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How NHS 111 can help you
Refugees in Uganda's Imvepi Camp. (Photo - UNMISS)
Ahreni Athessan
Mismanaged donor funds in Uganda - Massive fraud and corruption noted in services for more than one million refugees By Ben Parker
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he UN’s refugee agency wasted tens of millions of dollars in Uganda in 2017, overpaying for goods and services, awarding major contracts improperly, and failing to avoid fraud, corruption, and waste, according to a damning internal probe.
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HS 111 call handler, Ahreni Athessan explains how NHS 111 works and how her job has helped her realise her passion for helping others.
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What is NHS 111? NHS 111 is much more than a helpline – if you’re worried about an urgent medical concern, you can call 111 to speak to fully trained advisors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, who can put you straight through to relevant healthcare professionals, including nurses, emergency dentists, or GPs depending on the situation. What happens when you receive a call? We ask a series of questions to help us assess the condition of the caller or the individual they are calling on behalf of to ensure they are directed to the most appropriate healthcare professional or service. The questions we ask also help us identify how urgent the call is and then we advise on the best course of action. What training do you undergo to become an adviser? We undergo five weeks of intense training which includes class room training, written tests as well as on the job training that involves listening in to calls to understand the process followed by a week of taking calls with the support of a coach. We don’t get signed off to take calls on our own until we have
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Mismanaged donor funds in Uganda Continued from Page 1<
The audit, by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services, found multiple areas of mismanagement that were UNHCR’s responsibility, such as a $7.9 million contract for road repairs awarded to a contractor with no experience in road construction, and questionable payments to trucking and bus companies worth $7.7 million. It noted “pervasive non-compliance” with regulations on “vast sums” spent on water trucking and that UNHCR paid at least $10 million more VAT than it needed to. Tens of millions of transport-related invoices are still being disputed with contractors. The audit also found stockpiled goods, more lying idle than had been distributed in the previous 12 months, including 288,000 blankets and 50,000 wheelbarrows. In addition, 15,000 solar lamps worth $279,860 were found to have gone missing, and no proper investigation was done. Uganda, a low-income country in East Africa of about 42 million people, hosts over a million refugees, more than anywhere bar Turkey and Pakistan. From 2013, worsening conflict in South Sudan led to a mass exodus into northern Uganda; the pace accelerated from mid-
2016 onwards. By 2017, Kampala’s goodwill was seen as critical to providing a safe harbour for hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugees, and an aid official familiar with the situation, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issues, said UNHCR seemed “desperately cautious not to upset the Uganda government.” The aid official explained that the international community had been “singing Uganda’s praises” as a “model country” due to its liberal and progressive refugee-hosting policies at a time of rising anti-refugee sentiment. Uganda “was branded globally as the example to follow”, said Julien Schopp, Director of Humanitarian Practice at US NGO consortium InterAction. “Does that influence the oversight and dissuade UNHCR from digging a little deeper and uncovering corruption and mismanagement? Who has leverage on who?” Layers of blame UNHCR’s expenditure in Uganda jumped from $125 million in 2016 to $205 million in 2017, Four donors (Britain, the EU, Germany, and the United States) contributed about 80
percent of the 2017 funding, according to the UN’s Financial Tracking Service. Major problems first emerged in February 2018. The UN alleged that Ugandan officials were diverting aid by colluding to pocket supplies issued to fake refugee identities. A threat of a freeze on donor funds led the Ugandan government to replace its Head of Refugee Affairs and agree to a complete recount of its refugee population, managed by UNHCR. Uganda refugee recount Uganda has 300,000 fewer refugees than previously reported, after fraud allegations triggered an $11 million reregistration drive UNHCR announced in February that its Inspector General’s Office, which can refer staff for disciplinary or other measures, had opened an investigation into “fuel embezzlement, one allegation of sexual exploitation and abuse, irregular tendering of water trucking, and fraud in procurement and food distribution.” The internal watchdog also reported in July that UNHCR was assisting Ugandan investigations into “corruption by government officials relating to, among others, irregularities in land
allocation to refugees, bridge construction, theft of food and non-food items and fuel mismanagement.” But the UN’s internal audit, released last week to the public but not previously reported, provides a wealth of new detail on UNHCR’s role in mismanagement – and likely fraud – affecting refugee registration and services in 2017. It also offers new details on UNHCR’s relations with the Ugandan government. Refugees fall under the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Ruhakana Rugunda. Julius Mucunguzi, a spokesperson for the OPM, told IRIN that investigations were still ongoing, including into four employees suspended by the government. Mucunguzi declined to comment on the Continued on Page 11<
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How NHS 111 can help you TheTrumpet Group 020 8522 6600
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passed all the safety checks - the safety of your call is key for all call handlers, especially new starters. What medical support do you receive? There are a lot of healthcare professionals present whilst we’re taking calls, so if I have any concerns I can alert a healthcare professional to come and help me with the call. Over time, you also get used to identifying potential situations of concern and it is reassuring for me to know that help is always at hand and that I can ask for a second opinion from healthcare professionals.
