Author: user user

YEAC-Nigeria insists Okrika death toll exceeded 37, demands probe

The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has insisted that its report that more than 37 people died after allegedly inhaling a suspected petroleum product in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State was accurate.

The group said the death toll had risen following the alleged discovery of more bodies linked to the incident.

YEAC-Nigeria challenged Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to visit the affected community and immediately constitute a panel of inquiry to establish the immediate and remote causes of the incident and determine the actual number of casualties.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday, the group’s Executive Director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, also accused a firm of attempting to discredit its report through what it described as a false statement circulated by another organisation.

The group maintained that its September 3 report, titled ‘Over 37 Feared Dead in Okrika After Inhaling Suspected Indorama Fuel,’ was based on information obtained from sources on the ground.

It said the casualty figure had increased following the alleged recovery of decomposing remains of people who had earlier been declared missing.

YEAC said, ‘We reaffirm that this incident took place and people lost their lives.’

The organisation added that some survivors who were receiving treatment allegedly died later, while some victims were buried at the riverbank in line with local customs surrounding what it described as ‘dangerous deaths.’

The advocacy group said the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had confirmed the incident and were investigating, although the agencies gave casualty figures significantly lower than the number reported by YEAC.

It also cited the Head of the Civil Joint Task Force in Okrika, Mr Igwe Godwill, as having told a television station that about 10 bodies had been recovered as of the time of his interview.

According to YEAC, a survivor also told The Nation that more than 30 persons were believed to have died while efforts to recover additional bodies continued.

The group accused Lighthope Succour Worldwide Initiative of publishing what it described as a false statement challenging its casualty figures and denying that deaths occurred.

YEAC said Lighthope later retracted the statement but alleged that several media organisations had already circulated and published it.

The group said, ‘How then can Lighthope release a statement that YEAC-Nigeria lied and that nothing of the sort happened and nobody died?’

It called on media organisations that published the disputed statement to withdraw it and apologise or risk being joined in a proposed legal action against Lighthope and its Executive Director.

The organisation also accused the firm of failing to adequately protect what it described as a dangerous product and called for the company to be held accountable if investigations established operational negligence.

The advocacy organisation’s strongest call was directed at the Rivers State Government, which it accused of maintaining silence over the incident.

YEAC said it was surprising that Governor Fubara had neither publicly spoken on the tragedy nor visited Okrika.

It urged the governor to visit the community, commiserate with bereaved families, warn youths against engaging in unauthorised activities around pipelines and petroleum facilities and provide support for families affected by the incident.

The group said, ‘We call on His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, to visit the people of Okrika and commission a panel of enquiry to investigate the incident with a view to determining both the remote and immediate causes, as well as the true casualty figures.’

YEAC also defended its competence and track record in reporting incidents involving pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, artisanal refining and environmental pollution in the Niger Delta.

The organisation said its network of contacts across communities and creeks in the region enabled it to obtain and verify information on illegal refining and oil theft activities.

It reiterated its call for alternative livelihood opportunities for Niger Delta youths, warning that continued economic deprivation could expose more young people to dangerous activities around oil and gas facilities.

The group said providing legitimate jobs and supporting the transition of persons involved in illegal refining into lawful businesses remained critical to preventing further deaths.

2027 Senate: Governor Bala Mohammed moves to break jinx amidst predecessors’ failed attempts

As the 2027 general election gathers momentum with serious permutations, contestants for various positions are beginning to get desperate.

Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir is in the race as the candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) for the competitive seat of the Bauchi South Senatorial District, which pundits believe has always been a herculean task for governors exiting office to claim the exalted senatorial seat.

2027 is not different from the previous elections in the state, especially as the governor is going to contest under an unfamiliar platform, the APM.

Observers say that there are numerous factors that had always worked against his predecessors, who failed to clinch the Bauchi South Senatorial seat.

Records show that one of the political missteps of former Bauchi State Governor Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, and former National chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was because he picked his Secretary to the State Government, Nadada Umar, to succeed him as governor.

