next 27 years the life expectancy of Angolans will rise six years, from 62 to 68 years of age.

The mortality rate, between the ages of five, will fall from 56 percent to 19 percent. Unemployment is expected to fall 10 percent from 30 to 20 percent.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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Partners suggest investment in foreign languages for ELP – Angola 2050

Debate on the issues such as visa facilitation, use of credit cards and investment in foreign languages aimed to attract more investors were held Monday in Luanda.

The main contributions were presented by the International Organisations, Development Agencies and Diplomatic Missions for the Long-Term Strategy (ELP – Angola 2050).

In order to ensure enhanced visibility in the economy the ambassador and head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Angola, Jeannette Seppen defended investment in foreign languages such as English and French to attract more investors.

Seppen was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the meeting organised by the government.

The ambassador also spoke of the need to focus on environment in order to increase the circular economy, which also contributes to economic and commercial growth.

She also said that the strategy is aligned with the EU programme that supports economic diversification, as well as governance and human capital development issues.

The EU official pointed the country’s population growth for 2050 about reaching 70 million inhabitants as, “on one hand, beneficial, but on the other hand, it can be challenging”.

The representative of the United Nations Children’s Organization (UNICEF), Louise Moreira, on the other hand, said she is pleased with the ELP and is committed to continue to provide assistance to reduce poverty at the national level.

Meanwhile, the Swedish ambassador, Lennart Larsson, said that he will promote Angola abroad, as part of relations and “invite Swedish businessmen to invest in the country, mainly in the southern region.

The Long-Term Strategy (ELP) Angola 2050 aims to obtain the contribution of major public and private, collective and individual players with a high level of experience and knowledge in the different sectors.

According to the Government, the strategy may bring a global vision for Angola and the role at international level in the next 30 years.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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President names State Secretary for Urbanism and Housing

Angolan head of State João Lourenço Monday appointed Manuel André da Costa Canguezeze as Secretary of State for Urbanism and Housing, according to a note published on the Presidency’s Facebook page.

Prior to the appointment, the source said, the President João Lourenço sacked Adérito Adelino João Carlos Mohamed from the position of Secretary of State for Urbanism and Housing.

Adérito Mohamed was appointed in September 2022.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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395 diamond stones seized in Lucapa

National Police seized 395 diamond stones of several carats on Sunday in the municipality of Lucapa, eastern Lunda Norte province, ANGO has learnt.

The diamonds were in the possession of two national citizens, aged between 24 and 54 years old, who were detained during a micro-operation conducted in Calonda area.

The citizens were preparing to travel to Lunda Sul province to sell the diamonds.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

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Barred from marching in Bamenda, Frankist movement pours venom

Wearing sky blue T-shirts and holding the Cameroon flag, at the last minute when associations and political parties were to march, the Secretary-General at the North West Governor’s office stopped the FRANKISTS from marching without any explanation.

The MCFM is a movement created and made up of members who support and want the president’s son, Emmanuel Paul Biya, to succeed his father as president of the Republic.

Police officers are reported to have blocked the FRANKISTS MOVEMENT at the commercial avenue and asked them not to proceed with the marchpast because they have been given instructions by the Secretary-General to the North West governor’s office, Basiliken George Emmanuel, not to allow them to march.

In reaction, the SG of the Frankists movement ( MCFP ) Fungwe Elvis said, he was embarrassed with the decision of the North West governor’s office to stop the movement from marching on 20th May in Bamenda, whereas the movement marched in Wum, Nkambe, Babessi and in Ndu.

“It is a kind of hatred which I think the governor’s office will have to look over it again. We deposited an application to march on 20th May with the SG at the governor’s office, we all discussed and made him understand that, (MCFP) wasn’t yet a political party, but a movement that want to partake in the national day under associations. He saw that with us and we showed him documents showing the movements papers were at the office of territorial Administration pending recognition as a political party. He even encouraged us to meet other groups at commercial avenue doing rehearsals prelude to 20th May, which we did, but I was surprised again that after mobilizing our members and spending to have them at commercial avenue, the North West governor’s office had to stop us from marching. This is wickedness. The movement marched in Buea, Bafousam, Doula, and other towns in Cameroon, why stop us in Bamenda?” he said.

The movement now has executive bureaus in all the ten regions of Cameroon, and it’s gradually having bureaus in all divisions and sub-divisions of Cameroon.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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Africans and toxic competition-the Hilda Bassey case

The dust is yet to settle as a Nigerian chef, Hilda Bassey broke World cooking records previously held by an Indian Lata Tondon.