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What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy being able to help people on a daily basis and get them the right outcome, I’ve always wanted to work in healthcare but didn’t want to be so hands on so this role is perfect for me. I also love the variety of my job, every day is different, every call is different, every
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Dr Seun Bakare
What is the role of the call handler? Other than take calls and advise on the best course of action, we can also arrange face-to-face appointments, and if you are assessed as needing an ambulance, we can organise one to be sent directly. Whatever the need is, we will ensure that you get the right care, from the right person, as quickly as possible.
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sometimes for a call handler it can be challenging getting to the bottom of the problem if the caller is not fluent in English. We can access a language line to help interpret the caller so it becomes a three-way call. The interpreter service is available in many languages. Callers simply mention the language they wish to use when the NHS 111 adviser answers the call.
What skills do you need to be a call handler? Empathy is key, appreciating how people may be feeling when they have a medical concern. Communication is also important - the ability to listen, analyse and provide the correct information. Working over the phone requires a completely different skill to dealing with people face-to-face, we need to be able to pick up on any concerns and be alert for any warning signs, for example if someone is suicidal, having a stroke or has mental health issues. We are also trained to direct a third party to give Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) over the phone which requires good communication skills. Can you tell me about the NHS 111 confidential interpreter service? The interpreter service is fantastic,
patient is different. I think the NHS 111 is a much-needed service and more people need to be aware of it so, if you think you need urgent nonlife-threatening medical help, call NHS 111. Dr Seun Bakare, Northwest London Urgent Care GP said: “The winter months can be challenging for the NHS, especially for urgent care services. It’s important for us to drive understanding of the role and capabilities of NHS 111 and to increase the number of people calling 111 when they have an urgent, but non-life-threatening medical need so that they can be directed to the most appropriate service.” Visit nhs.uk/111 for more information
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Erelu Lola Ayonrinde Man guilty of rape bags award and sexual assault P of 12-year-old girl 5 ast two-time Mayor of the London Borough of Wandsworth Honorary Alderman Erelu Lola Ayonrinde has been accorded the laurel: Yeye Oludamoran Nipa Asa Ati Ise Yoruba (Mother Counsellor on the Culture and Practices of the Yorubas). The award was bestowed at the Conference of Yoruba In Diaspora which took place in Dubai yesterday. An ardent campaigner on the accurate practice of ancestral traditions, she is well known as a unique individual with a sound logistic understanding of the relevance of the norms values customs and traditions of the Yorubas. Recently, as an authorised representative of His Imperial Majesty, Arole Oduduwa, Ooni of Ile Ife, she provided clarification and insight into the controversies regarding the new Olori (Wife and Queen) of the Ooni of Ile Ife; emphasising that the King is “determined to break down all religious barriers among descendants of Oduduwa in order to achieve unity, peace and progress.” Erelu Ayonrinde has single-handedly triggered a major campaign to end customary rituals inappropriately linked with Installation and burial rites of Yoruba Monarchs. A Champion of a return to the True
Tradition of the Yoruba Ancestors, Erelu Lola Ayonrinde, believes it is of paramount importance that the history, customs, heritage, and beliefs of Yoruba People of Oduduwa are accurately understood, communicated and practiced for future generations. A previous GAB Awards recipient, Erelu Ayonrinde is a past Mayor, Conservative Councillor, Magistrate, Privileged Honorary Alderman of The London Borough of Wandsworth, an Ambassador of Peace, a Cross-Cultural Relationship Stress Consultant (CCRSC) and holds a number of Royal Chieftaincy Titles.
0-year-old Simon Owoade has been convicted at Harrow Crown Court, for the rape and sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl he befriended online. Owoade who resides in Hayes, pleaded guilty to: - Rape of a child under 13 years, contrary to Sec 5(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; - Assault of a child under 13 years by penetration, contrary to Sec 6(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; - Sexual assault of a child under 13 years, contrary to Section 7(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; - 3 x making indecent photographs of a child, contrary to section 1(1)(a) of the Protection of Children Act 1978. He is due to be sentenced for the offences at the same court on a date in January 2019. A further two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 years that Owoade admitted to were left to lie on file. Between 1 June and late July 2017, Owoade made contact with the victim through a social media messaging site.
