Major International Business Headlines Brief::: 17 August 2021

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Major International Business Headlines Brief::: 17 August 2021

 


 

 


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ü  Afghanistan: Facebook confirms ban of Taliban-related content

ü  Bezos sues Nasa over its deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX

ü  Tesla Autopilot: US opens official investigation into self-driving tech

ü  Covid testing is rip-off, says former regulator

ü  No need to swap data for drinks, says privacy body

ü  UK defence giant Ultra agrees to £2.6bn Cobham takeover

ü  Japan's economy bounced back ahead of the Olympics, data shows

ü  Afghanistan conflict: Airlines reroute flights out of Afghan airspace

ü  CCTV watchdog criticises Hikvision Uyghur response

ü  Efforts to curb energy tariffs 'greenwashing'

ü  Uganda: Access to Land, Capital Hampering Youth's Involvement in
Agri-Business

ü  Nigeria: Hard Time for Consumers As LPG Price Rises 33%

ü  South Africa: Labour Dept to Conduct Virtual EE Workshops

ü  Nigeria: Host Communities to Get $500m Annually From New Pia - Kyari

 

 

 


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Afghanistan: Facebook confirms ban of Taliban-related content

Facebook says it has banned the Taliban and all content supporting it from
its platforms as it considers the group to be a terrorist organisation.

 

The company says it has a dedicated team of Afghan experts to monitor and
remove content linked to the group.

 

For years, the Taliban has used social media to spread its messages.

 

Its rapid takeover of Afghanistan raises fresh challenges for technology
firms on how to deal with content related to the group.

 

"The Taliban is sanctioned as a terrorist organization under US law and we
have banned them from our services under our Dangerous Organization
policies. This means we remove accounts maintained by or on behalf of the
Taliban and prohibit praise, support, and representation of them," a
Facebook spokesperson told the BBC.

 

"We also have a dedicated team of Afghanistan experts, who are native Dari
and Pashto speakers and have knowledge of local context, helping to identify
and alert us to emerging issues on the platform," they added.

 

The social media giant said it does not make decisions about the recognition
of national governments but instead follows the "authority of the
international community".

 

Facebook highlighted that the policy applies to all of its platforms
including its flagship social media network, Instagram and WhatsApp.

 

However, there are reports that the Taliban is using WhatsApp to
communicate.

 

Facebook told the BBC that it would take action if it found accounts on the
app to be linked to the group.

 

Rival social media platforms have also come under scrutiny over how they
handle Taliban-related content.

 

Spokesmen have used Twitter to update their hundreds of thousands of
followers, as the organisation retook control of Afghanistan.

 

In response to BBC questions about the Taliban's use of Twitter, a company
spokesperson highlighted policies against violent organisations and hateful
conduct.

 

According to its rules, Twitter does not allow groups that promote terrorism
or violence against civilians.

 

Alphabet's YouTube did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment
on its policies in respect to the Taliban.-BBC

 

 

 

Bezos sues Nasa over its deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX

Jeff Bezos's space firm Blue Origin is suing Nasa over a decision to award a
$2.9bn (£2.1bn) lunar lander contract to Elon Musk's SpaceX.

 

The former Amazon boss's firm said there were "fundamental issues" with the
deal, calling it unfair.

 

The row stems from a decision in April to hand the deal to one company, not
two as expected, because of a funding shortfall.

 

Nasa is yet to comment, but it has the backing of a federal watchdog.

 

In a court filing on Friday, Blue Origin said it continued to believe that
two providers were needed to build the landing system, which will carry
astronauts down to the Moon's surface as early as 2024.

 

It also accused Nasa of "unlawful and improper evaluation" of its proposals
during the tender process.

 

Bezos' $2bn offer to get back in race to the Moon

"We firmly believe that the issues identified in this procurement and its
outcomes must be addressed to restore fairness, create competition and
ensure a safe return to the Moon for America," Blue Origin said.

 

At the time of the award, Nasa's human exploration chief, Kathy Lueders,
admitted that the space agency's current budget precluded it from selecting
two companies. That was after Congress granted it only $850m of the $3.3bn
it requested for the project.

 

Nasa also cited the proven record of orbital missions by Elon Musk's SpaceX
firm as a factor in the award. Cost is also thought to have played a role:
SpaceX's bid was the lowest-priced by some distance.

 

In July, Mr Bezos offered to cover up to $2bn of Nasa's costs in order to be
reconsidered for the contract, but he was rebuffed.

 

US watchdog the Government Accountability Office (GAO), meanwhile, rejected
a complaint from Blue Origin and defence contractor Dynetic, saying that
Nasa had not "acted improperly" in handing the contract to just one firm.

 

Nasa must file a response to the legal action by 12 October. SpaceX is yet
to comment on the lawsuit.

 

Under its Artemis programme, Nasa hopes to return humans to the moon for the
first time since 1972.

 

In April, Ms Lueders said: "This critical step puts humanity on a path to
sustainable lunar exploration and keeps our eyes on missions farther into
the solar system, including Mars."-BBC

 

 

 

Tesla Autopilot: US opens official investigation into self-driving tech

The US federal agency in charge of road safety is opening an official
investigation into Tesla's "self-driving" Autopilot system.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it was
acting following 11 Tesla crashes since 2018 involving emergency vehicles.

 

In some cases, the Tesla vehicles "crashed directly into the vehicles of
first responders", it said.

 

The investigation will cover roughly 765,000 Tesla cars made since 2014.

 

That includes those in the Model Y, Model X, Model S and Model 3, the NHTSA
said - the entire current range.

 

'Control at all times'

The agency was primarily concerned with an apparent inability of Tesla
vehicles to cope with vehicles stopped in the road - specifically emergency
vehicles attending an incident.

 

Among the list of cases was one where a Tesla "ploughed into the rear" of a
parked fire engine attending an accident, and another in which a parked
police car was struck.

 

The NHTSA said it was opening its preliminary investigation into "the
technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's
engagement", while using Autopilot.

 

It said that in the 11 crashes that prompted its investigation, either
Autopilot or a system called Traffic Aware Cruise Control had been active
"just prior" to the collisions.

 

The assistive technology allows the car to automatically steer, accelerate
and brake.

 

But it has come under fire for being misleading, as it does not
automatically drive the car and drivers are required to maintain control and
attention at all times.

 

Tesla has marketed the feature as an "Autopilot" and promised "full
self-driving", which is now available to some users in a beta version.

 

Users have abused the system frequently in the past, with examples ranging
from using their phones while the car drives unattended to switching car
seats and leaving no driver at the wheel.

 

In a statement, an NHTSA spokesperson said: "No commercially available motor
vehicles today are capable of driving themselves. Every available vehicle
requires a human driver to be in control at all times."

 

The investigation's supporting documents do, however, note the challenging
circumstances involved in many of the collisions.

 

"Most incidents took place after dark and the crash scenes encountered
included scene control measures such as first responder vehicle lights,
flares, an illuminated arrow board, and road cones," it reads.

 

It comes days ahead of an event to showcase the car company's software.

 

Chief executive Elon Musk had previously announced 19 August as "Tesla AI
Day", which he said would showcase the progress of the firm's artificial
intelligence systems - with a view to recruiting AI experts to the firm.

 

Tesla disbanded its public relations team in October 2020 and cannot be
reached for comment.-BBC

 

 

 

Covid testing is rip-off, says former regulator

PCR tests for travel have become "a predictable Covid rip-off", says the
ex-chair of the Competition and Markets Authority, Lord Tyrie.

 

Lord Tyrie said the competition regulator had been "too slow to react" to
complaints about testing providers.

 

Holidaymakers have objected to high prices and poor service from many of the
400-plus test firms listed on the government's website.

 

Tests cost about £75 on average, but prices can reach hundreds.

 

Last week, Health Secretary Sajid Javid asked the CMA to investigate
"excessive" pricing and "exploitative practices" among PCR Covid test firms.

 

Initially, the CMA said it would take up to a month to report back. But
after a chorus of objection from the travel industry, the CMA said it was
reviewing the situation "immediately".

 

Lord Tyrie told the BBC that the CMA "could and should have been better
prepared".

 

"It should either be acting already directly using existing powers. Or if
deemed inadequate for the job, it should be advising the government on how
to obtain a quick remedy, whether by legislation or by other means," he
said.

 

"This advice should already be with the government."

 

'Excess of caution'

Lord Tyrie left the competition watchdog last summer after two years in the
post, suggesting the role prevented him leading a more aggressive campaign
for change.

 

He added: "The CMA acted much more quickly to quell price-gouging on hand
sanitiser and other Covid-related products 18 months ago. Far from building
on this success, boldness appears to have taken a back seat."

 

Lord Tyrie reflected that "the CMA is full of able and highly motivated
people, keen to tackle detriment like this".

 

"Their energies need to be released from an excess of caution at the highest
levels," he added.

 

At the weekend, the cost of NHS coronavirus tests for international arrivals
to the UK was reduced. Test and Trace tests were cut from £88 to £68 for
people arriving from green-listed countries, as well as for those coming
from amber-listed countries who are fully vaccinated.

 

Meanwhile, the price of two tests for amber arrivals who have not had both
jabs has been cut from £170 to £136.

 

What are the holiday rules for travel to green, amber and red list
countries?

It is understood the price cut is an attempt to drive down the cost across
the market, so other operators will follow.

 

Pressing issue

Criticism of the government's decision to implement PCR Covid testing for
all UK arrivals has been significant from the travel sector.

 

Last week, major airports including the Manchester Airport Group and Gatwick
Airport, along with tour operator Tui, cited the testing policy as a major
barrier to travel restarting and the industry recovering.

 

The government said its top priority was to protect public health and it
continued to work with industry to help them navigate this difficult period.

 

Lord Tyrie said that the slow response of the CMA was likely to mean it was
too late to offer a full remedy to the market before the peak holiday season
comes to a close and people return to work and school in September.

 

The CMA said: "The cost of PCR testing is a pressing issue. We have given
advice to the government on options for addressing concerns over the price
and reliability of PCR tests and the quality of the service people are
getting from providers.

 

"We continue to work closely with [Department of Health] officials in order
to identify structural problems in the PCR testing market and solutions to
them.

 

"We will also not hesitate to take enforcement action ourselves where we
find evidence PCR providers may be breaching consumer law."-BBC

 

 

 

No need to swap data for drinks, says privacy body

Customers should think carefully about handing over personal data when
ordering food and drink via their mobile phones, the UK's body overseeing
data privacy suggests.

 

App and web-based ordering has become commonplace during the pandemic.

 

But the Information Commissioner's Office told the BBC that customers should
be aware they had a choice over whether to share information.

 

Venues should only ask for data that is "relevant and necessary", the ICO
said.

 

"I think it's too easy to upload an app and straight away put your name,
email address, payment details in, without actually understanding fully
where that information may be shared and why it's being used," said Suzanne
Gordon, director of data protection at the ICO.

 

"Ultimately this is your data, it's your personal information and you need
to be confident when you're handing it over and the reasons why."

 

Online ordering is popular with many customers, sparing them the crush at
the bar and helping to reduce the risk from Covid.

 

But they're popular with businesses too, because they speed up the ordering
process and provide an additional way to interact with customers. Apps now
handle millions of pounds worth of transactions every day.

 

And it looks as though they are here to stay. Apart from in Northern
Ireland, where you still have to be served at the table, restaurants and
bars across the UK can now return to pre-pandemic style service at the bar
or from waiting staff. But most are keeping their online ordering too.