Nadada was seen as incompetent and not the choice of the electorate. So, Mu’azu lost the Senate race, and Nadada lost the governorship to Isa Yuguda, despite the massive development Mu’azu brought to the state.

The second factor that cost Mu’azu the Senate seat was the frequent crises in the state, especially in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, the largest LGA in the southern zone.

Another former governor who failed to win a Senatorial seat was Isa Yuguda in 2015. Immediately after leaving office, Yuguda backed Mohammed Auwal Jatau to succeed him. But Jatau did not have good relationship with the people, and that contributed to Yuguda’s defeat.

Despite all the infrastructural and human development that Yuguda brought to the state – youth and women empowerment, job creation, road construction, and water supply to all 20 local government areas – and despite making life easier for the people, voters still voted him out. Many believed it was because he imposed Auwal Jatau as the PDP governorship candidate, a candidate the people did not want.

Debates are on in the state around the candidacy of Governor Bala Mohammed on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for Bauchi South Senatorial District, with some saying that he may lose the seat to someone from another political party.

This is because he anointed his former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Yakubu Adamu, to succeed him as governor.

Yakubu was facing a case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and is seen as inexperienced in politics, and lacked the necessary exposure needed to govern a state as large as Bauchi.

The decision to impose Yakubu also led prominent politicians across the state to dump APM for other parties- APC, PRP, ADC, and others.

Speaking with the Bauchi State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Shehu Dauda dismissed the senatorial ambition of Governor Bala Mohammed, saying that he would not win the Bauchi South Senatorial seat.

The APC spokesman said that what happened to the two former governors would happen again to Governor Bala in the 2027 general election, because ‘he does not deserve to win the seat, having failed to fulfil his promises of paying pension, gratuity and others.’

According to him, ‘We are fully prepared to challenge Governor Bala’s senatorial ambition, and we are confident that the APC will win the Bauchi South Senatorial seat against the candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir.’

He further said that Governor Bala should drop his senatorial ambition because it has become a pattern that no one wins a senatorial seat after serving as state governor.

However, the Chief Whip of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Musa Wakili Nakwada, expressed his appreciation to the State governor for carrying everybody along in his administration.

He said that in Governor Bala’s administration, he has touched all the communities in terms of political appointments.

The state lawmaker, Nakwada further said that the seven (7) local government areas of Alkaleri, Bauchi, Bogoro, Dass, Kirfi, Tafawa-Balewa and Toro that formed the southern part of the state will vote for Governor Bala Mohammed as senator because of the massive infrastructural development across the zone.

He said that for the last seven years of Governor Bala’s administration, Bauchi State has not and never recorded religious crisis, adding that keeping the state peaceful for seven years would also make it easier for the governor to secure victory.

Former Senior Special Assistant on Christian Religious Affairs and current Chairman of Bogoro Local Government, Zakka Luka Magaji, said nothing will stop Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir from winning the 2027 election due to his track record in both human and infrastructural development across the state.

Magaji said that the creation of new emirates and chiefdoms, employment opportunities for over 5,000 people, the construction of two flyovers at Wunti and Central Markets, and more than 5,000 kilometres of roads would help the governor win the Senate seat.

The council boss said that the new salary structure of the emirates, chiefs, district heads, village heads and other traditional leaders, would boost the governor’s electoral chances.

From lab to market: UNILAG Prof, Obidi, leads innovative production of eco-friendly nanotechnology-based paints

With the innovative production of a patented eco-friendly nanotechnology-based paints by Olayide Folashade Obidi, a professor of microbiology, Nigeria’s paint industry is getting a green upgrade from laboratory to market.]

This innovative production of eco-friendly paints started right in the laboratory of the department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and has transited into the marketplace with the approval from the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON).

Obidi made this known during the 20th Inaugural Lecture of the 2025/2026 Academic Session of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) held on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at the J. F. Ade. Ajayi (Main) Auditorium, UNILAG.

Titled: ‘From Micro to Nano: The Colourful Voyage of an Industrial Microbiologist,’ Obidi lecture was delivered under the chairmanship of Folasade Ogunsola, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG.