Ogun Chapter of APC (UK) calls for unity he Ogun State Chapter of the Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress (APC) in the United Kingdom - OGAPC (U.K.) has urged all party executives and members to close ranks and work together to ensure that all the APC candidates recognised by INEC win all seats being contested for in the State. Speaking through its Chairman Barrister Dapo Oduwole, at the Chapter’s end of year meeting and Christmas dinner, the party emphasised that the party should go into the 2019 elections in unity with the aim of delivering the dividends of democracy to Ogun State. Oduwole asserted that: “Only with a
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united front, can we soundly defeat the opposition and build on the achievements of Gov. Ibikunle Amosun. With Dapo Abiodun as our gubernatorial candidate, we must all support him to ensure that APC forms the next government. “OGAPC (U.K.) supports and teams up with Ogun State APC in Nigeria and party leaders to campaign for all our candidates and ensure that APC is victorious in the February 2019 elections to retain Ogun State. “This will in no small measure ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari is returned to power in May 2019. Let us forge ahead in Unity. Omo Ogun isę yá.” Dapo Oduwole
Simon Owoade
Following numerous messages, Owoade managed to persuade the victim to meet him in London and Potters Bar on a number of occasions. He would take her to various places including car parks and hotels where he would sexually assault her. Owoade shared pornographic material with the victim and the girl was encouraged to share naked photos of herself. In July 2017, the victim stopped communicating with Owoade, but in April 2018 he texted her asking to meet up because he missed her. They met up numerous times until 18 May, when the matter was reported to police by the victim’s parents. Detective Chief Inspector Neil John of the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command said: “I would like to praise the victim for her courage in speaking to officers and providing vital evidence to prosecute Owoade, who used his social media profile to gain the victim’s trust, share intimate photos, and then use those images to coerce her into sexual activity. “This is still very much a live enquiry. We are aware that Owoade had links with some charities who he involved himself with as a volunteer. This of course may have put him in direct contact with vulnerable people. It is very possible he has committed offences against others and I would appeal to anyone with information or concerns to contact police. Any information will be treated in the strictest confidence and we have specialist officers to support victims through the process.” Between 2006 and 2008, Owoade was employed as a PCSO with the Met Police, working within the Osterley and Spring Grove Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Police say they “have received no reports of any offences being committed in his capacity as a PCSO and Owoade left the organisation of his own volition in 2008.“ Anyone with information is asked to contact the Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command on 020 7161 9798 or alternatively if you wish to remain anonymous you can speak to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Iya Kabiru and other stories “Iya Kabiru must be the luckiest woman in Nigeria today” “Who is that? I don’t know anybody so-called” “You don’t know Iya Kabiru? But you know Baba Kabiru?” “Do they know me?” “This is the problem with you. You only think about you, you, you. I am sure when I tell you now who Baba Kabiru is, you will jump up and say you know him” “Look, just say what you want to say. I have too many things to worry about other than this your D.O. Fagunwa story about Iya Kabiru. Today is a busy day for me not a day for idle talk” “Hey, don’t get worked up, chill, my friend. Iya Kabiru is the wife of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the comrade Governor of Osun State who is leaving office today after eight years in office. Kabiru is their first son. He got married last year. Many people who know the Governor call him Baba Kabiru.” “So, what has that got to do with all the serious issues of survival that Nigerians are worried about. You know you should be more responsible. You can’t go about gossiping about other people’s lives.” “I don’t gossip. I am trying to say something very serious. By the time I am done, even you will learn one or two things. Essentially, I am trying to review the eight years of Aregbesola as Governor in Osun State.” “I tried to follow his stories. The man says he did not collect salary as Governor, even though he ate government food, used government cars…Good for him. But as for me.. I don’t like the role he played in the last Gubernatorial elections in Osun State. He practically imposed his own successor on the people of Osun State. We can’t have outgoing Governors behaving like dictators and insisting that they will hold the future of the State in their palms. And to think he is a Comrade like Adams Oshiomhole.” “That is not what I am talking about. Osun State people are not protesting. I can’t come and be weeping more than the bereaved.” “I know. But I thought you wanted an assessment of Baba Kabiru’s eight years in office. So, let us do it, since today is effectively his last day in office” “Yes.” “For example, he says he has no bank accounts anywhere. He has no money and he has only the house that he built before he became Governor. He is happy that he was able to transform the lives of the people of Osun State.” “With Opon Imo. The tablet of knowledge. Ogbeni Till Daybreak. Let me help you. He also says he is leaving a State behind that has the lowest poverty incidence rate and the lowest unemployment rate in Nigeria.” “He built roads and schools.”
