Category: Business

Angolan minister of Justice and Human Rights Marcy Lopes Wednesday in Luanda appealed to everyone to come together and cooperate with the Ombudsman’s Office.

Speaking on behalf of the President João Lourenço at the opening ceremony of the Ombudsman Week, the minister said that the objective is to work so that this institution becomes increasingly stronger, active and known by citizens.

He also recalled that despite not having decision-making power over the requests and complaints addressed to the institution, it is the duty of the public authorities to cooperate in the pursuit of its purposes.

He added that public authorities should no “ignore the administrative intervention of the Ombudsman to clarify a situation that involves respect for the fundamental rights of people”.

In turn, the MP Raúl Lima, who was speaking in representation of National Assembly Speaker, Carolina Cerqueira, highlighted the reforms underway in the country, in terms of justice, which attach great importance to the Ombudsman, as a State body “that gives voice to voiceless”.

“It is our desire that the Ombudsman be an active body recognised for its usefulness to society”, he stressed.

The UNDP representative in Angola, Edo Stork, reiterated the commitment to continue collaborating and providing technical assistance to the Ombudsman in technically strengthening its team, sharing good practices and expanding its services.

The Ombudsman, Florbela Araújo, highlighted the sector’s growth in recent years, which resulted from the recognition of the institution’s importance to society.

She said that the Ombudsman is a public entity that was granted to serve the citizen in the defence of their rights and guarantees, as well as the legitimate interests against an incorrect or inadequate performance of the public services.

The week, which runs under the motto “The Ombudsman as a defender of citizens’ fundamental rights”, will be marked, among other activities, by a cycle of lectures.

Ombudsman Week was institutionalised in 2018.

Today, 19 April, is also celebrated Ombudsman Day, in reference to the election and investiture of the first Ombudsman of the Republic of Angola.

Source: Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

(Seychelles News Agency) – A top finance official in Seychelles said that this year’s credit rating, which remains at ‘BB-‘ with a stable outlook according to Fitch Ratings 2023, will benefit the country as a whole.

The secretary of state in the Ministry of Finance, Patrick Payet, told reporters on Wednesday that the ratings are based on conversations held with the ministry, the Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS), and also the private sector, which includes the banking and tourism sectors.

“We see that Fitch is confident with the economic conditions and the fiscal and monetary policy that government has put in place in the last two to three years,” said Payet.

He added that “as Seychelles had a programme with the support of the IMF, CBS has discussed with the IMF to ensure the forecast we are providing with them so that they can confirm with them.”

According to the Fitch Ratings released at the end of March this year, Seychelles’ tourism sector recorded a solid recovery in 2022, with tourist arrivals surging by 82 percent year-on-year and reaching 86.4 percent of 2019 levels.

“If tomorrow we get a bond on the international market, we can negotiate very good rates and conditions for the loan portfolio,” he said and added that “this gives investors”confidence in the Seychelles economy. It shows we have strong economic conditions to support any investments they are doing.”

Seychelles’ businesses will also benefit from the good ratings because if they “want to lend out internationally, they too can use this rating and negotiate better rates in regards to any lending that they want to do outside Seychelles.”

He explained that the government was introducing mechanisms to tackle some of the weaknesses the report had highlighted and that there is currently a three-year plan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure the climate change component is mitigated.

“We see that climate change is no longer an issue that concerns the department it falls under but is rather something that concerns the whole of government in general,” he said.

The next Fitch rating is expected to be released later in October.

“We are hopeful that in the next review, we should maintain or upgrade this rating,” said Payet.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

President of the MPLA said Tuesday that the Executive has structuring projects in its portfolio that will have a great impact on the economic and social development of the country and on the increase in the supply of jobs.

João Lourenço, who is also President of the Republic, was speaking at the IV Ordinary Session of the Central Committee of the MPLA, which, among other matters, will debate the “Impact of Public Policies on the life of Youth”.