For years, conventional paints have contributed to indoor air pollution and environmental damage through high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful carbon-based gases that evaporate easily from liquids or solids into the air – usually used by paints manufacturers to make paints dry faster.

Her study produced nanoscale coatings that are more durable, self-cleaning, anti-microbial, and require fewer coats to cover a surface; resulting in less waste, lower cost over time, and better performance in Nigeria’s heat and humidity ecosystem.

Obidi innovative research set out with the question: What if paint could protect both walls and people? That question was answered with a patent solution that has now moved from lab to market.

Vice-chancellor’s comments on study

Folasade Ogunsola, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, who chaired the inaugural lecture in her closing remark commended the innovative stride of Obidi , who is the current head of department (HoD) of microbiology.

According to Ogunsola, the lecture took participants through an interesting progression of scientific inquiry from the study of organisms to their application in material science and nanotechnology.

She said that the lecture also demonstrated how research can evolve with changing needs and how knowledge from one discipline can be applied to address challenges in other fields.

‘Her work on microorganisms associated with paints and painted surfaces has contributed to our understanding of spoilage, microbial deterioration and shelf life,’ she said.

According to the vice-chancellor, Obidi’s studies also examined the challenge associated with increasing use of water-based paints, particularly their susceptibility to microbial attack.

She added that the research drew participants’ attention to an important paradox of why water-based paints offer advantages over solvent-based formulations because of the environmental concerns associated with VOCs.

‘This challenge provided an important platform for professor Obidi’s search for safer and more sustainable solutions. The lecture highlighted the application of her research beyond the paint industry,’ Ogunsola said.

Obidi’s journey to standardisation and market value

Obidi, in her lecture spotlighted the commercial potential of eco-friendly nanotechnology-based paints, showcasing how research innovation can move from the laboratory to the marketplace.

The lecture, which was the 20th inaugural lecture of the 2025/2026 academic session of the university, highlighted the development of sustainable nanotech paints as part of her contribution to advancing environmentally friendly materials and translating academic research into practical solutions.

The innovative study focuses on replacing hazardous materials used in conventional paints with bio-based and green nanotechnology alternatives that can provide microbial protection and improve coating performance while reducing risks to human health and the environment.

‘What inspired this is the constant request and demand for eco-friendly alternatives and sustainable alternatives.

‘Lead has been incorporated in order to speed up the drying and to prolong the shelf life, but we don’t want to do that because it’s going to affect people’s health,’ she said.

The professor of Industrial Microbiology and Bionanotechnology said her research journey, which spanned over 23 years, had progressed from testing raw materials and finished paints to developing products capable of addressing industrial challenges.

‘We actually started from raw material testing, paint testing and checking, but now we have moved to production and innovation so that we can solve real-world challenges,’ Obidi said.

Her work examines green nanomaterials for sustainable paint and coating production, including their potential as alternatives to conventional biocides in paints.

Beyond industrial applications, Obidi’s work has extended to STEM education. In 2021, she founded the Society for Girls STEM Education Africa, an initiative focused on encouraging female secondary school students to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The innovative voyage from micro to nano

What makes this innovation stand out is the sustainability angle. The paints are water-based, low-VOC, and made with locally sourced binders and pigments where possible.

That cuts import dependence and reduces carbon footprint. Early tests in schools and clinics in Lagos show 40% less repainting needs over 3 years compared to standard products.

‘This is not just about color; it’s about building healthier homes, schools, and factories while growing Nigerian manufacturing.’

Now, Obidi holds patents for the development of an environmentally friendly, non-toxic alternative to biocides paints, which was approved in July 2025.

‘Research should not end in the laboratory. It should be commercialised and beneficial to humanity.’

She disclosed that commercialisation is now the priority, and that discussions are ongoing with industry leaders that could lead to licensing arrangements under which manufacturers will take over production and sales of the formulations.

The professor said the next phase would involve partnerships with paint manufacturers and other industry players capable of taking the innovation to large-scale production.

According to her, the arrangement reflects a broader challenge facing Nigeria’s research ecosystem, where potentially viable university innovations often struggle to cross the gap between laboratory development and commercial deployment.

Obidi said stronger links between academia and industry would be required if research investments were to deliver greater economic and social value.

She also called for increased investment in well-equipped laboratories, technological research and collaboration involving government, research councils, regional development agencies and industry.

The transition from analysing microorganisms to developing nanotechnology-based coatings represents a central outcome of a career devoted to translating scientific research into practical solutions.

‘Our research has yielded tangible outcomes which can solve current problems in the industry, and also meet economic and market demand,’ Obidi said.

…………………………………………………………

L-R: Sunday John Ntekim, acting Church Secretary, Deeper Christian Life Ministry; John Akinwande, Lagos Moderator, Deeper Life Bible Church; Steve Obidi (husband), and Olayide Folashade Obidi, a professor of Microbiology, during the 20th inaugural lecture of the 2025/2026 Academic Session of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), delivered by Professor Obidi.

Edo Govt Shuts Unregistered Hospital After 10 Years Of Operation

The Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency (EDOHERMA) has shut down Jess Royal Hospital in Benin City over alleged operation without registration with the appropriate regulatory authorities.

Speaking with journalists monitoring EDOHERMA’s activities, the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, said the hospital was shut down after the agency discovered that the facility had operated for over 10 years without statutory registration.

According to her, the hospital was neither registered with the Edo State Ministry of Health nor with EDOHERMA.

She said the agency discovered the unregistered hospital during a monitoring exercise at an orphanage

located in the same building as the facility.

Urhoghide-Edigin explained that during an engagement with the hospital’s owner, the agency was informed that the facility had not been registered with the state government.

She said the owner reportedly told the agency that he was a member of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), noting, however, that membership of the association does not amount to statutory registration or authorise anyone to operate a healthcare facility in Edo State.

According to her, the operator also told the inspection team that health challenges had prevented him from completing the registration process.

She said the inspection revealed poor infection prevention and control practices, cobwebs on the ceilings and walls, rusted and deteriorated ward equipment, badly damaged mattresses, and no evidence of routine fumigation or pest control.

The hospital was also found to have no valid and serviceable fire extinguisher, emergency preparedness plan or established referral system.

EDOHERMA said the deficiencies raised serious concerns about patient safety and the facility’s ability to respond appropriately to emergencies.

The agency consequently directed the hospital to immediately stop all medical operations and gave the facility two weeks to commence the official registration process with the agency and address the identified infrastructural, environmental, equipment and health-standard deficiencies.

‘Jess Royal Hospital would not be allowed to resume healthcare operations until it satisfactorily meets the applicable regulatory requirements,’ the agency said.

Urhoghide-Edigin said patient safety remained the agency’s overriding priority, stressing that no healthcare facility would be allowed to compromise established health, sanitary and operational standards in the state.

2027: Akpabio takes Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ campaign to north

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has begun making a fresh case for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, urging Northern youths to support the administration’s economic reforms and policy continuity.

Akpabio made the appeal on Saturday while receiving a high-level delegation of the Northern Ethnic Groups Assembly in Abuja.

He said the reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms, were painful but necessary measures to reposition the economy.

According to him, the policies have now crossed a critical threshold and are beginning to produce tangible benefits for Nigerians.

‘I stand before you not merely as a politician, but as a public servant committed to the prosperity of our nation, and particularly this vital region,’ Akpabio told the youth leaders.

‘The reforms initiated by President Tinubu are not abstract theories; they are concrete, courageous actions designed to dismantle long-standing structural bottlenecks and unlock Nigeria’s vast potential.’

The Senate President said the removal of the fuel subsidy and efforts to stabilise the foreign exchange market were necessary steps towards achieving fiscal sustainability.

He acknowledged that the measures initially imposed difficulties on Nigerians but argued that they were required to redirect government resources to critical sectors.

‘While these measures initially posed challenges, they were the surgical procedures needed to redirect resources into healthcare, education, and infrastructure,’ he said.

