Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: APO

The Committee on Physical Infrastructure has called on government to take over the operations of the Kampala – Entebee Expressway and investigate alleged failures in its management.

In the committee’s report presented to the House by the chairperson, Hon.  Mwine Mpaka on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, the legislators recommended that the Ministry of Works and Transport immediately take over the operations and maintenance of the Expressway, arguing that this will reduce expenditure on private contractual arrangements and protect revenue needed to repay the loan used to finance the road.

The committee in its orientation observed that the management of the Expressway continued relying on cash transactions, observed audit reports, contractor cost issues, procurement concerns and public finance management issues among others.

“These concerns left the committee with limited assurance regarding the management of the project and raised questions as to whether the loan would be repaid as envisaged and whether the project reflected value for money,” Mpaka said.

The committee members in their recommendations stated that the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) take over toll collections and introduce an electronic payment system, with all collections deposited into an account designated for repayment of the Expressway loan.

“The committee calls for investigations into the management of the Expressway including a forensic audit of its operations and revenue collections and scrutiny of the extension of a contract with Pinnacle Security Limited at a reported Shs36 billion,” Mpaka said.

On the financial loss occasioned as a result of engaging a private operator, the MPs recommended that the former UNRA accounting officer and board be investigated and prosecuted for allegedly failing to exercise their oversight role.  

Mwine Mpaka said that there is need to investigation and prosecute the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Transport who issued the extension of the Pinnacle Security Limited contract at a reported cost of Shs36 billion for one year without approval from the Attorney General, contrary to Article 119(5) of the Constitution.

Gulu City Woman Representative, Hon. Betty Aol Ochan said Uganda is losing revenue because of weak systems and excessive reliance on cash payments.

She called for greater use of digital payments to reduce losses, saying, ‘this digital will help also to reduce the losses’.

Hon. Juliet Kyinyamatama (NRM, Rakai District) backed the call for a forensic audit describing the absence of a comprehensive audit over the years as “a big shocker”.

“I think after doing a forensic audit, this is when we should take these decisions. So, for example, terminating the contract and letting the Ministry of Works take over,” she said.

Bukuya County MP, Hon. Michael Bukenya calling for the immediate suspension of the current operations while investigations are conducted.

Budadiri County East MP, Hon. Julius Nakiyi said Parliament should use the matter to demonstrate its commitment to fighting corruption and questioned whether the Expressway is generating enough revenue to recover its investment.

He also called for URA to investigate tax issues surrounding the operator and recover any taxes found to be due.

Kassanda County North MP, Hon. Patrick Oshabe urged the Auditor General to use the committee’s findings as a model for future audits of public entities.

“I would like to implore our Auditor General and his team to pick this report and use it as a way to report about entities in this Parliament. This should be the template,” Oshabe said.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi supported scrutiny of the Expressway but cautioned that government should first establish whether the Ministry of Works and Transport has the capacity to manage it.

Following a request by the Works Minister, Hon. Fred Byamukama for more time to study the report and the Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Robinah Nabbanja supporting the request, the Speaker, Jacob Marksons Oboth proposed a working group to examine the recommendations.

However, Mpaka argued that Parliament should consider the recommendations rather than create a separate mechanism.

The Speaker ruled that the recommendations will be considered by the whole House on Thursday, 27 August 2026.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

The policies and budgets that shape the lives of millions of Nigerians pass through the Federal Civil Service. To ensure those systems work more equitably for women and men, UN Women and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) have inaugurated the Steering Committee and Technical Working Group on Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting (GRPB) and the INSPIRE Programme.

The inauguration marks a significant milestone in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UN Women and the OHCSF to advance gender equality and strengthen women’s leadership within Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service. The newly inaugurated structures will provide strategic and technical oversight for integrating gender-responsive approaches into planning, budgeting, policy implementation, and institutional reform across government ministries, departments, and agencies.

Speaking at the inauguration on August 25, 2026, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, described the moment as a turning point for institutional reform.

“Today is not merely a ceremony but the moment when commitment becomes structure, and structure becomes the engine of implementation,” she said. “By inaugurating the Steering Committee and Technical Working Group, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is signaling that gender equity in the Federal Civil Service will be a result we plan for, budget for, measure, and deliver.”