He highlighted that among the scheduled achievements are the entry into operation, at the end of the current year, of the Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport, the completion, next year, of Porto do Caio in Cabinda, the construction of the new airports in Cabinda and Mbanza Congo and the Caculo Cabaça Hydroelectric Dam.

He added, as works to be completed, the Cabinda, Soyo and Lobito refineries, 17 tertiary hospitals in several provinces, as well as the General Pedalé, University, Main Military, Oncology, Specialized-burn-units and Ophthalmology hospitals, all in Luanda.

He also said that the complete rehabilitation of Américo Boavida Hospital will be carried out and that the programme to combat drought in southern Angola will be fully implemented, focusing on the provinces of Cunene, Namibe and Huíla, including the water solution for Lubango city (Huila).

João Lourenço said that the start of the Bita and Quilonga projects is scheduled to overcome the water deficit in Luanda and 11 University infrastructures will be built in the country.

He believes that such programmes will considerably increase job opportunities for young people, encouraging them to better serve their country on all fronts.

At party level, the President of the MPLA reported a greater appreciation of youth, with the enlargement of the composition of the Central Committee, in the belief that they could become leaders committed to the country.

He recommended work to ensure that young people, dedicated to work, will become the rulers of the future, without vices and excessive ambitions.

He urged the need to extend the militant work to the mobilisation of civil society and representative organisations of young people, students, women, workers, athletes, artists and composers, churches, among others.

In the international political domain, the MPLA leader reiterated the defence of an unconditional ceasefire and the start of negotiations between the parties directly involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, for the establishment of a lasting peace between the two countries.

João Lourenço considers that lasting peace for Europe also implies direct negotiations between Russia and NATO, between Russia and the European Union.

“Europe can no longer be the epicenter of a new world war. We need to save Europe to save the world”, underlined the Head of State.

He advises that the US and China, due to the influence they enjoy, put aside what separates them and concert diplomatic actions aimed at resolving this conflict in Europe, in the sense of safeguarding world peace and security.

The president stated that the party must follow with due attention the latest events taking place in the world and that herald a return to the Cold War or even the design of a scenario worse than that of World War II, with alignments formed by two antagonistic axes.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) workers have given notice of their intention to embark on a series of actions, including picketing at the Jubilee House, to support their call for the revamping of the refinery.

Mr. Bernard Owusu, National Chairman of the General Transport Petroleum Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU), announcing this in a press conference at the forecourt of TOR, said the industrial actions would precede the May Day celebrations.

Mr. Owusu said other workers would also picket at the premises of the Ministry of Energy and other strategic locations as several calls and meetings with management and government officials had yielded no result.

He said it was worrying that the refinery, which has the best engineers in the sub-region and has the capacity to refine 45,000 barrels a day, was only carrying finished products instead of fulfilling its core mandate of refining crude.

He questioned why Ghana has crude oil and yet TOR could not get crude to refine, adding that, almost all the companies created by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Ghana’s First President has collapsed.

He said TOR workers would not allow that to happen to the refinery.

He reminded the government that if TOR was working at full capacity, it would supply the country with 50 percent of its overall domestic consumption, provide 100 percent of the residual fuel oil (RFO) for industrial operations, provide 20 to 25 percent of LPG consumption, and provide 100 percent of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK).

The National Chairman of GTPCWU further said that on average, Ghana required about $4.8 billion to import petroleum products per year.

He said if TOR was producing, the forex requirement for petroleum product imports would significantly reduce by over 50 percent.

He said other benefits included the lowering of domestic ex-pump prices due to the removal of certain import charges, including the freight rate of about $92/Mt for petrol, $101/Mt for diesel, and $83/Mt for LPG.

He added that revamping TOR to work at full capacity would also lower the financing charges as these transactions were cedi denominated.

The Union observed that as Ghana was currently going through financial distress and a debt restructuring programme, significant benefits from TOR’s work should be top on the national agenda.

‘Unless the managers of the country have no confidence in those, they have appointed to manage the TOR facility, the state is responsible and determines those who constitute the Board of Directors and the MD of TOR.

