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NIHOTOUR, FTAN Seek Collaboration Of Stakeholders In Kaduna On Tourism

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NIHOTOUR, FTAN Seek Collaboration Of Stakeholders In Kaduna On Tourism

. . . As Govt. Promises Improved Sector.

As stakeholders across the world celebrate the 2024 World Tourism Day, the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN) and the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Kaduna campus are seeking the collaboration of other stakeholders in the sector.
This is just as the Director Tourism Business, Innovation and Technology, Patience Iya promises that the Kaduna state governmt through the ministry will ensure collaboration with other stakeholders for an improved tourism sector in the state.

She disclosed that Kaduna state has the potentials to lead other states in the tourism section in the country.

Speaking at the event to commemorate the World Tourism Day in Kaduna Saturday, the State Coordinator of FTAN, Dr. Tobi Bernard Thomas, averred that his association remain committed to promoting Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.

While promising that FTAN would continue to sustain tourism practices in the state, Dr. Thomas urged government and other stakeholders to recognize the huge contributions of the sector to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation’s economy.

In her remarks, the Coordinator of NIHOTOUR, Kaduna Campus, Mrs. Clara Asoko, said that Kaduna is a great city, but the awareness of tourism among the people is low, hence the need to create awareness about the benefits and the economic gains of tourism.

” This is one of the reasons while we are on the streets of Kaduna for a ‘Road Walk’ to sensitise and create awareness on the benefit of the sector to our diverse nation,” she explained.

According to Asoko, tourism has long been recognised as a vital force for peace, helping to build tolerance, reduces prejudice, and foster global unity.

Your Tenure Has Ended, Accept It And Move On, Kaduna Labour Party To Out-Gone Exco

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Your Tenure Has Ended, Accept It And Move On, Kaduna Labour Party To Out-Gone Exco

By Sunday Elijah

The leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in Kaduna State, Nigeria has called on the immediate past state executives of the party to stop spreading falsehood claiming their tenure has not ended.

The out-gone LP exco, led by Auwal Tafoki, has continued to parade themselves as party leaders, and has recently been quoted by some media, saying, the newly elected National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman and the party’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Sen. Datti Baba-Ahmed are not recognized as members of the party in Kaduna.

But in a swift reaction, the State Caretaker Committee of the party, through a statement by its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Natty Auta, said, “It is evident that they are struggling to accept the reality that their tenure has ended. Their attempts to remain relevant by spreading misinformation are both unfortunate and misleading,” he said.

“Firstly, we challenge the out-gone executive to provide the ward register of His Excellency Datti Baba-Ahmed and Senator Nenadi Usman to substantiate their claims that these esteemed individuals and leaders in our great party are not registered members of the Labour Party.

“In contrast, we have submitted the register and membership card of Senator Nenadi Usman for public verification.

“We urge News-Port Nigeria to adhere to journalistic ethics by verifying information before publication. It is crucial to avoid disseminating unverified news that can mislead the public.

“We understand that the former PRO, who hails from Kogi State, may not have accurate knowledge about ward registrations in Kaduna State. We advise the outgone executive to refrain from engaging in blackmail and name-calling.

“The Labour Party is not divided; it is merely transitioning from one leadership to another,” it stated.

The statement added that, “It has come to our attention that the Kagarko Local Government Chairman, Comrade Zephaniah Yohanna, was contacted by the out-gone executive to verify Senator Nenadi Usman’s registration in her ward.

“When he confirmed her registration, they pressured him to suspend her, which he rightfully refused. This incident highlights their continued attempts to undermine legitimate party members.

“If there is any illegitimate group within the party, it is the outgone executive, whose tenure has expired. Their refusal to accept this reality is likely driven by their dependence on their former positions as a major source of income.

“If they truly care about the party’s interests and development, they should support initiatives like the fundraising event aimed at supporting our candidates in the upcoming local government elections.