At the heart of the initiative is Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting (GRPB), an approach that ensures government policies, plans, and resources respond to the different needs and realities of women and men. By integrating gender considerations throughout the planning and budgeting process, government institutions can better address inequalities and deliver more inclusive development outcomes.

The initiative is further strengthened by the INSPIRE Programme (Inclusive Network for Supporting Progress, Innovation, Reform and Equity for Women), a five-year effort designed to promote women’s leadership, professional growth, and gender-responsive policies across the Federal Civil Service. Developed in response to findings from the Federal Civil Service Culture Diagnostic Survey, INSPIRE seeks to create a more enabling environment for women to thrive and lead within public institutions.

Emphasizing the broader significance of the reforms, Ms. Eyong noted:

“The Federal Civil Service is the machinery through which every national policy, every budget line, and every development programme reaches the Nigerian people. If the civil service is gender-responsive, governance is gender-responsive.”

Under the new framework, the Steering Committee will provide strategic leadership, while the Technical Working Group will drive implementation, coordination, monitoring, and learning. Together, they will support the effective integration of gender-responsive policies and practices across the Federal Civil Service.

Reaffirming UN Women’s support, Ms. Eyong highlighted the organization’s role in providing technical expertise, capacity strengthening, policy guidance, and evidence-based monitoring and evaluation.

“UN Women’s commitment as your technical partner is total and unwavering. We will walk with you at every step, from today’s inauguration to the day we jointly report a transformed, gender-equitable Federal Civil Service,” she affirmed.

The inauguration marks an important milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to build a more inclusive, equitable, and accountable public service. By strengthening the systems that shape governance and public policy, the initiative lays the groundwork for a Federal Civil Service that better serves all Nigerians and advances gender equality at every level.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

.

The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services has cautioned the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) about its projected R749 million over-expenditure, reported to the committee on August 25, 2026.

Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the committee understands that food costs, driven largely by overcrowding, remain the main contributor to the projected over-expenditure. “The more inmates are admitted into correctional facilities, the more the department will need to spend on food. We therefore want a proper financial recovery plan outlining how the department intends to mitigate this over-expenditure,” emphasised the Chairperson.

The committee on August 25, 2026 considered the DCS performance report for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. “While acknowledging that the department achieved an overall performance target rate of 83%, the committee remains deeply concerned about severe structural challenges, escalating overcrowding, operational budget overruns and an alarming increase in unnatural inmate deaths,” highlighted the Chairperson.

The committee also noted with grave concern the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) report presented last week, which recorded 44 unnatural inmate deaths in the first quarter of 2026/27, an 83% increase compared with the 24 recorded during the same period last year. “We urge the department and JICS to work together to eliminate inconsistencies in the reporting of deaths. We hear the department when it says JICS reports on unnatural deaths before investigations have been finalised.

“Furthermore, we are concerned about delays in informing families about the cause of death of inmates who die while incarcerated. Families have a right to know, and they have a right to be informed of the cause of death as speedily as possible,” said Ms Ramolobeng.

The committee also raised concern about persistent overcrowding, particularly in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape, where inmate admissions continue to outpace releases.
The committee further noted that Correctional Supervision and Parole Board decision-making targets were missed in nearly all regions due to pervasive vacancies and a lack of quorums.

The department also experienced quarterly budget overruns across key programmes, including Incarceration (9%), Rehabilitation (9%), Care (18%) and Social Reintegration (12%), while failing to meet critical modernisation targets, including the drafting of the Correctional Services Amendment Bill and the deployment of smart technologies.

The committee highlighted that the Correctional Services Amendment Bill would be particularly important in addressing overcrowding, as it would provide for the interstate transfer of sentenced offenders to serve their sentences in their countries of origin.

“We note the inconsistencies in vacancy rates between the two reporting systems. While an 83% overall target achievement rate appears positive on paper, the severe operational gaps underneath cannot be ignored. Safe incarceration, human dignity and effective rehabilitation are constitutional imperatives, not optional goals.