‘Therefore, all past and current operational anomalies and challenges must be borne by the appointing authority of these key critical office holders, knowing very well that all operational controls are a function of management,’ he added.

Mr. Anthony Koomson, Chairman of the Senior Staff Union, reminded the government that when TOR functions, it does not only benefit the staff but all Ghanaians and the economy.

Mr. Koomson said if the issue has to do with competent management, then the government must appoint the right people.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Crude oil revenues reached 9.108 billion kwanzas in 2022, with growth of 51% compared to the same period (2021), which stood at around AKz 6.034 billion.

Last year’s revenue is the result of the sale of around 417 million barrels of oil, as well as the payment of taxes on the transaction, sharing and production of crude oil, said the manager of the General Tax Administration (AGT), Tiago Santos.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday in Luanda, the manager added that the non-oil sector increased by 22%, as result of collection of revenue of 4,638 billion kwanzas, in 2022, against the AKz 3.816 billion reported in the previous year.

Most taxes showed positive growth in 2022 compared to those in 2021.

Still in the same period, the Industrial Tax and Value Added Tax (VAT)

contributed the most, with a share of 27% each.

Meanwhile, the Commerce sector contributed the most to non-oil revenue in 2022,

representing around 24% of the total collected, followed by the Extractive and Manufacturing Industry sector, with 12.8% and 11.1%, respectively.

Overall (sum of oil and non-oil revenues), tax revenue totaled AOA 13,746 billion, which corresponds to a 40% growth compared to 2021.

Non-oil revenues in the first quarter of 2023.

In the first quarter of 2023, non-oil revenue totaled AKz 976 billion, which corresponds to growth of 13% compared to the same period last year, according to the director of AGT, who took stock of the activities performed in 2022 and the first quarter of this year.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The civil protection teams have managed Monday morning to put out a huge fire that broke out in the industrial zone of Agareb (Governorate of Sfax) on Sunday night, causing tremendous material damage without recording any human loss.

The fire caused heavy losses in a factory of second-hand clothes and was successfully extinguished by the civil protection, prevented it from spreading to a neighbouring oil conditioning factory.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Authorities charged with the fight against the sale of contraband petroleum products in the East region of Cameroon have raised concerns over the increase in the commercialization of the product.

A recent crackdown on dealers in the activity in that part of the country led to the confiscation of over 14,000 liters of illicit fuel, which authorities have said, accounts for the disruption of the production chain of petroleum products in Cameroon.

Health concerns constitute part of the worries raised. “Petroleum products are not supposed to be sold to consumers in containers and drums” Mr. Boussop, a member of the National Brigade for Petroleum Products in the East region indicates. He further discloses that the circulation is usually at its peak during weekends.

“During weekends, this activity intensifies,” the official says this makes them go as far as the Adamawa region in their control. “We go right up to Meiganga in the Adamawa region and Garoua-Boulai in the East region. Our aim is to completely solve this activity” Mr. Boussop notes.

As part of the measures taken already in the fight, a filling station in Garoua-Boulai has been sealed for selling contraband fuel. The authorities in the East region say moves of this nature will “help protect the government’s economic strategy”.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Mr William Kpormatsi, a Parliamentary primaries aspirant in the Akatsi South Constituency of the Volta Region is to facilitate the establishment of a welfare fund, business support programmes to members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the area.

Mr Kpormatsi, who is also a financial and business investment expert and Chief Executive of W-Life Ventures, has said the welfare fund, with seed money of GHC400,000,00 would be exclusive to party executives from the branch to constituency as well as party elders in the constituency to cater for their health, social and financial needs.

Mr Kpormatsi gave the hint in an interview with the Ghana News Agency ahead of the Saturday, May 13 Parliamentary and Presidential primaries.

‘This I believe, would be a way of showing appreciation for their service to the party.’

Mr Kpormatsi indicated that he would create another business support programme dubbed ‘Kpormatsi Business Support Programme’ with seed money of GHC 200,000 to support startups, and medium and small-scale businesses meant to empower all executives to become self-sufficient.