 

One group of friends, gathered for a drink in the sunshine at the Courtyard
in Manchester, said they were happy either to use the app or to order at the
bar, whichever would get their pint to them the fastest. But there were
downsides to the apps, they admitted.

 

"You end up with 10 different passwords, I've got so many different apps,"
said Johnny. "You give your postcode or your email, a lot of it seems
irrelevant."

 

"It is irrelevant," added Matt. "But it's a cost we kind of have to pay."

 

But the ICO said sharing personal data was far from obligatory.

 

"Customers need to understand they do have a choice. We're now coming out of
the pandemic and there's the ability to order on the app or in the more
traditional way," said Ms Gordon.

 

"I think it is very easy for people just to see the end product, and because
they want that, they really don't question the amount of data that they are
being asked for," she added.

 

The UK's four biggest pub chains, representing a quarter of the market -
Wetherspoons, Greene King, Mitchells and Butlers and Stonegate - all now
have their own in-house apps. The developers behind apps for independent
venues say they have seen huge growth during the pandemic.

 

They all say they follow the guidelines informing customers of their rights
and how their data will be dealt with. But those terms and conditions are
unlikely to be closely read by a lot of people.

 

Analysis box by Colletta Smith, Consumer affairs correspondent

Over the last year, lots of businesses have suddenly got a mountain of
information about their customers that they didn't have access to before.
Your local knows your name, an email address, maybe your date of birth,
maybe your home address.

 

For the bar or pub, that's incredibly valuable information, worth much more
than the round you just bought. It tells them what you like drinking, what
time you're likely to visit, who you were sitting with and how frequently
you reorder.

 

Perhaps you're not bothered about the offers and discounts sent by them, but
you might be more annoyed by calls from other companies, which could be in
the small print of the app. Car insurance companies would be very interested
in how much and how frequently you drink, while any number of other
businesses would love to get hold of your mobile number.

 

The law says you can always ask a company to stop sending you spam, but it's
a lot easier to make sure you tick or untick the right boxes in the app to
start with, or just put the phone down and order in person.

 

line

Most apps work by charging a venue approximately 2% to 3% transaction charge
per order. In return, the technology can help streamline the ordering
process, but can also offer the chance to learn a little about customers'
habits and profiles.

 

"Hospitality is struggling," says Luke Beavon, financial director at one of
the independent app providers, GoodEats. "But the app gives them the ability
to follow up with a customer and get them back through the door again."

 

Once registered, ease of use makes it more likely that customers will have
another drink or an additional item, according to Chris Dunkley, director of
another independent app, Hopt.

 

"Hopt hugely increases spend-per-head for the operator," he said.

 

However, hospitality firms that do use the new technology should respect
some boundaries, said the ICO's Ms Gordon.

 

"If [firms] are asking for data, they need to understand why they are asking
for it and they need to make sure it is relevant and necessary," she said.

 

"It's up to them to make sure it isn't excessive."

 

Alex Mackenzie and Sadra Hosseini, cofounders of ordering app Butlr

image captionAlex Mackenzie and Sadra Hosseini, cofounders of ordering app
Butlr, say they've reduced the amount of information it asks users to fill
in

The app developers appear to be taking that advice on board.

 

The Courtyard, where Matt and Johnny are drinking, uses an app called Butlr,
which accounts for about a third of the pub's orders, or more at weekends.

 

But the amount of data the app collects has been reduced since it was first
launched in 2018, says Butlr co-founder Alex Mackenzie.

 

"When we had our first venues go live, it was quite a rigorous sign-up
process, but the data we collect from individuals has gradually worn away
now," said Mr Mackenzie. "We want to make it as simple and easy as
possible."

 

Prask Sutton, chief executive of another app provider, Onvi, said they had
also stripped their data form right back to basics.

 

"We don't believe customers should have to hand over excessive personal
information just to grab a pint at the pub. They're going for a drink, not
applying for a mortgage."-BBC

 

 

 

UK defence giant Ultra agrees to £2.6bn Cobham takeover

Ultra Electronics, a major supplier to the Royal Navy, has agreed to be
bought by US-owned Cobham in a £2.6bn takeover being monitored by the UK
government.

 

Cobham said it would "offer legally binding and enforceable commitments to
HM Government" over the Ultra deal.

 

These include security issues and protecting UK jobs.

 

Defence and aerospace company Cobham was controversially bought by US
private equity firm Advent in 2019 despite national security concerns.

 

"We look forward to working with HM Government, and other relevant
stakeholders, to agree legally binding commitments which safeguard Ultra's
contribution to the UK economy and national security," said Shonnel Malani,
chairman of the Cobham Group.

 

The UK's Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, was reported to be considering
launching a national security investigation into the deal last month under
the Enterprise Act.

 

The act gives the government the power to intervene in mergers on public
interest grounds covering national security.

 

However, the Enterprise Act will be superseded from January next year by the
new National Security and Investment Act, which aims to impose more
stringent safeguards on foreign ownership of British companies.

 

The new act will introduce stronger powers of intervention if there are
concerns about national security issues in any takeovers.

 

It will also have a wider remit covering 17 business sectors and will probe
any investments of more than 25% in a UK company that cause concern.
Crucially, it could be used retrospectively to fine firms.

 

As part of its takeover of Ultra - which has two sites in Dorset - Cobham
said its commitments would cover "safeguarding and supporting the UK's
national security" including national security clearance arrangements.

 

It has also pledged to protect existing and create new UK manufacturing and
engineering jobs, and to increase investment in research and development
(R&D) in the UK.

 

Lord West of Spithead, who served as First Sea Lord, has also raised
concerns about the Cobham-Ultra deal and a similar one involving British
defence supplier Meggitt.

 

Meggitt announced it had agreed a £6.3bn takeover by Ohio-based Parker
Hannifin earlier this month but then revealed it was the subject to an
unsolicited £7bn bid approach from US firm TansDigm.

 

On Monday, it gave shareholders notice of a vote on the recommended Park
Hannifin deal on 17 September.

 

TransDigm has now been given a deadline of 14 September by the UK Takeover
Panel to make a formal offer for Meggitt.

 

Meggitt's chairman, Sir Nigel Rudd, called on ministers to block a takeover
if any bidder tries to buy it without giving binding commitments on
investment and jobs.

 

He told the Sunday Times that while "clearly, price is important", any new
owner would need to give Meggitt and the government undertakings, including
to keep the company's headquarters in Coventry and maintain R&D spending.

 

Meggitt specialises in components for the aerospace, defence and energy
industries. Companies that it supplies include Airbus and BAE Systems, but
it also has contracts with the Ministry of Defence that Parker Hannifin has
pledged to honour.

 

There has been a number of sales of UK defence sector businesses to US
firms, ahead of the probable Ultra and Meggitt deals.

 

This month Frazer-Nash Consultancy, a defence engineering consultancy
working on Britain's nuclear submarines and weaponry for the Royal Navy, was
sold by UK's Babcock International to US group KBR for £293m.

 

Cobham - based in Wimborne, Dorset - was bought by US private equity firm
Advent at the end of 2019 for £4bn. It is famed for its air-to-air refueling
kit which played a significant role in the Falklands War, allowing the Royal
Air Force to attack the remote Port Stanley airfield.--BBC

 

 

 

Japan's economy bounced back ahead of the Olympics, data shows

Japan rebounded faster than expected from its pandemic-driven slump in the
run-up to the Tokyo Olympics.

 

Official figures show the world's third-largest economy grew at twice the
rate forecast in April to June.

 

But analysts have warned growth will be modest this quarter after a state of
emergency was reimposed to ease a spike in Covid-19 infections.

 

Meanwhile, new data also shows that the economic recovery of its larger
neighbour, China, is losing steam.

 

Preliminary data show Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by an
annualised 1.3% in the second quarter of the year. That came after a 3.7%
slump in the previous three months.