“Their focus on form sales and tax collection shows a lack of innovative ideas to move the party forward. We call on them to take the honorable path and cease parading themselves as self-imposed leaders in Kaduna State.

“We remain committed to the unity and progress of the Labour Party and urge all members to work together for the betterment of our party and the people of Kaduna State”, it stated.

Sen. Nenadi Usman card presented

Analysing Shehu Mohammed’s Sagacity And How FRSC Emerged Best In Website Performance Barely 4 Months As Corps Marshal – By Bisi Kazeem

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Analysing Shehu Mohammed’s Sagacity And How FRSC Emerged Best In Website Performance Barely 4 Months As Corps Marshal – By Bisi Kazeem

Nigeria is one of the few African countries that has leveraged on some road safety principles and have recorded remarkable progress in road safety administration and management despite a ‘gloomy’ beginning. The road safety situation in Nigeria was so deplorable that the World Health Organisation once described the country as ‘worst in the world to travel on’ only next to Ethiopia.

That narrative changed through government’s efforts by establishing the Federal Road Safety Commission as the Lead Agency to guarantee safety on every centimetre of Nigeria’s expansive road network of 204,000km. This establishment was done ten years prior to United Nations recommendation for all member states to establish agencies directly situated under the central government for ease of unfretted operation.

In its three decades of unbroken services to humanity as a lead agency in traffic and safety management, FRSC has recorded tremendous achievements in the area of Traffic Engineering, Road Safety Administration, Traffic Management and Crash reduction.

The Corps has now come of age after going through good times and tides. Through the use of state of the art Information Technology facilities, the Corps has been able to enhance its operational capacity aimed at promoting public safety and security. Having been propelled by the imperatives of entrenching ease of doing business as well as align with international standards in all fronts, the Corps has successfully designed and operated over 30 web applications for its operational activities so as to create an accessible platform for the general public.

Some of these applications cover, the Uniform Licensing scheme, under which is the ONE DRIVER ONE RECORD which enables FRSC track and match records of drivers with their drivers licence, vehicle number plate, traffic offences and others in a single view.

Introduction of the toll free 122 emergency number and a 24 hours call center established to reduce response time for crash victims; a single step that has reduced emergency response time from 50 minutes to 15 minutes thereby decreasing the number of fatalities in crash situations. More so, the introduction of Verification Portal for drivers licence and number plates, the introduction of the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS) for uniformity and harmonization of fleet operators in the country, the Driving School Standardisation Scheme (DSSP), the introduction of the speed limiting device whose enforcement began on 1st February, 2017, introduction of vehicle and body worn cameras to monitor patrol operations, and the vehicle tracking system among others, are policies formulated and implemented to fight road traffic crash in the country to extinction.

The Corps led that foundation for itself, knowing that the road transportation sector in Nigeria accounts for over 90% of passengers and freight movement, and this exerts undue pressure on the FRSC in discharging its cardinal responsibilities. In view of the growing need to surmount these visible and invisible challenges, the Corps embarked on several reforms which include but not limited to the following: Development of a national road safety strategy roadmap, improved operational efficiency, enhanced regulatory environment, and accelerated response capability to situations that needed immediate actions, amongst others.

Added to the aforementioned, the Corps took a step further, defined it’s path in tandem with UN decade of action as well as the mantra of functional 21st century organization by chatting a path to meet the Accra declaration of 50% reduction in fatality by 2015. That aside, it went all the way to institute modalities to achieve UN decade of action on road Safety of 50% fatality reduction by 2020, and place Nigerian roads within the league of 20 global safest roads by 2020, as well as UN Decade of Action 2021-2030 which aims at having a society where crashes result in no deaths.

To achieve the stated targets, the Corps developed transformational initiatives focused on People, Processes and Technology (PPT). That is why today, not only does its staff pride as the most disciplined, but the Corps stands as the best Information Technology (IT) driven organization in Nigeria with its robust data base and over 95 percentage digitalized administrative and operational procedures. Mm

Having given that background, it is noteworthy to look at how the Corps, under the leadership of the present Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed who of course, was amongst members of the group who blazed the trail to set up what is now known as a technology driven organization, emerged the best amongst over 315 MDAs in Website performance and ranking.

