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Wednesday, 13th May, 2020

Angolan Government has ordered, with

immediate effect, the termination of a contract
with a company it hired to freight biosafety
items from China into the country.
According to the Multisectoral Commission for
Covid-19 Combat and Prevention, private
entities out of the contract have been unfairly
taking advantage of part of the load capacity of
the airplane chartered by Angolan Government
to fly in the shipments.
In a press release that reached Angop recently,
the Commission says that in addition to
terminating the contract, a probe will be ordered
to ensure accountability.
The first batch of medical items from China
arrived in Angola on Tuesday last week, as part
of the items imported to help fight the pandemic
that has so far infected some people in the
country.
According to the Multisectoral Commission,
the biosecurity items flown in in that manner
will revert to the State. Subsequently, Angolan
State-owned airline (TAAG) has been chosen to
take over the shipment of the goods awaiting in
China.
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The Municipal Technical Commission for
Response to Covid-19 in Quela, Malanje,
installed two screening posts for screening and
pandemic prevention, reported yesterday, its
coordinator, Manuel Campo.
According to the municipal administrator of
Quela, one of the sorting posts is in the
commune of Xandel and was installed on the
national road number 230, which connects with
the provinces of Lunda Norte, Malanje, Cuanza
Norte and Luanda, while another location in the
municipal city of Quela, on the edge of the
municipality of Cunda Dia Base.
He mentioned that the stations set under tents,
have biosafety means, thermometers and other
hospital equipment that health technicians use
so as to check motorists and passengers
traveling in these areas.
Manuel Campo said that it was also set in the
municipal hospital, an isolation room with 8
beds and equipped with a mechanical ventilator
in order to deal with eventual cases of covid-19.
Precisely, with the arrival of the dry season, the
municipal administration, in partnership with
the NGO ADRA Antena Malanje, intensified
awareness campaigns with communities about
the new coronavirus.
The municipality of Quela has three doctors,
including one expatriate and 20 nurses. Two
thousand vulnerable people, out of the 5,000
casualties, were assisted this month by the
Municipal Administration of Quela, with basic
baskets and hygiene products.
………………………………………..
Thirteen thousand and 67 cases of malaria were
registered in the first quarter of this year, in the
province of Cunene, minus 299 compared to a
similar period in 2019, ANGOP learned today.
This number resulted in 38 deaths (seven fewer
than in the previous year), according to the
supervisor of the program to fight the disease in
the region, André Domingos.
In order to reduce cases of the disease in the
region, he said, awareness-raising activities are
being carried out in the communities on
methods of prevention and combat, as well as
impregnated mosquito nets have been
distributed to citizens.
………………………………………..
The Traffic and Road Safety Department
recorded 458 road accidents in the country from
27 March to 4 May, with 91 deaths. The
available data indicate a reduction of 131
deaths, 80 accidents and 71 road injuries
compared to the same period in 2019.
Speaking to ANGOP recently, the deputy
director of DTSR, chief superintendent Roque
Silva, points out the restrictions on circulation,
in the context of the implementation of the State
of Emergency, as the main factor in the
reduction of road deaths and accidents.
Despite the reduction in the circulation of
vehicles on the roads, he regretted the
occurrence of several pedestrian accidents, due
to the fact that, on the one hand, pedestrians
continue to cross in places and under risky
conditions, and, on the other hand, due to
speeding of motorists.
With 164 cases, pedestrians were run over,
followed by collisions between cars and cycles /
motorcycles, with 99 cases each. The provinces
with the highest accident rates were Luanda,
with 114, Huambo, with 56, Benguela, with 36,
and Uíge, with 35 cases.
In Luanda, the official said, there were 20
deaths, 15 in Huambo, 10 in Uíge, and three in
Benguela.
……………………………………..
The President of the Republic, João Lourenço,
recently appointed General Jaque Raúl to the
post of commander of the Army, replacing
General Gouveia João de Sá Miranda.