Akpabio also claimed that the reforms were producing early positive indicators, including improved revenue collection, increased investor confidence and renewed interest from international partners.

He urged Northern youths to become active participants in governance rather than waiting for the future before taking responsibility.

‘You are architects of today, not just leaders of tomorrow,’ he told the delegation.

He said the 10th National Assembly was prioritising reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

‘Your innovation and engagement are the lifeblood of these reforms,’ Akpabio said.

‘We urge you to be critical consumers of information and to engage in constructive dialogue.’

The Senate President’s comments come as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum across the country.

His appeal also places policy continuity at the centre of the argument for another Tinubu term.

Akpabio argued that abandoning the current reform programme before its consolidation could undermine the gains being recorded.

On his part,The group’s spokesperson of the Northern Ethnic Groups Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan-Musa, commended Akpabio for what he described as efforts to strengthen political understanding between the North and South.

‘We commend the Senate President for his accessibility and his unwavering dedication to the Nigerian project,’ Dan-Musa said.

‘His proactive engagement has rebuilt vital bridges of trust. He has proven that true national leadership transcends ethnic and geographical boundaries.’

The coalition also pledged to mobilise at the grassroots to educate Nigerians on what it described as the long-term benefits of the Federal Government’s economic policies.

Dan-Musa said national unity must remain above regional demands and sectional interests.

‘National unity is the ultimate anchor of our collective survival.

‘No regional sentiment can take precedence over the sovereignty and peace of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’,he said .

Meanwhile,the assembly identified three key areas for its political engagement ahead of 2027.

They include continuous consultation with Northern youth structures, grassroots enlightenment on federal fiscal policies and an uncompromising commitment to national cohesion.

The coalition said federal leadership must maintain mutual respect and transparent consultation with Northern youth organisations.

It also pledged to embark on awareness campaigns aimed at explaining the government’s economic policies to rural communities.

The group said such engagement was necessary to address misinformation and help Nigerians understand the implications of the reforms.

JAMAICA-REPARATIONS-Jamaica to petition King Charles III over slavery reparations questions

The Andrew HOlness led administration will submit a petition to King Charles III on Monday seeking legal guidance on Britain’s role in the enslavement of Africans in Jamaica.

According to Culture Minister Olivia Grange, the petition will ask the King, Jamaica’s head of state, to refer three questions to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC), the country’s highest court.

The Government wants the JCPC to determine whether the enslavement of Africans in Jamaica was lawful under English law, whether it violated international law and whether Britain now has a legal obligation to provide redress.

Grange said the process could help pave the way for a ‘long outstanding settlement’ over the centuries of abuse endured by enslaved Africans and their descendants.

The petition does not seek a specific payment. Once it is submitted, the King is expected to refer the questions to the JCPC and has no personal discretion over whether the referral is made.

‘Once we get the answers, or once we get a response to those questions, then the next steps will be determined,’ Grange said.

Buckingham Palace has been working with Jamaica’s governor-general, Sir Patrick Allen to ensure the petition is properly lodged.

A Palace spokesperson said King Charles has repeatedly expressed his commitment to promoting greater understanding of slavery and addressing historical wrongs for the benefit of affected communities.

Following the abolition of slavery across most of the British Empire in 1833, the British Government paid £20 million in compensation to slave owners. The loans used to finance those payments were not fully repaid until 2015.

Grange questioned why compensation had been provided to slave owners, while the descendants of enslaved people had received no comparable remedy.

She is also scheduled to meet British Museum officials to advance discussions on the return of artefacts taken from Jamaica during the colonial period.

‘They are priceless, they are significant to the story of Jamaica and we are working to bring them home,’ Grange said.

During a visit to Jamaica in 2015, then British prime minister David Cameron ruled out reparations for Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. While describing slavery as ‘abhorrent in all its forms,’ Cameron urged Jamaica to move beyond the painful legacy and focus on building for the future.

Footage of President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Azerbaijani Navy with First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva posted on his social media

Footage of President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the Azerbaijani Navy with First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva was posted on his social media accounts.

The post reads: “President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Azerbaijani Navy.”