It may interest you to know that the 2023-2024 Federal Government Scorecard for ranking Websites of Ministries, Departments and Agencies is an essential benchmark for evaluating the current state of government websites in Nigeria. FRSC’s Website was selected as the best following a very meticulous, highly diligent and extremely objective review of the Websites of 315 MDAs which were subjected to evaluation for the period under consideration.

The Bureau of Public Service Reforms, a Federal Government agency under the Presidency that organised and issued the award on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR justified the relevance of the ranking. According to them, the effectiveness and functionality of government websites have become a critical component of Nigeria’s public service reform agenda as the nation increasingly adopts digital platforms as the primary means of communication, service delivery and information dissemination. As such, FRSC’s Website was found to host a huge collection of information about all products and services of the Corps for the consumption of the general public. This feat placed the Corps ahead of its contemporaries in public service.

That said, to unravel the mystery behind how FRSC made it to the top in information technology and eventually emerged best amongst peers, it is important to look at the direction of leadership and policy focus of the administration of Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed.

The trajectory of his career as a road safety professional from the day he joined the services of the Agency till date are the very factors that have shaped him as an all-rounder in road safety management and administration with a firm and fair handling of goal-oriented affairs as the Corps Marshal.

Upon assumption of office, Shehu Mohammed alongside his team of management, designed and implemented programmes of action, as well as a proactive template to advance the growth of the Corps in all ramifications, with the aim of trending down road crashes and fatality rate.

Being a believer of technology, the Corps Marshal made the digitisation of FRSC operations a cardinal part of his policy thrust. To that end, he took a bold step that was the first of its kind since the establishment of the Corps, by appointing a Technical Adviser who will mount the wheels that would eventually bring FRSC to speed in the deployment of information technology in the work place. This placement of round pegs in round holes was the catalyst, the propellant force, as well as the icing on the cake that catapulted the Corps to more enviable heights and achievements in digitisation.

Retrospectively, Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed has been an integral part of the digitalization process and has driven the technology feat of this noble organization for years now, beginning from Corps Marshal Osita Chidoka who started the revolution to the erstwhile Corps Marshal, Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi who sustained the expertise, through to the immediate past Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali Biu who kept the momentum.

To say the least, his experience has seen the Corps measure to billing as he is already on the glorious path of unravelling the mystery that would finally bring about the overall digitisation of FRSC operations.

Additionally, just as stated in my last piece, part of the major initiatives introduced by Corps Marshal Shehu Mohammed that brought about the needed result for the Corps, is the ongoing digital revolution.

The introduction of Electronic Document Management System ( Paperless) in the workplace would surely make FRSC the first Federal Government Agency to go paperless. This initiative, apart from the speed it will bring to the workplace, will also enhance ease of doing business and bring down the cost of governance. In the same vein, adequate progress is being recorded on the operational front too, he, Shehu Mohammed has gone a step further by initiating and launching the first FRSC Mobile Application, a one-stop shop for all FRSC products and services, for quality service delivery. The FRSC Mobile App was introduced to generate and analyse real-time data on operations, Traffic Crashes data management, and road conditions, and provide customers with feedback on the Corps’ products.

The introduction of the National Crash Information Recording System portal (NACRIS) is another ground breaking robust data collation initiative that will help in policy formulation, planning, and education. With this portal, Nigerians could easily report cases of crashes from the point of crash. This initiative will boost data legitimacy and change global perception of FRSC crash data reports for good.

The Corps under his purposeful leadership, has proven to be right on track to allay the menace of road traffic crashes on Nigerian roads and usher in a season where there would be no crashes; where even if crashes will occur, it would not result in the death of any Nigerian. Achievements of such would be recorded based on many pillars and strict implementation of his policy thrust fused in the Corporate Strategic goals of the Corps.

To this end, suffice it to state that as a performance driven organization, with clearly set measurable Key performance Indicators, FRSC is today, the only law enforcement organization in Nigeria certified by the International Standard Organization.

Bisi Kazeem, a veteran road safety professional and a public relations expert, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

Nigeria: Our 2025 Budget Will Be People Oriented – Billiri LGA Chair

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Nigeria: Our 2025 Budget Will Be People Oriented – Billiri LGA Chair

By Iliya Kure 

The Chairman of Billiri Local Government Area (LGA) in Gombe state, Eglah Idris, says the 2025 budget of the Local Government will focus on projects that have direct bearing on the people.

To this end, she tasked elected and Community leaders in the area to work with their constituents to generate budget proposals that are people oriented.

Idris was speaking at the community engagement ahead of the 2025 budget cycle organized by the Council for representatives of various strata of people drawn from the LGA.

While stressing that the Council will carry along all sections of the society in the budget planning and administration, she emphasized the need for the community leaders to hold broad consultation with the various units and wards to ensure capturing critical needs of their communities.

Idris who decried challenges in collection of internally generated revenue of the local government, promised to address the problem, and revive the revenue drive for additional income and effective utilization.

The Chairman also expressed appreciation to Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his leadership and support, as well as the initiative of engaging community members in budget preparation.

Stakeholders at the Community Engagement on 2025 Budget of Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State Nigeria

Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, represented by Abdulrazak Abdulmumini, said, the essence of the community engagement towards budget process was to make it participatory.

The Commissioner therefore called on communities and organized groups to utilize the opportunity by presenting the most pressing needs of their communities to government right at the budget formulation stage, to ensure capturing and implementation.

In a remark, Treasurer of the LGA, Augustine Kurungu, highlighted some of the projects executed in the last fiscal year to include renovation of the Council Chamber; renovation of the Chairman’s office; and the renovation of the Deputy Chairman’s office.

Others, he said, included repairs of boreholes; renovation of government lodge; and the renovation of former College of Education staff quarters in Kalmai.

Participants including traditional and religious leaders who spoke, emphasized the need for the Council to explore more revenue sources to compliment what is received from the federation account.

Notable participants at the meeting, included Deputy Chairman and Secretary to the LGA, Councillors, District and Village Heads, representatives of religious bodies and civil society groups.

National Women Council Sensitises Nigerians On Birth  Registration

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National Women Council Sensitises Nigerians On Birth  Registration

 

By Justina Auta

The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), has begun nationwide sensitisation to create awareness on birth registration.

The campaign is aimed at enabling Nigeria to achieve 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) target.

Mrs Geraldine Ita-Etuk, Acting-National President, NCWS, who spoke at the inauguration of the exercise, on Thursday in Abuja, said that the initiative would encourage birth registration, especially at the community level.

Ita-Etuk said that the organisation would leverage on its structure to mobilise people, especially at community and hard-to-reach areas to register births of their babies.

 

“Today’s campaign aims to raise awareness about the significance of birth registration, identify the challenges hindering it, propose solutions, and strengthen partnerships with relevant stakeholders.

“We must work together to increase awareness about birth registration, improve access to registration services, and enhance institutional capacity,” she said.

 

She described Nigeria’s birth registration rate as low, with millions of unregistered children, adding that the trend exposed them to exploitation, child labor and trafficking.

 

According to her, women leaders understand the importance of birth registration in securing a child’s identity, citizenship and future opportunities.

 

“Birth registration is the first legal acknowledgment of a child’s existence, essential for safeguarding their rights and privileges both now and in the future.

 

“Furthermore, accurate birth registration is crucial for national planning and development, as it provides the government with essential data to effectively plan for education, healthcare and other social services,” she said.

 

Mrs Helen Ogohi, Assistant Director, Civil Registration Department, National Population Commission (NPC), said the commission set up over 4,000 registration centres acriss the country.

She added that the campaign would encourage more birth registration.

 

According to Ogohi, the commission is working in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), to ensure that National Identification Number (NIN) is generated to a child at the point of registering.

 

“We want to ensure that at the point of registering every child, the NIN is generated for the child.

 

“This is to enhance a speedy collaboration whereby the NIMC app can sit on the NPC application to work in synergy to ensure that every child is issued NIN alongside birth registration,” she said.

 

Also, Ms Mona Aika, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF, said the initiative by NCWS  was a clear call to action to ensure that the children were duely registered.

 

Aika said, “birth registration is the right of every child. It’s the legal identity for each child. If you’re not registered, you’re very likely not to be able to access services.

 

“So, it is important, and we are supporting, as UNICEF the government to ensure that children are registered in Nigeria, to enjoy their right to legal identity as we move towards the SDG, 2030”. (NAN)

AutoGirl: The Nigerian Startup Working On Remodeling Car Rental Business

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AutoGirl: The Nigerian Startup Working On Remodeling Car Rental Business

Money is often tight for university students, but for Chinazom Arinze, a limited income was an opportunity that sparked a business venture.

While studying law at Babcock University, in Nigeria, and working part-time at a car dealership, she set up a side hustle, informally launching AutoGirl in 2019. Initially also a car dealership, it evolved into a platform that connects people looking to rent out their vehicles with people who want to hire them.

“I think I was about 19 or 20 at the time,” Arinze recalls. “I was just doing it because it was fun, and it did bring some money, but then it grew a lot larger than I expected. I started getting consistent customers.

“I started my business with zero money; the only thing that I had leverage upon was connections. I used my network from the car dealership I worked in, and social media.”
Arinze says she knew car owners who wanted to monetize their vehicles and knew she could match them with people looking for short-term hires, especially tourists. While there are established car rental companies in Nigeria, such as Hertz and Budget, Autogirl’s vehicles come with drivers, and Arinze says her company offers a greater range of cars and “competitive prices.”

One of the cheapest rentals on Autogirl’s website at the time of writing was a Hyundai, priced at 45,000 naira ($27) per day, and one of the most luxurious was a 2018 Lexus, costing approximately 2.85 million Naira ($1,722) per month. The company lists the average income for its vehicle owners as 7 million naira ($4,230) per car.

As her side hustle grew into a thriving business, Arinze realized she couldn’t do things alone.

“For a good few years, it was just me. I was the secretary, I was the social media manager, I was everything … I was working around the clock,” says Arinze, now aged 26. “The only time I wasn’t working was when I was sleeping and even then, if a customer had an issue at night, I was the only person, so I’d be the one they would call and I’d have to resolve it.
“I had to start bringing people on. I brought (on) a social media manager, an admin manager, finance people and an operations team that works 24/7.”

Now, with more than 3,000 customers, and more than 12,000 rides under its belt, Autogirl also offers boat and even private jet rentals through its website. This June, the company expanded into Ghana and plans to launch in Benin later this year.

Empowering women

Arinze concedes that it hasn’t always been easy for her to work in a male-dominated industry. She says she took classes in auto mechanics and produced social media reviews of cars to demonstrate that she knew what she was doing: “I showed them I had knowledge and then people would say, ‘Oh, she’s not a clueless young girl.’”

To encourage other women to follow her path, Arinze recently launched the Autogirl Women Empowerment Programme, which offers free classes in driving, mechanics and affiliate marketing, and hopes to also provide internship opportunities. Arinze says they plan to train 60 women before the end of November.

Ultimately, she sees Autogirl expanding elsewhere in Africa, and eventually beyond. ‘‘We want to be the Airbnb of vehicle rentals in Africa and ultimately the world,” Arinze says.

“The way people thought that Airbnb did not have a chance because there are hotels all over the world is how people think about us and traditional car rentals — but people pay for more flexibility and variety and that’s what we offer.”

Curled from CNN under the title This Nigerian company wants to be the Airbnb of car rentals

South Africa: Despite Decline, KZN Remains Second-Highest In HIV Prevalence Rate

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South Africa: Despite Decline, KZN Remains Second-Highest In HIV Prevalence Rate

KwaZulu-Natal has recorded the second-highest HIV prevalence rate at 16% in 2022, down from 18% in 2017.

According to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), this translates to 1 980 000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in KwaZulu-Natal, which was a decline from 1 990 000 in 2017.

The information is based on the findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI).

SAnews reported last week that Mpumalanga now has the highest HIV prevalence at 17.4% in 2022, which translates to an estimated 890 000 (PLHIV) in the province.

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, the HSRC’s Professor Khangelani Zuma, the survey showed that in 2022, HIV prevalence in the province was higher among those aged 25 to 49 (31.1%), for both females (38.4%) and males (21.5%).

HIV prevalence was also higher among those residing in rural formal or farm areas (20%).

“HIV prevalence peaked at 44.5% among those aged 45 to 49 in 2022 from 39.7% in 2017 among those aged 35 to 39, indicating a possibility of continuing infections among older people. HIV prevalence had decreased by 2022 among all age groups younger than 40 years compared to 2017,” Zuma said.

By district, in 2022, HIV prevalence was highest in uMgungundlovu (19.5%).

The data presented are for eight priority districts within KwaZulu-Natal namely, eThekwini, Harry Gwala, King Cetshwayo, Ugu, uMgungundlovu, uThukela, Zululand and uMkhanyakude districts, as per the study protocol.

Antiretroviral treatment 

Antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in KwaZulu-Natal increased to 87.3% in 2022, from 71.2% in 2017.

The ART coverage estimate translates to an estimated 1 609 000 PLHIV in the province receiving treatment in 2022.

In 2022, ART use among all PLHIV in the province was lowest among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (62.8%) compared to other age groups.

ART use was also lower among both males (58.8%) and females (64%) in this age group compared to other age groups.

Among children aged zero to 14, ART use among males was 83.5% compared to females (65.9%). Among rural formal areas, ART use among males (93.3%) was comparable to females (93.6%).

The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in South Africa, evaluate the progress of the South African national HIV and AIDS, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

Viral load suppression 

On the viral load suppression, the survey further revealed that, in 2022, among all provinces, KwaZulu-Natal had the highest proportion of all PLHIV with VLS (86.8%), having increased from 2017 (67.8%).

Knowledge of HIV status

The professor expressed concern that those aged between 25 and 49 accounted for the majority of PLHIV in the province (68.3%) who were unaware of their HIV status (54.5%), aware but not on ART (63.5%), and on ART but not virally suppressed (66.4%).

“However, adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 contribute disproportionally to gaps in treatment, accounting for just 8.5% of all PLHIV, but 28.4% of those unaware of their HIV status, 19.1% of those aware but not on ART and 15.7% of those on ART but not virally suppressed.”

Sex debut

Regarding the key drivers of the HIV pandemic, Zuma noted that, in KwaZulu-Natal, there was no change in the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 who reported having sex before the age of 15 in 2017 (8.2%) compared to 2022 (8.6%).

However, sexual debut before the age of 15 among adolescents and youth between 15 and 24 years in 2022 was higher among males (12.3%) than females (4.8%).

The survey revealed that 11% of people aged 15 and older reported having multiple sexual partners in 2022 compared to 9.4% in 2017.

The proportion of people aged 15 and older who reported having multiple sexual partners was five-fold higher among males (18.6%), compared to females (3.5%), and 1.5-fold higher among those aged 15 to 24 (16.3%) compared to those aged 25 to 49 (10.9%).

The proportion of people who reported having multiple sexual partners was highest in Harry Gwala (14.1%) and lowest in uThukela (7.6%).

Condom use

Regarding condom use, the survey revealed that 32.8% reported using a condom with the most recent sexual partner in 2022 compared to 44.9% in 2017, representing a 12.1% decline.

In KwaZulu-Natal, a higher proportion also reported that they never (45.2%) used a condom with their most recent sexual partner.

“Only 9.3% reported that they used condoms almost every time.”

Meanwhile, consistency of condom uses with the most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 and older in the province was higher among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (26.7%) compared to those aged 25 to 49 (16.5%).

“However, nearly 60% of youth reported only using a condom sometimes or never.”

Zuma recommended a long-term strategy to care for people in an ageing HIV epidemic as well as tailored interventions to address gaps in the “clinical cascade”.

“We also recommend a continued focus on increasing coverage and demand for medical male circumcision among males aged 15 and older. We must also enhance public awareness and uptake of effective HIV prevention measures, such as regular HIV testing, condoms and PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis],” Zuma added.

 

KwaZulu-Natal has recorded the second-highest HIV prevalence rate at 16% in 2022, down from 18% in 2017.

According to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), this translates to 1 980 000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in KwaZulu-Natal, which was a decline from 1 990 000 in 2017.

The information is based on the findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI).

SAnews reported last week that Mpumalanga now has the highest HIV prevalence at 17.4% in 2022, which translates to an estimated 890 000 (PLHIV) in the province.

According to the overall principal investigator of the study, the HSRC’s Professor Khangelani Zuma, the survey showed that in 2022, HIV prevalence in the province was higher among those aged 25 to 49 (31.1%), for both females (38.4%) and males (21.5%).

HIV prevalence was also higher among those residing in rural formal or farm areas (20%).

“HIV prevalence peaked at 44.5% among those aged 45 to 49 in 2022 from 39.7% in 2017 among those aged 35 to 39, indicating a possibility of continuing infections among older people. HIV prevalence had decreased by 2022 among all age groups younger than 40 years compared to 2017,” Zuma said.

By district, in 2022, HIV prevalence was highest in uMgungundlovu (19.5%).

The data presented are for eight priority districts within KwaZulu-Natal namely, eThekwini, Harry Gwala, King Cetshwayo, Ugu, uMgungundlovu, uThukela, Zululand and uMkhanyakude districts, as per the study protocol.

Antiretroviral treatment 

Antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in KwaZulu-Natal increased to 87.3% in 2022, from 71.2% in 2017.

The ART coverage estimate translates to an estimated 1 609 000 PLHIV in the province receiving treatment in 2022.

In 2022, ART use among all PLHIV in the province was lowest among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (62.8%) compared to other age groups.

ART use was also lower among both males (58.8%) and females (64%) in this age group compared to other age groups.

Among children aged zero to 14, ART use among males was 83.5% compared to females (65.9%). Among rural formal areas, ART use among males (93.3%) was comparable to females (93.6%).

The SABSSM VI survey, conducted between 2022 and 2023, aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in South Africa, evaluate the progress of the South African national HIV and AIDS, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

Viral load suppression 

On the viral load suppression, the survey further revealed that, in 2022, among all provinces, KwaZulu-Natal had the highest proportion of all PLHIV with VLS (86.8%), having increased from 2017 (67.8%).

Knowledge of HIV status

The professor expressed concern that those aged between 25 and 49 accounted for the majority of PLHIV in the province (68.3%) who were unaware of their HIV status (54.5%), aware but not on ART (63.5%), and on ART but not virally suppressed (66.4%).

“However, adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 contribute disproportionally to gaps in treatment, accounting for just 8.5% of all PLHIV, but 28.4% of those unaware of their HIV status, 19.1% of those aware but not on ART and 15.7% of those on ART but not virally suppressed.”

Sex debut

Regarding the key drivers of the HIV pandemic, Zuma noted that, in KwaZulu-Natal, there was no change in the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 who reported having sex before the age of 15 in 2017 (8.2%) compared to 2022 (8.6%).

However, sexual debut before the age of 15 among adolescents and youth between 15 and 24 years in 2022 was higher among males (12.3%) than females (4.8%).

The survey revealed that 11% of people aged 15 and older reported having multiple sexual partners in 2022 compared to 9.4% in 2017.

The proportion of people aged 15 and older who reported having multiple sexual partners was five-fold higher among males (18.6%), compared to females (3.5%), and 1.5-fold higher among those aged 15 to 24 (16.3%) compared to those aged 25 to 49 (10.9%).

The proportion of people who reported having multiple sexual partners was highest in Harry Gwala (14.1%) and lowest in uThukela (7.6%).

Condom use

Regarding condom use, the survey revealed that 32.8% reported using a condom with the most recent sexual partner in 2022 compared to 44.9% in 2017, representing a 12.1% decline.

In KwaZulu-Natal, a higher proportion also reported that they never (45.2%) used a condom with their most recent sexual partner.

“Only 9.3% reported that they used condoms almost every time.”

Meanwhile, consistency of condom uses with the most recent sexual partner among people aged 15 and older in the province was higher among adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 (26.7%) compared to those aged 25 to 49 (16.5%).

“However, nearly 60% of youth reported only using a condom sometimes or never.”

Zuma recommended a long-term strategy to care for people in an ageing HIV epidemic as well as tailored interventions to address gaps in the “clinical cascade”.

“We also recommend a continued focus on increasing coverage and demand for medical male circumcision among males aged 15 and older. We must also enhance public awareness and uptake of effective HIV prevention measures, such as regular HIV testing, condoms and PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis],” Zuma added.

SAnews.gov.za

 

Nigeria: Why EFCC Rejects Yahaya Bello’s Surrender

Africaprimenews
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Nigeria: Why EFCC Rejects Yahaya Bello’s Surrender

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has strongly criticized former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, accusing him of attempting to obstruct justice and avoid facing his ongoing money laundering charges. In a statement released on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency expressed its dissatisfaction with Bello’s dramatic visit to the EFCC headquarters last week, which it described as a calculated ploy to evade due legal process and manipulate public sentiment.

Bello is currently facing an 18-count charge of money laundering totalling N80.2 billion, filed by the EFCC. Despite his legal team’s assurance that he would appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the former governor has yet to formally respond to the charges.

The EFCC condemned Bello’s actions, particularly his claim that an attempted arrest at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge was part of an assassination plot.

The commission dismissed this assertion as a baseless tactic aimed at discrediting the agency, marking the first time such an allegation has been made against the EFCC in its two decades of operation. The agency maintained that these claims were nothing more than a distraction from the real legal issues.

The commission revealed that Bello’s high-profile visit to its headquarters on September 18, accompanied by a large security detail and a sitting governor, raised suspicions. The EFCC declined to accept his surrender, citing concerns about his previous evasion of its summons and intelligence suggesting ulterior motives behind his appearance.

In its statement, the EFCC reiterated its determination to pursue the case, ensuring that Bello will have his day in court. The agency emphasized that it would not be deterred by the former governor’s alleged media stunts or political manoeuvring.

“The fight against corruption will continue without fear or favour, and no amount of blackmail or public sympathy will deter the EFCC from ensuring that justice is served,” the commission declared.

The EFCC also pointed out that the ongoing investigation into Bello is part of a broader crackdown on corruption. In 2024 alone, the commission has arraigned several high-profile figures, including former governors and ministers.

It could be recalled that a statement from Ohiare Michael, Director of the Yahaya Bello Media Office, claimed that the former Kogi State governor had visited the EFCC headquarters to honour an invitation from the agency.

However, while Bello’s media team maintained that he was responding to the EFCC’s request, the anti-graft commission refuted this, asserting that the former governor remains a wanted individual.

Michael also noted that Bello decided to visit the EFCC after consultations with his legal team and political associates.

As the public awaits the next phase of this high-stakes legal battle, the EFCC has made it clear that Yahaya Bello’s surrender will not be accepted through theatrics but through proper legal channels.

Curled from Businessday

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