“The committee cannot overlook the fact that critical rehabilitation and mental health services are constrained by severe staffing shortages. Rigorous accountability will be demanded from the executive regarding parole board vacancies, budget overruns, facility security and concrete interventions to prevent further loss of life in correctional centres,” said Ms Ramolobeng.

– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO – Report:

Eid Mewlid Al-Nebi, marking the 1448 Hijri year, was celebrated colorfully across the country today, 25 August.

The ceremony at Al-Khulafa Al-Rashidin Mosque was attended by ministers, senior Government and PFDJ officials, members of the diplomatic community, leaders of various Churches, and a large number of the faithful.

Haj Mohammed-Seid Bashir, Chairman of the Islamic Awkaf of Asmara, gave an extensive briefing on the historical significance of the holiday. He also commended those who participated in and contributed to the colorful event.

Speaking at the event, Sheik Salem Ibrahim Almuktar, Mufti of Eritrea and Chairman of the Higher Assembly of Eritrean Iftae and Islamic Affairs, congratulated the Eritrean people at home and abroad.

Sheik Salem Ibrahim Almuktar also underlined the importance of continued adherence to Eritrea’s foundational ethical principles and standards in this age of globalization. He also called for the preservation and further consolidation of the country’s strong national unity and cohesion, which were secured through the precious sacrifices of its martyrs.

The Eid Mewlid celebration was highlighted by spiritual performances.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

At the Al-Jazeera II Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mogadishu, the air carries a heavy stillness – a hard-won quiet maintained by 159 personnel of the Nigerian Formed Police Unit (NFPU) under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), in tandem with Ugandan troops serving. At the centre of this operational shield stands Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Abraham Laban, the NFPU-13 commander who views Somalia’s security as a testament to African self-reliance.

Established to house AUSSOM personnel following their relocation from the Mogadishu International Stadium, a move designed to facilitate the stadium’s rehabilitation and return to the Somali public, the base has become a cornerstone of stability in the capital.

CSP Abraham’s contribution to Somalia rests on the core pillars of the AUSSOM police mandate: public order management, joint operational patrols with the Somali Police Force (SPF), and providing vital escorts for AUSSOM and United Nations (UN) personnel.

“The hallmark of this mission is teamwork,” he says. “We work within a multi-dimensional environment alongside military and civilian components. Our goal is a common one: the stability of Somalia.”

CSP Laban, a master’s holder in peace studies and conflict resolution from Taraba State University in Nigeria, has a credential that transforms his command from policing into a sophisticated exercise in peacebuilding.

According to him, commanding a unit of 159 officers in a high-threat zone requires more than just tactical expertise; it requires a deep understanding of human endurance. For CSP Laban, the operational readiness of his personnel is inextricably linked to their mental health.

“I check regularly on the personnel who are down as a result of stress,” he explains. “We manage that through sporting activities and constant debriefs to ensure our professionalism never wavers.”

His typical day begins at the crack of dawn. Before the heat of the Somali sun takes hold, CSP Laban is already deep into operational briefings, feedback loops, and facility inspections. However, his most vital inspections are not of hardware but of morale.

Under CSP Laban’s tenure, the NFPU-13 has evolved into a versatile force. In response to a shortage of AUSSOM Individual Police Officers (IPOs), his team has stepped in to bridge the gap, providing the requisite training and professional development of SPF.

“I have personally led patrol teams into the heart of Mogadishu—navigating nooks and crannies that have been difficult for many to access,” CSP Laban says.

Perhaps one of the most significant achievements under his command is the sustained security at the Al-Jazeera base. While the surrounding environment remains volatile, Laban’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) has seen a marked period of calm.

This proactive stance has yielded tangible results at the Al-Jazeera base. In a region where mortar fire was once a rhythmic disruption of life, the silence now speaks volumes.

“This is a record we have set through vigilance and God’s grace, and we intend to maintain it.”

CSP Laban’s motivation in serving for AUSSOM is rooted in the legacy of Pan-Africanists like Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere. He views the Nigerian presence in Somalia as a fulfilment of a continental duty, an acknowledgement that the security of Lagos is inextricably tied to the peace of Mogadishu.

“As Nigerians, we know we will never have true peace in our own country if Somalia does not have peace,” CSP Laban says.

– on behalf of African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).