Seychelles remains one of the safest destinations, says a top government official on Saturday.

The statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde follows statements in the international news that the island nation has recorded cases of the new variant, omicron.

According to the Seychelles’ Minister for Health, Mrs Peggy Vidot, to date no cases of the new South African variant has been reported in the island nation.

Seychelles is a tourism archipelago located over a thousand kilometres away from mainland Africa.

Radegonde reassured visitors planning their holidays to Seychelles in December, that the destination remains very safe.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has approved a new Water Strategy for 2021-2025.

In a statement issued in Abidjan, the bank titled the five-year water strategy as: “Towards a Water-Secure Africa’’ and said it was approved on Nov. 17.

It aims to increase water security in Africa and to foster its sustainable, green and inclusive socio-economic growth and development.

Dr Beth Dunford, the bank’s Vice-President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, said it was a significant milestone for the bank.

This, she explained, was in terms of regarding water development and sanitation as key components to improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

She said the strategy would help the bank to expand its role as the continent’s partner, while promoting integrated development and management of Africa’s water sector.

The strategy is expected to guide AfDB’s implementation of its policy on water, which it approved earlier in 2021.

The water strategy’s four pillars underscore the importance of water and sanitation for socio-economic development; sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity; food production, nutrition and hydropower.

It aligns with the bank’s high fives and thus contributes also to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Osward Chanda, the bank’s Director for Water Development and Sanitation was quoted as saying that water is a key enabler for many of the United Nations’ SDGs.

“The bank considers water to be essential for life, health, dignity, empowerment, environmental sustainability, peace and prosperity,’’ he said.

The bank said that more than 100 of its stakeholders provided inputs to develop the strategy, which the board lauded as exemplary.

The bank recalled that since 2010, it has invested an estimated 6.2 billion dollars in water supply and sanitation services.

It recalled also that as at the end of October 2021, its active water sector portfolio stood at 5.02 billion dollars.

This, it said, comprised 104 projects implemented in 40 countries and five multinational projects.

The African Development Bank has called on African countries to have clear-cut policies that will address the funding gaps in the sanitation and hygiene sector.

Mr Nelson Gomonda, AfDB’s Rural Water and Sanitation expert, made this call at the virtual Africa Water and Sanitation Week.

Speaking on “Driving National Progress on Hand Hygiene Through Diverse Financing”, Gomonda said it was worrisome that low investment in hygiene was inherent in countries.

He said it was of great concern that many countries did not have these plans in place.

Gomonda said having plans and policies was a major requirement for them to enjoy funding from development partners, who may want to give grants.

According to him, the AfDB was intervening in Namibia to the tune of $5 million, because the country had plans on what it needs and how to meet the challenges.

“African nations must be clear on their needs for sanitation financing, and these must be backed by policies, they must be up on their feet.

“They must develop these polices, cost it, to address hygiene promotion,’’ Gomonda said.

He called for appointment of hygiene champions in countries that would spearhead advocacies for importance of sanitation and hygiene in the region.

Mr George Jobe, Malawi Health Equity Network, noted that the challenges of poor access of water and sanitation had seen increasing cholera cases with impact, especially in under-five children.

Jobe said access to water and sanitation was negotiable, hence the need for its inclusion in the nation’s annual budget.

He stressed that continuous and frequent budget analysis would be an avenue for key stakeholders to know the issues and also create an opportunity for lobbying for inclusive development.

“We recall the Abuja Declaration in which countries have made pledge to commit 15 per cent of annual budgets to health financing.

“These issues cut across water and sanitation and there is the need for monitoring these commitments’’ Jobe said.

He also expressed the need to build capacities of local and rural communities to reawaken their interest on importance of sanitation financing.

Ms. Susanna Smets, Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist, World Bank, said hand hygiene was the most affordable investment in health.

She said that collective effort of all was needed to support governments to reflect these needs.

In 2015, the Ngor Declaration called for universal access to “adequate and sustainable” hygiene services by 2030.

Yet, Africa is not on track to meet the Ngor Vision and SDG target by 2030.

According to the latest JMP estimates, in 23 countries in Africa, at least a quarter of the population have no access to a hand washing facility with soap and water at home in 2020.

Institutional arrangements for hygiene at national and sub-national levels are often complex, presenting a challenge for securing and tracking financial allocations.

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has commenced the annual clearing and removal of water hyacinth across Jetties and terminals in the State.

General Manager Lagos State waterways Authority, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel while speaking to newsmen explained that pegging and clearing of the Water Hyacinth have commenced at areas with very high infestation and impact on navigation.

Water hyacinth is a problematic invasive species that creates serious impediment to smooth navigation on the Waterways during it’s season. It obstruct the free flow of ferry traffic on the state inland waterways.

Therefore LASWA along side other State MDA’s and Federal Agencies are collaborating and have mobilized adequate Labour force and machinery to commence clearing of the stubborn weed immediately.

The General Manager LASWA added that the first phase of the project is pegging down the water hyacinth to curtail its movement and infestation across ferry channels, followed by proper clearing of the aquatic weed using both manual Labour and weed harvesting machines.

This effort in no doubt will mitigate the occasional damage of Boat Engines caused by this floating aquatic plant and will eliminate delays in travel time while promoting the use of water transport as a viable alternative that is safe, fast and secure.

Mr. Oluwadamilola reiterated the state government’s commitment towards improving safety standards and procedures of the state inland waterways so to achieve the safety of all Waterways users, he advises Boat Captains to always drive with caution during this season while soliciting maximum cooperation of all stakeholders.

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Federal Government to tackle the epileptic power supply in the country by generating electricity from renewable energy and clean carbon-free sources.

He gave the advice at the inauguration of a 2MW solar power project at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, Nigeria’s South-west.

The former President insisted that Nigeria has the resources to generate the bulk of electricity consumed in the country from alternative sources. “The goal of producing Nigeria’s electricity from renewable energy is achievable, affordable and transformative,” he said.

Speaking on the project, Obasanjo described it as “the single largest investment this not-for-profit organisation has made.”

To him, the OOPL solar power project is a reflection of the organisation’s commitment to clean and renewable energy.

“We hope that by committing to consume renewable energy, we inspire others to follow and still inform others to do their bit for the environment. Our great nation also needs to commit to producing our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources.

“This goal is achievable, affordable and transformative. It represents a challenge to all Nigerians – in every walk of life, to our political leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, and to every citizen.

“This is a generational moment. I’m asking each of you to join me and build this future. Our success depends on our willingness as a people to undertake this journey.

In his remarks, the Deputy Managing Director of Dantata Solar Limited, Najeem Animasahun, said 70 per cent of the materials used for the execution of the project as well as the human resources were sourced from Nigeria.

He added that only inverter and the panels were the materials imported into Nigeria.