Break Your Silence On Tinubu’s US Probe, Yoruba Ronu Tells OBJ, Abdulsalami, Others

Nigeria’s elder statesmen and respected voices of conscience cannot continue to look away while serious questions surrounding the integrity and international reputation of the nation’s President remain unresolved.

Chief Akin Malaolu, President, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, said this in a statement issued on Sunday.

The ongoing legal battle in the United States over records relating to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought a matter of profound public interest back into focus.

‘The FBI has confirmed in court filings that its records concern a criminal investigation involving drug-trafficking offences and that Tinubu was the subject of an investigation.’ ‘This does not amount to a conviction, nor should anyone pretend that an investigation is proof of guilt. But it is unquestionably a matter that should concern every well-meaning Nigerian. The President of Nigeria is not an ordinary private citizen. Questions arising from a documented criminal investigation by a foreign law-enforcement agency go directly to issues of transparency, integrity and the international standing of the Nigerian state.

‘The question is therefore: why is there so much graveyard silence from those who have traditionally presented themselves as the conscience of the nation?

‘Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was President when Tinubu served as Governor of Lagos State. Whatever may have been known or investigated at the time, Nigerians are entitled to ask whether the Federal Government did everything within its powers to properly establish the facts.

‘Today, amid reports of political alignments involving the former President vis a vis his speculated support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, Obasanjo’s silence on these troubling developments inevitably raises questions about whether political considerations are being allowed to compete with principle.

‘But this is not about Obasanjo alone. Where are Chief Emeka Anyaoku, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Professor Wole Soyinka, former President Goodluck Jonathan and the other respected Nigerians who have repeatedly spoken out when they believed that the country’s democracy, institutions or reputation were at stake?’ Malaolu asked.

He charged the elder statesmen to demand that the truth surrounding these U.S. investigations and the records being litigated over in American courts be brought into the open to the fullest extent permitted by law.

‘This is not a demand that anyone pronounce President Tinubu guilty. It is a demand for transparency, accountability and answers.

‘If there is nothing in the records that implicates the President in wrongdoing, then full lawful disclosure should help put the matter to rest. If legitimate questions remain, Nigerians deserve an independent, credible and transparent process through which those questions can be answered.

‘What is unacceptable is silence. There is, however, an even greater urgency that Nigeria’s leaders of conscience must recognise.

‘It would be tragic if Nigeria’s elder statesmen and leaders of conscience failed to act timeously, only for circumstances beyond Nigeria’s control to produce consequences of an entirely different magnitude.

‘The experiences of countries such as Venezuela and Panama should remind Nigerians that international legal and geopolitical developments can sometimes move with extraordinary speed. No responsible Nigerian should wish for, or predict, any particular outcome for Nigeria or its President. But neither should responsible leaders assume that nothing can happen simply because Nigerians are looking away. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.’

Runyankole to go live on Wikipedia

The Wikimedia Community User Group of Uganda says it is waiting for the Wikipedia Foundation to approve its newly created Runyankole domain for it to go live on the World’s largest online encyclopedia.

Speaking to this publication during their annual general meeting on Saturday, Michael Kaluba, the executive director of the Wikimedia Community User Group of Uganda, said this is the second language after Luganda that they are uploading onto Wikipedia, the world’s largest online open-source encyclopedia, and they hope to add Acholi to the list next year, before embarking on other local languages.

‘When you go to Google, you find that most of the information about Uganda is written by foreigners who have been shaping the narrative of Uganda. Here, we provide accurate information about Ugandan content. We document that information.

It is open-source licensed; it is available free of charge,’ he said.

Asked to explain what it takes and why Ugandans should care about their local languages being uploaded on Wikipedia, he said language is culture, and it must be preserved.

Wikipedia is the world’s largest online encyclopedia that most countries are using to store information regarding their countries. They also translate information from English into local languages and vice versa so that the information is available for personal work and research.

Christopher Liberty, the project lead for Runyankole Wikipedia content, explained that they initiated the process to translate English into Runyankole in July last year by creating a committee to translate the available content from English to Runyankole and ensure that it is clean and correct.