“I know. I know. But what are the people of Osun themselves saying? What is the impression of the civil servants who were denied salaries for months? I will prefer to hear from the average man on the streets of Osun. But that is not what I want to talk about.” “You want to talk about Iya Kabiru” “Yes. I want to congratulate her. And I say, Iya Kabiru, e ku oriire o.” “What of the Governor himself? You don’t want to congratulate him on his successful completion of two terms in office?” “I will leave that to people like you. My big take-away from the exit of the Comrade Governor is the statement he
movement to defend the right of women who are married to politically exposed men in office, not to lose their rights of access and enjoyment with their husbands. Public service should not interfere with the rights of wives!” “You always like to trivialize things.” “No. When Comrade Aregbesola was asked what his regrets could possibly be, and I consider that an important question, his memorable response was that his being Governor did not allow him to enjoy his wife for eight years. He now wants to go and enjoy his wife. For me that was the most profound thing he said.” “How profound! I thought you would
Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola
made about his wife, Iya Kabiru. He told the people of Osun State that he has been an absentee husband for eight years. He was so busy as Governor, he had no time for his wife. He wants to go back to Iya Kabiru and “enjoy each other”. He doesn’t want to go to the Senate like others in his shoes, he just wants to go home and spend time with Iya Kabiru.” “And how does that affect you?” “You don’t get the point? This is the era of women empowerment. Our Governors should not get to office and become absentee husbands. That is an abuse of human rights and a violation of the integrity of the other room! If I had my way, I will recommend immunity for wives from the absenteeism of husbands. If there was more time, I would recommend that Mrs Aisha Buhari, the wife of the President, should lead a
raise serious questions. Will his successor become his stooge? Will Aregbesola continue to rule over the State of Osun and treat Gboyega Oyetola as his proxy? Is Aregbesola now a Godfather pulling the strings from the corner? Will the new Governor Oyetola be his own man? Is Osun going to revert to its constitutional name, that is Osun State, or will it still bear the strange name: The State of Osun?” “Why should those things bother me? The one that I want to reflect upon is the absenteeism of Aregbesola as husband for eight years! And I identify with Iya Kabiru on this special occasion, marking the return of her beloved husband to fulltime husband duties.” “It is not your duty to intrude into other people’s privacy. What are you driving at? What the man says about his
BY REUBEN ABATI wife is not our business. He probably was talking more about truancy rather than absenteeism.” “Na you sabi. I am saying congratulations to Iya Kabiru, all the same. As an advocate for women empowerment, I congratulate her on the many good things ahead: this special honeymoon that awaits her, in the loving hands of Baba Kabiru. And I say Iya Kabiru, e ku amojuba. E ku oriire, lopo lopo. In nine months, please invite us for a rice-and-soup-very-plenty-namingceremony. Triplets by the Grace of God!” “You are very ridiculous. You are off limits” “My friend, don’t be hypocritical. If our father, the Iku Baba Yeye himself, the Alaafin of Oyo, at 80 plus is still celebrating the arrival of babies, not just babies, multiple twins, Baba Kabiru must show proof of his own statement in nine months as a true son of Osun.” “You are absolutely incorrigible. Who told you the only way a man can show affection to his wife is to put her in the family way. Is that what you call empowerment” “I am just very happy for Iya Kabiru. I am overjoyed. Politics turned her husband into an absentee husband. Now, out of office, her husband says she will now be her project. Alihamdulilali!” “I don’t see how Aregbesola can leave politics. Politics in Lagos and Osun. He will still be busy.” “But with Iya Kabiru fully attended to. And by the way, Aregbesola should leave Lagos politics alone. He should stay in his own State of Osun.” “You are crazy. Did you drink anything this morning? Can we change this subject?” “On one condition” “What condition?” “You will congratulate Iya Kabiru” “Okay, congratulations Ma. Thank you for standing by Governor Aregbesola through thick and thin. One yeye man in Lagos says you are the one we should congratulate”. “Say it in Yoruba” “Iya Kabiru e ku oriire o. E ku ti ipadabo Baba Kabiru o.” “Only God knows how many women out there who have to deal with the challenge of having absentee husbands because their husbands are involved in the public arena. Such women are the true Continued on Page 10 >
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Iya Kabiru and other stories Continued from Page 9<
heroes of Nigerian democracy.” “You know when you say that, what comes to my mind really, is the plight of the wives of the many soldiers who were killed recently by Boko Haram terrorists in Matele, Borno State. It is one thing to have a husband go to the battle-field, if he is absent, you at least know where he is and that he is busy, but to have him die on the battle-field, never to return, that is tragic. I feel for the widows of the fallen soldiers of Matele..” “I am not satisfied with the way the Nigerian government has handled the matter. Obviously, Boko Haram has not been technically defeated. Has Alhaji Lai come up with anything yet?” “Alhaji Lai? No, please. I watched a video of the attack that was in circulation over the weekend. I was horrified. The Boko Haram terrorists caught the Nigerian soldiers off-guard. They ambushed them and mowed them down. Sad. Very sad. I later saw a social media tweet by someone who said he saw his father in the video and the family has not yet heard from the Nigerian military. I also saw a post by a woman who cried out over the loss of her husband. Each time a soldier dies at the battle-front, many lives are affected.” “118 of them. Just like that.” “The government is obviously overwhelmed.” “What really can government do?
Terrorism is the new tragic reality of the age. It is the worst form of inhumanity known to man. It leaves governments in a bind; it drives society to the edge. It disrupts the order of values. “There is a lot that the Nigerian government can do.” “Please, this is not about politics. Don’t bring politics into this.” “Who is talking about politics? I am saying our soldiers need to be better equipped and better protected. When a man signs up to be a soldier, he knows that he has signed up to die for his country if need be, but that does not mean he must be served up like barbecue to the enemy. Why are our military bases so porous, so poorly defended? Why is it so easy for anyone to get a military uniform? When our soldiers fall at the battlefront, what are the protocols for informing their families and managing the communication process? We need to professionalize the Nigerian military. If we must rely on technical assistance from other countries, let us do so. When our soldiers die, there must be special grants for their widows and survivors, to be paid for life if possible.” “I will add another point. Any Service Chief that is not ready to focus on the job should be changed. Nigeria’s Security Chiefs should stop attending political rallies and meetings. We want soldiers in uniform, whoever wants to do politics should remove his uniform and wear
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agbada.” “Anyway, the President has said that the loopholes that led to the fatalities will be blocked once and for all. I take that to heart.” “Yeah, he spoke a whole week after the incident. I am surprised nobody is making an issue out of that.” “You never know. May be the President was busy at the time. And a President doesn’t just talk. He has to consult and be briefed.” “What is that? Busy doing what? Donald Trump talks every day. He is on twitter every morning, commenting on anything that catches his attention. He is involved.” “This is Nigeria. This is not the United States. We have our own way of doing things here, from the Presidency to the man on the street. The President could have been busy for example, preparing for the 2019 Presidential debate.” “Which debate? You think he will agree to participate in a debate?” “Why not? I will like to see him in the debating hall, taking on issues with the likes of Omoyele Sowore, Oby Ezekwesili, Kingsley Moghalu, Tope Fasua, Donald Duke, Obadaiah Mailafia and of course Waziri Atiku Abubakar. Let him defend the “Next level” and let Ezekwesili and Sowore take him on.” “I see you are not a nice man at all.” “How? There are things the President can and should talk about. You have been lamenting over the killing of soldiers, for example, but look at what the Federal Government has just done for policemen.” “And what is that?” “Yesterday, the President approved more pay for Nigerian policemen. He approved the Rank Salary Structure Adjustment for policemen” “No wonder” “No wonder what?” “There is this policeman that I know. I saw him and his wife yesterday evening.
The two of them were laughing like jackass. I have never seen them look so happy. I thought something was wrong. So, it is the salary increase?” “Let’s just say policemen deserve to be happy too. But it is not enough to increase their pay. Nigeria is heavily under-policed. We need more policemen. Like the military, the police should also be better equipped. They need better training. Clean uniforms. Decent barracks. An average policeman should be a university graduate, not a primary school drop-out.” “Why are you saying policemen should be graduates, when most of your politicians don’t even have secondary school certificates? Sometimes, I don’t get you.” “I know what I am saying. Every policeman should be a college graduate. You don’t understand. It is a next level thing. Nigeria can only move to the next level if we all begin to think out of the box.” “Like your thoughts on Iya Kabiru eh”. “Ha. Iya Kabiru! A hero. Someday, she should tell her story: the story of the big sacrifice her husband made as Osun State Governor!”
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Mismanaged donor funds in Uganda Continued from Page 3<
audit, saying, “UNHCR has got its own processes”. Wrong number A persistent challenge in the Uganda aid operations was accurately counting the number of refugees. The audit found that from 20152017, UNHCR paid the government $14.6 million to set up and run a new refugee registration platform. However the IT and biometrics system couldn’t cope with the South Sudanese 2017 influx and couldn’t be fixed in time. The audit also found that UNHCR rarely had access to the data required for planning and verification. To help restore donor confidence, refugees in Uganda were recounted and re-registered from March to October using UNHCR’s latest systems, at an additional cost of $11 million. The audit warned, however, that using two systems could cause problems in future. The reregistration process counted 24 percent fewer refugees than reported by the Ugandan government, a reduction from about 1.4 million to 1.154 million. However, the government spokesman Mucunguzi added that Uganda “has nothing to hide” and said
that this year’s biometric recount helped build a much stronger system with “no gaps and loopholes”. The audit found a range of inappropriate arrangements between the Uganda UNHCR office and the OPM. For example, UNHCR agreed to contract three under-qualified local NGOs recommended by the OPM, one of which had defrauded UNHCR before. It also paid $2,000 a month to senior Ugandan officials who signed off on UNHCR-related paperwork and provided them cars and fuel. In addition, the OPM had not reimbursed UNHCR a previous demand for $250,000 of excessive fuel usage. UNHCR also paid $283,000 to subsidise the costs of 72 civil servants whose work contracts could not be shown to the auditors. The UN’s refugee agency also paid for OPM to buy a plot of land adjacent to its office, ostensibly to expand refugee handling capacity. However the price, $320,000, was more than double the government’s valuation, and the OPM couldn’t produce a title deed to prove ownership. The audit found the plot is now being used for car parking. Accountability The audit is unusual in the high
number of problems it found. It has six “critical” recommendations, more than any other audit of the 907 the UN’s oversight office has published in the last five years. Over 770 audits passed without any critical findings. The report notes that UNHCR was warned about many of the weaknesses cited in the recent report in a similar 2016 review, but had failed to fully resolve them. “Critical” recommendations apply to “significant and/or pervasive deficiencies or weaknesses”. UNHCR Uganda received seven of the lesser category of “important” recommendations in 2016, and six in 2017. The European Commission, a major donor to the refugee operation, said in February it had referred the Uganda corruption case to its anti-fraud office. The audit demands “accountability” for failures over the water trucking and over refugee registration. UNHCR declined to answer if there were any disciplinary actions yet. Its statements have so far backed its country representative, Bornwell Kantande, and emphasised the alleged failings of the Ugandan government. Four Ugandan officials were forced to step aside in February, pending
investigations, including the Head of the Refugee department in the OPM, Apollo Kazungu. Three others were in more junior roles. Kazungu told IRIN he faces no specific charges yet but is off duty. UNHCR’s Kantande was replaced in March 2018 by a veteran UNHCR manager, Joel Boudreau. Kantande now holds the post of Head of the UNHCR Regional Service Center for East and Horn of Africa. UNHCR says it has “zero-tolerance” for fraud and corruption. The Uganda office, according to the audit report, has begun a wide range of reforms and tightened up procedures since the issues came to a head in early 2018. UNHCR declined to answer a list of questions from IRIN. In an emailed statement, its spokesperson, Babar Baloch, said the organisation accepts the recommendations of the audit, adding “we acknowledge that serious shortcomings were found and have started taking action.”