On the safety and security of individuals and businesses, Mr Kpormatsi said he would engage Chiefs, youth groups, security agencies, opinion leaders, the clergy, and Assembly members to deliberate extensively on finding a lasting solution to the high records of criminal activities in the area over the years.

‘Akatsi shall be noted for development and progress rather than the crime. Change is crucial,’ he said.

He also pledged to continue investing in education, health, agriculture, and others if given the nod to represent the NDC and the people of Akatsi South in Parliament.

Mr Kpormatsi, who is highly recognised for his benevolence over the years, is making a third appearance after two failed attempts.

He is among two other candidates namely, Lawyer Bernard Ahiafor, the incumbent Member of Parliament who is seeking a fourth term slot, and Mr Samuel Benedict Nugblega, Director of Human Resource at the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) who is also making his second appearance.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A not-for-profit organisation, Oceanika, is calling on industrial fishing vessels to make more effort to remove fish aggregating devices (FADs) after fishing, after the NPO removed 24 fish FADs from Seychelles’ waters.

Oceanika, which has offices in Geneva and Thailand and has recently established one in Seychelles, has set an aim of locating and removing FADs in the waters of the Indian Ocean islands.

The organisation recently spent over 20 days at sea to find and remove the devices mostly used by large tuna fishing vessels.

Olivier Manaut, the chairman of Oceanika Seychelles, told SNA that “having seen the issues with regards to the FADs, which are left at sea and end up drifting to the coast and damaging the sea floor and corals, we decided that we need to do something.”

FADs are man-made, usually floating wooden structures with hanging nets to attract fish and these can either be free floating or anchored to the seabed.

When FADs are left at sea, they can also cause problems for marine life including turtles and sharks can become entangled in the floating nets attached.

The government of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is very attentive to this issue because of the impact of FADs on the marine environment.

Seychelles is recognised by the international community for its work on environmental protection and has worked for a long time with partners to put in place sustainable solutions for tuna fishing and seek all means to minimise the impact of this fishery.

Manaut said that he has been in regular discussion with the Ministry of Fisheries and the fishing companies that have been receptive to these concerns.

One of the areas all parties have agreed on is to have tracking devices on the FADs to make it easier to locate and remove them.

“At the moment, we have to go at sea and look for the buoys attached to the devices, which makes it very difficult and we might miss a lot of them. If we know their exact location, we can then go directly to each one and remove it,” he explained.

Other local organisations helping to remove FADs from Seychelles’ waters are the Islands Conservation Society (ICS) and Islands Development Company (IDC).

Meanwhile, with 24 FADs removed on their latest outing, Manaut said Oceankia has been in contact with local companies who are looking at ways to recycle these devices.

A young Seychellois company called Brikole, is already very active in the recycling of nets, and is a partner of Oceanika for the reprocessing part of the FADs.

“WASTEA, another Seychellois company, is also our partner, helping us with its expertise and its advice, in addition to these processes to eliminate this waste or reprocess it,” said Manaut.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

“The national carrier Tunisair posted a 29% rise in its transport revenues to nearly TND 292 million during the first quarter (Q1) of 2023,” according to activity indicators released on Friday by the Tunis Stock Exchange.

This is due to the increase of 24% in the number of passengers from 412 thousand at the end of March 2022 to 509 thousand at the end of March 2023.

At the same time, the average revenue per passenger (regular flights) and per flight hour (charters) grew by 5.3% and 5% respectively, in Q1 2023.

However, the market share of the national carrier dropped from 33.1% to 28.8%.

Likewise, the fleet punctuality decreased from 42% to 37%.

In terms of expenses, the improvement of the activity was coupled with a sharp increase in fuel expenses by 85% to TND 109.1 million, and airport fees by 42% to TND 49.2 million.

Aircraft rent expenses were up by nearly TND 10 million due to the entry into operation of new aircrafts bought by Tunisair under leasing.

The carrier’s indebtedness fell by 16% to TND 766.5 million as a result of the resumption of repayments on local loans restructured during the COVID-19 period.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse