Domestic Politics
Thousands of Ghanaians are protesting against the Electoral Commission's (EC) decision to compile a new voter's register. They argue that it is a waste of public funds. However, the EC argues that it could ultimately save the country $30 million. [Africa Feeds]
Earlier in January, Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane was suspended from his own party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC) for allowing his current wife to ‘meddle’ in government affairs, and due to accusations that he killed his former wife in 2017. Today, he agreed to resign from his post. [All Africa]
International Relations
In October, Nigeria closed its border to the movement of goods into the country. It was aimed to stop smuggling. It has led to price increases, and critics claim it threatens free trade. At the time, the government claimed it was to stop the smuggling of rice and cheaper, subsidized petrol from Nigeria to neighboring countries. However, this week, President Muhammadu Buhari revealed that it was also to fight an influx of weapons and drugs into Nigeria. [Africa Feeds]
During the UK-Africa Summit in London on Monday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he plans to make the UK more open to migrants from all countries following the implementation of Brexit, bringing an end to the preferential treatment afforded to EU migrants. He also said the UK would stop investing in thermal coal mining and coal power plants, instead moving to low-carbon energy sources. [eNCA]
Society
Boko Haram assassinated Reverend Lawan Andimi, who was the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He was taken hostage earlier this month and called on the Nigerian government to negotiate for his release. Nigeria is roughly evenly split between Muslims and Christians, with Muslims largely living in the north, and Christians largely living in the south. Last year, nearly 1500 Christians were killed in the north. [The Tablet]
Business
Leaked documents reveal how Africa's richest woman, Isabel dos Santos, exploited and corrupted Angola. They show that she gained preferential access to land, oil, diamond, and telecom deals while her father was president. [BBC]
Science & Technology
The head of Ethiopia's Agriculture Transformation Agency (ATA) is moving towards sustainability by using satellites and drones to map soils and help farmers to better assess the conditions of large crop fields. The ATA is also using toll-free numbers to offer consultancy services to farmers. Buyers, too, can use the drone footage to both look for land and connect directly with farmers. [African Vibes]
In 2019, Tanzania launched an initiative to have a biometric registration of all SIM cards by January 20. At least 656,000 mobile phone users were locked out for failing to register their SIM cards in time. [The East African]
Image Source: Hürriyet Daily News