* Credits: https://www.irinnews.org/news/2018/11 /28/audit-finds-un-refugee-agencycritically-mismanaged-donor-fundsuganda
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Fashion
TheTrumpet DECEMBER 5 - 18 2018
Top 5 African print trends in Ghana
Sporty
Ghana’s leading online retail company looks at a few of the top trends.
African print with Denim
rom funny looking outfits to very loud and colourful clothing, fashion and style has gone through a major phase of transformation. Day in day out, new trends emerge and outfits that seemed very cool 5 years ago may now look old fashioned. Astonishingly, fashion from the 60’s and 70’s is now taking centre stage while African prints have become the order of the day. The beauty and panache of our African wax prints have made it an attractive brand for even the Western world. In Ghana, African print fashion has become popular among the youth and even the old.
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Fridays are special days set aside in Ghana for African print clothing. Students and workers alike rock different types of African print fashion products. Amazing designs for both men and women are showcased all-round the country. Weekends also come with many events and ceremonies. Weddings, parties, funerals and other events give Ghanaians the opportunity to rock their African print clothing and accessories. You should see the style and spark with which many people dress for such events. However, there are certain top fashion trends in Ghana at the moment and Jumia,
Kaftans This type of African clothing didn’t originate from Ghana but over the years, Ghanaians have fallen in love with it. Kaftans are often made with plain fabric with some embroidery here and there or with other colourful designs around the necks, wrists or pocket area. They come in a wide range of colours and designs. The “Agbada” is a much more sophisticated type with a large tailored cloth oven embroidered around the neck and chest worn over the normal Kaftans. This used to be the “uniform” for Alhaji’s and muslims. Nigerians were previously the most seen in this type of clothing. Over the years, Ghana has adopted this with many grooms and celebrities rocking mind blowing agbada designs to weddings and other award events. A very classy
way to look African. With Denim Another trending type of African print fashion in Ghana now is the combination of print crop tops or shirts with denim. This is a beauty to watch especially on women. A mixture of both Africa and the Western world. Denims are universal and everyone rocks them but combining this with colourful African print crop tops and shirts is now the new way. Some even go to the extent of tying their heads with the same fabric or wear print shoes to match. They are often rocked as casual outfits but depending on the style of the African print, you can wear it to an official gathering or sometimes even classy events. If you are someone that loves the off shoulder, then you can definitely try this style. For those who have had success in the gym and want to show off, the crop tops are perfect as well. African print can be used for just anything. Blazers Blazers are maybe the most popular trend among the classic men and corporate ladies at the moment. Wearing a nice black, blue or grey suit is classy and gentlemanly but rocking a colourful African print blazer on top of some dark coloured trousers makes a much bolder statement. What you wear is always dependent on where you are going but African print blazers hardly go wrong if matched well. Ladies are not left out as they can do a similar combination like the men. They rock these blazers with skirts, tight dresses or even denim. Call this a new style or an alternative to formal dress suits, it’s just a perfect way to modernize suits and look trendy. Maxi / Oversized Another beautiful but interesting trend in Ghana now is something that was here so many years ago but seemed to have gone extinct. Guess what? Maxi and oversize clothing are back and they came back in style. Although women love to showcase their curvy body shapes and sleek worked-out bodies, maxi or oversized clothing even makes them look better. These are made in eye catching colours and designs that will get you saying “wow” a million times. Sometimes they come in skirts, overalls, dresses and trousers. For the men, they come as shirts, trousers and shorts. Sometimes
Blazers
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Fashion
DECEMBER 5 - 18 2018
TheTrumpet
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Top 5 African print trends in Ghana Continued from Page 12<
both the shirt and trouser are oversized and at other times, just one pair is. No matter what the type of clothing is, oversized outfits are trending in Ghana and they are the favorite for “good girls” and decent guys. Make no mistake, some ladies have a way of styling them to show lot’s of skin around their thighs. Want to look sexy? – maxi-sized clothing can be that as well.
Kaftans
Sporty Finally, for the sporty and easy going, there is still something for you with the new trends. African prints are just lovely. They can be made into anything and still look breathtaking and fashionable. Imagine wearing your favorite team’s jersey on top of some colourful African print shorts or short skirt? How about a plain white or black t-shirt or shirt with those same shorts and skirts? Going to watch a match or going to the beach? You can rock these shorts and skirts and still look very trendy. From a distance, you will catch everyone’s attention but what’s more important is that you will feel free and confident rocking the outfit. Luckily for us, these trending fashion items are not hard to get. Ghana is blessed with many great fashion designers and stylists. Just give them a piece of African print fabric and they will light up your world. The best part is this, you can purchase such fashion items online or by visiting various fashion pages on social media. Look trendy and stay up to speed while promoting your country. Ghana has rich culture, heritage and tradition. These top African print fashion trends are just in line to make you feel more Ghanaian while you promote Ghana to the world. Be trendy, be fashionable, be Ghanaian. #WearGhana * Credit: Jumia Ghana Maxi skirts (Pic by Fashion Ghana)
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TheTrumpet DECEMBER 5 - 18 2018
Earn money as a Trumpet Ambassador campaign. Sale of Banner Adverts, ‘Highlights’ and Mail-shots our in Email Newsletters. With rates ranging from £100 to £500 per insertion, we pay Ambassadors a 15% Commission. Sale of Advertising on our Social Media channels. With rates ranging between £100 to £200 per channel per post, we pay a 15% Commission. Sale of Sponsorship, Advertising, Exhibition spaces and Tickets for GAB Awards and Trumpet Connect. With most products and services ranging between £100 and £20,000, we pay a 15% Commission. Engagement Status Our freelance Ambassadors run their own business, work from their own home or office, and choose the amount of time they devote to the programme. They work towards the amount they want to earn. They choose their legal status in terms of whether they operate as a Self-Employed individual or a Limited Company or any other appropriate status depending on the country they operate, but we suggest you take professional advice on this. Ambassadors are fully responsible for ensuring their tax affairs and other related issues fulfil the legal requirements of their country of operation. Incentives From time to time, to incentivise our Ambassadors, we may run special promotions, or reward achievements, milestones and introduction of other Ambassadors to the programme through cash or advert credits.
About Us rumpet Media Group is an international media organisation with various media products, services and events targeting Africa, Africans and Friends of Africa in the Diaspora and on the Continent.
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Its first media venture - Trumpet Newspaper started 23 years ago - in 1995, closely followed by the founding of the prestigious Gathering of Africa’s Best (GAB) Awards in 1999. There are a number of other niche products, services and events - with plans to grow our portfolio over the coming months and years. Sales Ambassadors Our planned future growth has given rise to the need to take on talented and ambitious Sales Ambassadors who share our vision of: promoting the positive image of Africa and Africans, and are able to sell some (or all) of our growing number of products and services on a freelance basis.
Products and Services We are introducing our portfolio of products, services, and events below on to the Trumpet Ambassadors Programme (TAP) in phases. Print Newspapers: The Trumpet Newspaper and Trumpet Ghana Newspaper. Website: www.TrumpetMediaGroup.com Email Newsletters: Trumpet Newsbreaker, Trumpet Kenya, Trumpet Nigeria, Trumpet Sierra Leone, Trumpet Gambia, Trumpet Ghana Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+ and WhatsApp. Events: GAB Awards and Trumpet Connect. The Opportunities Opportunities to earn revenue through Commissions are currently available by way of: Sale of Subscriptions to any (or both) of our Print Newspapers.
With Annual Subscriptions starting from £60, we pay a 10% Commission. Distribution and Sales of bulk copies our Newspapers. We pay a 35% Commission - split between the Ambassador and the Sales Outlet. (Outlets will usually take between 15% and 25% depending on its type and your negotiating skills.) Ambassadors may choose to sell directly to their clientele or at events and keep the entire 35% Commission. Sale of Advertising Spaces in our Print Newspapers. With most Advert Spaces ranging from £80 to £4500 per edition, we pay a 15% Commission. You receive a Commission on all editions in the campaign in line with the Client’s payment - for example, if an advertiser books and pays for six editions, you get a Commission on all six editions. Sale of Banner Adverts on Website With Banner Adverts ranging between £50 and £200 per week, we pay a 15% Commission for the length of the
Payments Commission Payments to Ambassadors are made by the 15th day of the month following payment of Clients - For example, Commission on Clients’ payments in January will be paid by 15th February. Distribution and Sales of bulk copies of Newspapers (4.3) are excluded from the payment arrangement above (7.1). An Ambassador buys and pays for bulk copies in advance at a discounted rate with the TAP Commission deducted upfront. For example, if an Ambassador orders bulk copies worth £100 in advance, the Ambassador only pays us £65 (deducting the 35% Commission upfront). We operate a No-Returns policy on Newspaper Sales. Joining the Programme It currently costs £100 per annum to join the Trumpet Ambassadors Programme (TAP). Introductory Offer - Join the programme by 31 August 2018 and accumulate sales of at least £1000 across any or all of our products by 30 September 2018; and we will reward you with 100 TAP Points worth £100 - which you can spend on any of our opportunities (4.2) - (4.8). To join the programme, please request the Trumpet Ambassadors Programme Form and via email: info@the-trumpet.com
TheTrumpet
Politics I ran for President in Cameroon: Here is what I learnt DECEMBER 5 - 18 2018
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By Akere T. Muna