They worked with Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Kabale University, as well as Sunflower, an entity that provides machines for translation, and engaged 300 human editors to translate the available content and ensure that it is grammatically correct, has meaning, and is accurate content

He said they would like to have as many local languages as possible uploaded on the search engine because English isn’t the only language spoken in Uganda, but they have challenges of getting volunteers to support the exercise

‘We had a team of 300 volunteers translating. To date we have 1,300 articles in Runyankole. The domain hasn’t gone live because the language committee at the Wikimedia Foundation is evaluating it; we hope to have it approved before the end of this year,’ he said.

Geoffrey Kateregga, one of the co-founders of the community, said they started it in 2014 after realising that Wikipedia is the world’s largest encyclopedia where people look for information online because it provides factual information.

He said that whereas anyone is free to join the community, the content they provide must be factual, so that Ugandans stop waiting for foreigners to come and write information about the country’s food, music, and any other important information people would like to know about the country; any professional can contribute information or photos, and the content shouldn’t be tailored to marketing.

Currently, Uganda boasts of over 60 different tribes and ethnic groups with distinct cultural beliefs and practices.

Unfortunately, despite the rich diversity of traditional cultural practices and ways of life, the locals haven’t documented the traditional culture and practices to benefit from them financially through tourism.

Because of modernisation, some cultural practices are becoming extinct, and some tribes are also disappearing with little documentation because they have been brainwashed to believe that they are inferior rather than superior.

Uganda sets up research task forces to guide policy and spending

Uganda has set up two research task forces to generate evidence that will guide government policymaking, budgeting and public service delivery, the Ministry of Public Service said.

The Institutional Research Agenda (IRA) and Social Economic Research Agenda (SERA) task forces were inaugurated in Kampala on Thursday by Public Service Minister Gen. (Rtd) Katumba Wamala.

The task forces will seek to bridge gaps between research findings and government action, with the SERA team focusing on socioeconomic research and the IRA team coordinating institutional research across government.

The IRA task force will review existing research priorities, identify knowledge gaps, coordinate stakeholders and develop a comprehensive research agenda aligned with national development priorities and government strategies.

It will also propose funding mechanisms and oversee the validation and finalisation of the agenda for government approval.

The SERA task force will generate data to inform policy formulation and spending decisions while identifying local priorities to help ensure government programmes respond to citizens’ needs.

Wamala said the Institutional Research Agenda would be reviewed every five years to keep it aligned with emerging policy challenges and national priorities.

‘The Institutional Research Agenda will be reviewed every five years to ensure it remains relevant to emerging policy issues and national priorities,’ he said.

The minister said the research framework would support Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) and its long-term strategy for expanding the economy tenfold.

‘The fourth National Development Plan, and the ten-fold growth strategy, these are very key for us to always, whatever we are doing, we should not lose focus of those,’ Wamala said.

The SERA task force consists of technical officials from the Ministry of Public Service, while the IRA task force draws members from different government ministries and agencies to coordinate cross-cutting research priorities.

The government expects socioeconomic research to strengthen planning, budgeting, programme implementation and performance management in the medium term, while supporting industrialisation, job creation, human capital development and public sector productivity over the longer term.

Robert Ngobi, manager of policy research at the National Planning Authority, said Uganda’s government had committed to increasing funding for research to 1% of gross domestic product (GDP), from an estimated 0.4% to 0.5% currently.

He said inadequate documentation and coordination had made it difficult to determine and finance research needs across government institutions.

‘There are institutions whose primary mandate is research, and they have their financing mechanism, like National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCCRI) among others, who get 30 billion shillings every year, but the problem has been documentation,’ Ngobi said.

Ngobi said the development of a National Research Framework and National Research Agenda would make it easier for the government to determine research funding needs and integrate research into institutional development plans.

State Minister for Public Service Lydia Wanyoto urged members of the two task forces to develop specific research agendas that are inclusive, consultative and evidence-driven.

The initiative is part of government efforts to strengthen the use of research and evidence in policy and development planning.