Before, João Lourenço, in his capacity as
Commander-in-Chief of the Angolan Armed
Forces, removed generals Gouveia João de Sá
Miranda and Jaque Raúl from the positions of
commander and second commander of the
Army, respectively.
A press release from the Civil House of the
President of the Republic underlined that the
movements took place after the Angolan Head
of State heard the National Security Council,
his consultative body for matters relating to the
conduct of the country's security policy and
strategy.
……………………………………..
And in sports,
The national senior men's basketball
championship, season 2019/20, was canceled
today, in the face of the covid-19 pandemic that
is plaguing the country and, in general, the
world.
The decision resulted from a meeting between
the management committee of the Angolan
federation of the sport, coordinated by Gustavo
da Conceição, and officials from the eight clubs
that are involved in the competition, held this
morning, at the headquarters of FAB, in
Cidadela complex, in Luanda.
Interrupted in mid-March, the event was led by
Petro Luanda (holder of the trophy) with 49
points, followed by 1º de Agosto and Interclube
both with 44, while CD Kwanza occupied the
last position with 30 points.
There were three rounds to go to the fourth and
final lap of the regular phase, which would be
followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and
finals, in a play-off system.
The oil men were chasing the 14th title in a
competition, already in the 42nd edition,
dominated by d’Agosto with 19. ASA and
Recreativo do Libolo have three titles each,
Sporting Luanda two and Ferroviário one.
…………………………………….
Onto the World News, now
The US embassy in Tanzania has warned that
there is a risk of "exponential growth" of
Covid-19 cases in the country at a time when
the government is not releasing data on new
cases.
It added that the risk of contracting the virus in
the largest city, Dar es Salaam, was "extremely
high." President John Magufuli has accused
local health officials of exaggerating the health
crisis.
On 29 April, the last day official data was
released, there were 509 cases. Of these, 21
people died. While Tanzanian authorities have
downplayed the extent of the pandemic, videos
of night burials shared on social media have
caused some to call into question the
government's approach.
President Magufuli has been widely criticised
for refusing to order churches and mosques to
close and for saying prayers "can vanquish" the
virus.
…………………………………….
Health officials in South Sudan have for the
first time confirmed cases of coronavirus in
camps for people displaced by conflict.
Two people have become infected in a camp in
the capital, Juba, and one in Bentiu in the north
of the country.
Health experts have been warning of the
potential danger if the virus were to spread in
the overcrowded camps, which are home to
close to 200,000 people across the country.
Years of conflict have left South Sudan with
one of the least equipped health care systems on
the African continent.
There are 194 confirmed cases of the virus in
the country.
………………………………………
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, has arrested
two Chinese nationals for allegedly offering a
$250,000 bribe in local currency to one of its
senior officials.
Meng Wei Kun and Xu Koi were arrested
yesterday inside in their office in the northern
city of Sokoto as they gave the money stacked
in boxes to the official who pretended to have
accepted the bribe, the commission said.
The alleged bribe was said to be an attempt to
scuttle an investigation into multi-million dollar
corruption allegations involving a Chinese
construction company in Nigeria where the two
suspects work.
The EFCC said it was investigating alleged
corruption involving about $130m in contracts
for roads and water projects.
It is also investigating money-laundering
allegations. The contracts were awarded by
Nigeria’s Zamfara state government to China
Zhonghoa Nigeria Limited between 2012 and
2019.
Neither the Chinese company nor its officials
have commented on the matter. Arrests of
officials of foreign companies linked to
corruption are rare in Nigeria.
……………………………………
Health officials in South Sudan have for the
first time confirmed cases of coronavirus in
camps for people displaced by conflict.
Two people have become infected in a camp in
the capital, Juba, and one in Bentiu in the north
of the country.
Health experts have been warning of the
potential danger if the virus were to spread in
the overcrowded camps, which are home to
close to 200,000 people across the country.
Years of conflict have left South Sudan with
one of the least equipped health care systems on
the African continent. There are 194 confirmed
cases of the virus in the country.