 

The latest figures were far better than the expected gain of 0.7% and came
as spending by individuals and businesses bounced back from the initial
impact of the coronavirus.

 

However, Japan's recovery remains much slower than has been seen in other
advanced economies like the US, which recorded a 6.5% jump in GDP for the
second quarter of the year.

 

Japan's relatively weak rebound highlights how the government has struggled
to contain the pandemic.

 

"I have very mixed feelings about this GDP result," Economy Minister
Yasutoshi Nishimura said after the data was released.

 

"Our priority is to prevent the spread of the virus. It's very bad for the
economy for this situation to drag on," he added.

 

In 2020, Japan's economy shrank by more than 4.8% over the year, its first
contraction in more than a decade.

 

The country's economy emerged from last year's initial blow from the
pandemic thanks to robust exports, although the slow rollout of its
vaccination programme and a series of state of emergency measures have hurt
consumption.

 

At the same time a spike in cases of the Delta variant in other parts of
Asia has further disrupted supply chains for some Japanese manufacturers.
This could hurt factory output and threaten the already fragile recovery.

 

In Tokyo, Japan's benchmark Nikkei share index closed 1.6% lower on Monday,
its third session of losses in a row.

 

Meanwhile, in China factory output and retail sales both rose more slowly
than expected last month, compared to a year ago.

 

It is the latest sign that the recovery of the world's second-largest
economy is losing steam as export growth cools and new Covid-19 outbreaks
disrupt business.-BBC

 

 

 

Afghanistan conflict: Airlines reroute flights out of Afghan airspace

Airlines have stopped flying through Afghan airspace after the country's
civil aviation authority advised carriers to reroute.

 

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines have stopped using
airspace after the Taliban swept into the country's capital, Kabul.

 

Virgin Atlantic said it operated its last flight over Afghanistan on Sunday.

 

It told the BBC it was drawing up new flight paths to reroute services
departing on Monday.

 

It is understood the UK government has not yet advised flight operators with
UK licences to avoid Afghanistan airspace - airlines have made the decision
themselves.

 

Emirates has suspended flights to Kabul until further notice, while Qatar
Airways, Singapore Airlines, Taiwan's China Airlines, Air France KLM and
Lufthansa have also adjusted flight routes out of Afghan airspace.

 

On Sunday, the Taliban declared victory after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
fled abroad and his government collapsed.

 

Western nations, including the US and UK, are rushing to evacuate staff and
citizens. Commercial flights have mostly been suspended, which has sparked
chaos at Kabul airport as hundreds of Afghans and other foreign nationals
try to leave the country.

 

The Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA) has advised transit aircraft
to reroute, Reuters reported. It said journeys through Kabul airspace would
be uncontrolled.

 

Virgin Atlantic, who uses Afghan airspace to access some of its key markets
in south Asia, said it had been monitoring the situation in Afghanistan.

 

"The health, safety and security of our customers and people always comes
first," a statement said.

 

"Following the latest situation reports in Afghanistan, we will be
re-routing our upcoming services to avoid Afghanistan's airspace."

 

Industry sources said there have been no direct services from UK to Kabul
with commercial operators for more than 20 years.

 

Previously, passengers from the UK could transit in other airports such as
Istanbul or Dubai to reach Kabul, but Emirates and Turkish Airlines have now
suspended its operations there, as has Pakistan Airlines.

 

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has advised against
all travel to Afghanistan. All British nationals in Afghanistan are advised
to leave now by commercial means.

 

An Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi changed course and exited
Afghanistan's airspace, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

 

Another Air India flight carrying 40 Afghans from Delhi to Kabul was told by
air traffic controllers to delay landing on Sunday as the Taliban seized the
city.

 

It landed after 90 minutes of circling and then later took off with 129
passengers, who included Afghan officials, at least two MPs and a senior
adviser to the former president.