President Biya won disputed elections on 7 October amidst rising unrest in Cameroon n 6 November, Paul Biya was inaugurated for the seventh time. The 85-year-old has already been in power for the last 36 years and will now serve another seven-year term. President Biya won disputed elections on 7 October amidst rising unrest in Cameroon. The country is divided into the Francophone area – which makes up four-fifths of territory – and the smaller Anglophone area. In the last two years, the latter region has been in a situation just short of civil war. Over the decades since unification, the Anglophone regions have been increasingly dominated (https://bit.ly/2DDukwx) and felt resentful. This led to a movement that, in 2016, began by holding strikes and peaceful demonstrations. Activists called for the restoration of the Englishspeaking education and judicial system. The government responded with furious repression and shut down any discussions about federalism. This led to a spiralling crisis. Today, the talk is about secession, while the conflict has become bloody. There are now over 300,000 internally displaced persons and more than 40,000 refugees in Nigeria. At least 90 villages have been razed, while over 400 civilians have been killed and thousands more wounded. 40% of Cameroon’s revenue derives from the Anglophone regions, but the local economy has been deeply undermined by the insecurity. This is the context in which Cameroon’s elections were held last month. In theory, this exercise was an opportunity for citizens to shape the direction of the nation. But the reality is very different. The body that organises Cameroon’s elections is supposedly autonomous, but all its members are appointed by the President and can be removed at will. All electoral disputes are settled by the Constitutional Council, but all its members are also appointed by the President. The Minister of Territorial Administration, another Presidential appointee, handles all other administrative issues connected with elections. In Cameroon, the voting system is first-past-the-post and uses multiple
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ballots. Voters are given papers for all the candidates and then cast their vote by putting their favoured nominee into the ballot box. This means they can leave the booth with the papers of the other candidates, allowing vote-buyers the ability to check how people voted. Calls to adopt a single ballot paper system have been ignored. For presidential hopefuls, getting onto the ballot in the first place is challenging. Nominees must pay around $60,000 to submit their candidacies. They must either be endorsed by a party with at least one elected official or, if running as an independent, produce at least 300 signatures from specific kinds of dignitaries from every region. In the elections themselves, there are close to 25,000 polling stations. What candidate can field representatives in each of these locations? The official campaign period lasts two weeks and it is illegal to campaign before this period. How can one visit 360 districts in just 14 days? The Presidential campaign team, which includes ministers and other dignitaries, travels the country at the expense of the State, meaning the playing field is nowhere near level. Meanwhile, the State media turns into the ruling party’s propaganda machine. Despite the very high hurdles, however, I decided to run for President. I have spent the last 25 years defending good governance and fighting corruption. In 2000, at a time Cameroon was accused of being the most corrupt country in the world, I founded the national chapter of international anti-corruption NGO Transparency International. Needless to say, this earned me the ire of the
establishment. I went on to work for bodies such as the African Development Bank and High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa. In this time, I watched as my country steadily moved in the wrong direction. And with the worsening situation in the Anglophone regions threatening to pull apart the fabric of our nation, a sense of responsibility weighed on my soul. I knew that I had to put my experience at the service of our citizens and attack the issues at their source – the system. In the end, though, I withdrew my candidacy and backed Maurice Kamto. There is nowhere in Africa where the opposition has removed a dictator like Biya without presenting a common front. In Cameroon, the remaining eight candidates held some further meetings, but never met once together as a group. This meant that there was no single opposition candidate. This fact discouraged voters who concluded it was a waste of time. In the final tally, Biya officially won with 71.28%. Kamto came second with 14.23%. But there were reports of massive fraud. The absence of opposition officials at many polling stations allowed the stuffing of ballot boxes. An incomplete biometric system meant that certain people voted multiple times. The legal challenge against the election results that followed exposed the Constitutional Council as a political institution. This all played out on national television and many citizens, for the first time, witnessed the fraud that cripples our electoral process. The danger that Cameroon now faces is that its elections’ lack of credibility could lead voters to question the need to participate. And if electoral justice becomes captured by politics and hence incapable of addressing issues raised by the proper, the streets will take over. Since the Presidential elections, there have been demonstrations against what has been described as a faulted political process. These demonstrations have been relayed to the Diaspora in Europe and America. Cameroon needs to design an
adequate electoral system. It is essential to make reforms so that the individual controlling the process is not also a player in it. This year, Cameroons saw first-hand the effects of a lopsided system. If the electoral playing field is not evened out, then the country risks being stuck in an interminable loop created by a government for the government. Cameroonians will only stand for this so long. Till then, Cameroon remains a State captured by a few oligarchs.
* Akere T. Muna is a Cameroonian lawyer and former presidential candidate. You can follow him on Twitter at @AkereMuna. Credits: https://africanarguments.org/2018/11/1 4/i-ran-for-president-in-cameroonelections/
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TheTrumpet DECEMBER 5 - 18 2018
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