“What’s Going On” Tallies Notable News Headlines From Across The Continent — The Good, The Bad, And The Horrible — As A Way Of Ensuring That We All Become A More Sagacious African Generation. With This Column, We’re Hoping To Disseminate The Latest Happenings In Our Socio-Political Climate From Across The Continent, Whilst Starting A Conversation About What’s Important For Us To All Discuss. From Political Affairs To Socio-Economic Issues, ‘What’s Going On’ Will Discuss Just That.

ARMED HOODLUMS ATTACK ELECTORAL OFFICE IN NIGERIA

On Monday morning, a number of armed hoodlums attacked the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC). The attack happened along Port Harcourt Road, a popular location in Imo state in the country’s southeastern region. According to eye-witness reports, the attackers were in a convoy of more than five vehicles, shooting sporadically as they drove into the neighborhood where the INEC office was located. They then set fire to some parts of the building, possibly with the intention to burn the permanent voters cards (PVCs) and other sensitive materials being stored there. The police however responded in good time, managing to protect a major part of the structure. 

“It happened,” says the Imo state police Public Relations Officer Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji. “You can come and see things for yourself. Not all the offices were attacked but one side was completely down. The Election and Political Party Monitoring Liaison building was attacked, and part of the main building”. 

THE POLICE AND MILITARY AGENCIES ARE READY AND THERE WILL BE ELECTION IN IMO STATE – GOV. UZODIMMA
Imo Gov @Hope_Uzodimma1 has commended the bravery of the Nigerian Police force and other sister agencies for foiling the attack at the office of the (INEC) in Owerri. pic.twitter.com/bpFNg1VpgL

— 3R Shared Prosperity (@dsimondim) December 12, 2022

EARTH TREMOR ROCKS PARTS OF GHANA 

Residents in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, were left agitated as parts of the city were hit by an earth tremor. Between 10am and 12pm, some social media users reported what they’d felt—a tremor, rocking, to varying degrees, the communities of Dansoman, Mataheko, Weija, Accra Central and Mallam. While the reactions on social media were understandably marked by tension, Ghanaian authorities have moved to assure people of their safety. 

Speaking to the Citi Prime News shortly afterwards, the Principal seismologist at the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) Nicholas Opoku, assuaged fears of Ghanaian residents, even though there were bound to be other similar cases. “What we have been saying all this while is that Accra is situated in the earthquake-prone zones so from time to time we will be experiencing these major earthquakes until such a time that a major will happen”. True to his words, similar incidents were reported between 2018 and 2020.

Earth tremor: Geological Survey Authority analyzing magnitude and epicenter locations #GTVBreakfast pic.twitter.com/5BWICAIYiK

— Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (@thegbcghana) December 13, 2022

GUINEA’S COUP LEADER TAKES STAND FOR FIRST TIME 

On September 28, 2009, security forces opened fire on unarmed protesters who moved against Moussa “Dadis” Camara and his ambition to run for president. Camara had successfully led a coup against the government of Guinea, seizing power a year earlier, and was going to solidify his position at the helm of the West African country’s affairs but was resisted by the people. After the rounds of direct gunshots led to the reported deaths of over 150 people and dozens of women raped at the stadium where they had gathered, Camara became public enemy. He survived an assassination attempt months later and fled to Burkina Faso where he lived in exile for over a decade before returning to stand trial in Guinea. 

He made his first court appearance yesterday, visibly nervous as he made a plea for his innocence. Human rights groups have reiterated the stand that Camara, being the commander in chief at the time of the massacre, must bear the brunt of responsibility. In his account Camara made an unsatisfactory comment of being asleep when the protesters were being murdered, while pointing fingers at former President Alpha Conde as being behind an assassination attempt on him. Of the eleven people accused, Camara is the ninth to stand trial. 

NEARLY R2 BILLION FOR SOUTH AFRICA’S APARTHEID REPARATIONS UNSPENT

The unfortunate events of apartheid in South Africa saw a mass degradation of human rights, which created some of the most racially-discriminated societies and organisations in modern state history. Till this day, its effects are still felt, the downwards trajectory suffered by black people still crippling the potential of generations yet to come. Over the past five years, a special account called The President’s Fund, which was established by the Promotion of National and Reconcillation Act of 1995, was mandated to make reparations to victims of the human rights abuses under apartheid. 

Yet, according to the people this fund is supposed to be disbursed to, they haven’t received anything near the set-aside amount. Since 2017, even though the Fund has received R531 Million in investment revenue, only R98 Million has been disbursed. As a result, for the past two months over 150 victims of apartheid have been sleeping outside the country’s Constitutional Court in Johannesburg as part of the Khulumani Galela Campaign. They want the reparations owed to them, they’ve told reporters, with the extent of their injuries ranging from the physical to the mental, as in the case of a woman whose husband was gunned down. 

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