In 2019, Lata cooked for 87 hours 45 minutes to hold the highest record ever attempted by a woman. But on Monday, May 15, 2023, Hilda Effiong Bassey cooked for 100 hours, beating her Indian counterpart in the Guinness World Record of longest cooking hours.

Nigerians trooped to her cooking site in Lekki, Lagos, to give their support to the sensational cook, who had become the star of the moment.

The meals from her kitchen fed thousands who took turns to have a taste of her cuisine.

Short;y after the feat, the Guinness Book of Records, said they were still verifying claims of her records. Days later, Hilda informed her fans that before she is officially proclaimed the record holder, she will need to upload proofs “and they are heavy to do so” she said, while asking fuming Nigerians to be calm.

But this is not all, a Liberian Chef, made things worst when he announced that he will be challenging Hilda to break her records. This is just a day after she hit 100 hours of non-stop cooking.

I find this appalling that some Africans who are supposed to support their own and celebrate the grace of Hilda, are instead throwing themselves into unhealthy competition.

When Indian-born, Lata Tondon, broke the records, there was no Indian, nor Asian who came up to brake the records. They all supported her, in her newfound fame.

The same Chef, Wonyean Aloycious, never came up to challenge the Indian but was quick to jump up and challenge Hilda.

When rumors broke out that he was about to make a challenge even before Hilda’s certification, I thought it was a joke until I made some research and found him confirming.

He said he was doing it for the culture.

In his own words, “GWR doesn’t have a time duration for one to break another person’s record! In so doing I don’t need anybody’s approval to make attempts in breaking a week-old record ????It’s not a hate or jealousy as you’ll see it”

I see a lazy chef who lacks initiative and can only get such when his fellow African Chef attempts a feat.

The Liberian Chef, Aloysius said, “I’m officially expressing my interest in sitting 120hrs new record for me and my country, breaking previous records holders.”

But this will have to wait until the GWR approves his challenge to start.

My question is why did he wait until Hilda breaks the record? I she out for publicity and clout chasing?

One thing is certain, the Liberian people and their media, have been pouring unflinching support and Aloysius is bent on seeing this happen.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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Manaouda Malachie leads Cameroon delegation at 76th World Health Assembly

The 76th World Health Assembly is taking place in Switzerland between May 21-30, with delegations from WHO member states including Cameroon, meeting in Geneva to brainstorm on major health concerns the world is currently faced with.

Participants will deliberate on ways to “create a future where every person has access to the health services they need” World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, adding that “it means strengthening the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience, and supporting countries on the road to universal health coverage.”

Minister Manaouda Malachie, representing Cameroonian at the event, also remarked that “universal health coverage, so dear to the Head of State, H.E. Paul Biya, is one of the key topics.”

The activities which started on Sunday under the theme: “WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all”, will feature discussions on current and future priorities for public health issues of global importance.

It will also focus on strategies and global action on areas such as women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health rehabilitation, traditional medicine, infection prevention and control, health of refugees and migrants, mental health, nutrition and disabilities.

This year’s edition will equally mark the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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Health workers at Yaoundé emergency centre on strike, demand better working conditions

Some health workers of the Yaounde Emergency Unit took to the streets on May 22nd, 2023 to protest against poor working conditions amongst other issues they face.

The health workers demand an increase salaries as well as increase in medical resources. They stated that they are fed up with the “contractualization of all temporary public health training, which is 27,000 staff representing 60% of the workforce who are working without wages and affiliation to CNPS,”.

Carrying messages on placards stating “A nurse in distress is more dangerous than a soldier at the war front,” they also express their dissatisfaction due to the limited resources allocated which can not meet the needs of patients.

“ we are not able to work properly due to limited equipments. Some times we have critical emergency cases but we can’t handle them,” a nurse stated.

The Nurses demand an increase in salaries of staff from the 1st to the 6th category to be put at 75000F and 95,000 for those from the 7th to the 12th category.

They also denounce the nonpayment of CNPS benefits to staff and say they have gone for over 5 years without those benefits.

After their strike action ,Some health workers reportedly stormed the Ministry of Public Health office to lay their complaints.

They stated that the strike action will last for 5 hours everyday (from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) till a solution is provided to their 17 complaints listed.

Source: Cameroon News Agency