 

In July, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed new flight
restrictions over Afghanistan for US airlines due to the risk "posed by
extremist/militant activity".

 

It said flights operating below 26,000 feet were prohibited in the Kabul
Flight Information Region, which largely covers Afghanistan, unless
operating in and out of Hamid Karzai International Airport.

 

According to website Safe Airspace, countries such as Canada, Britain,
Germany and France have also guided airlines to fly at an altitude of at
least 25,000 feet over Afghanistan.

 

In recent years, airlines and governments have provided more guidance on the
risks of flying over conflict zones after two planes were shot down.

 

In 2014, a Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine,
killing the 298 people on board. In 2020, a Ukraine International Airlines
jet was hit by Iran's military, killing all 176 passengers and crew.

 

"Airlines are very sensitive to flight disruption," said aviation consultant
John Strickland, "After the Malaysian Airlines flight over Ukraine came
down, it revealed that International guidance was very fragmented and that
airlines did different things.

 

"ICAO, the international aviation regulator, has tried to get international
standards sorted, but the challenge is for airlines to manage this."-BBC

 

 

 

CCTV watchdog criticises Hikvision Uyghur response

The UK's CCTV watchdog has criticised a Chinese firm for not saying if its
cameras are used in Uyghur internment camps.

 

Professor Fraser Sampson, said: "If your company wasn't involved in these
awful places wouldn't you be very keen to say so?"

 

In July, MPs said Hikvision provided the "primary camera technology" used in
Uyghur internment camps.

 

The company said it respected human rights.

 

On 8 July, MPs on the foreign affairs committee published a report which
said: "Cameras made by the Chinese firm Hikvision have been deployed
throughout Xinjiang, and provide the primary camera technology used in the
internment camps".

 

More than a million Uyghurs and other minorities are estimated to have been
detained at camps in the north-west region of Xinjiang, where allegations of
torture, forced labour and sexual abuse have emerged.

 

China has denied the allegations and claimed the camps are "re-education"
facilities used to combat terrorism.

 

The foreign affairs committee recommended that Hikvision "should not be
permitted to operate within the UK".

 

In June, President Biden signed an executive order prohibiting US
investments in Hikvision.

 

Hikvision cameras are widely used in the UK, including by many local
councils.

 

In a letter sent to "partners" after the report's publication, Hikvision
wrote that the committee's accusations were "unsubstantiated and not
underpinned by evidence".

 

It called the suggestion of a ban a "knee-jerk response... disproportionate,
ill-measured, and reinforces the notion that this is motivated by political
influences".

 

Biometrics Commissioner

On 16 July, Professor Sampson, the UK Biometrics and Surveillance Camera
Commissioner, followed up that response, asking the company if it accepted
that crimes are being committed against the Uyghurs and other ethnic groups
in Xinjiang.

 

In a reply sent this week, Justin Hollis, Hikvision's Marketing Director for
UK & Ireland, wrote: "It is beyond our capability to make a judgement on
this matter, particularly against a backdrop where the debate surrounding
the Xinjiang issue comes with clashing geopolitical views."

 

The firm said it was difficult to answer "narrow pointed questions on
paper", fearing what it called a "kangaroo trial by media".

 

It added that an "independent" report by former US Ambassador-at-Large for
War Crimes Issues (2001-2005), Pierre-Richard Prosper, had concluded: "We do
not find that Hikvision entered into the five projects in Xinjiang with the
intent to knowingly engage in human rights abuses or find that Hikvision
knowingly or intentionally committed human rights abuses itself or that it
acted in wilful disregard."

 

The company has previously said it had retained a law firm led by Ambassador
Prosper "to advise on human rights compliance".

 

Hikvision said it fully embraced the UN guiding principles of business and
human rights.

 

The firm said that it did not oversee or control its devices once they are
passed to installers, adding that "operational matters are not within our
remit".

 

Simple Questions

But the letter's answers were not a satisfactory response for Professor
Sampson, who told the BBC: "It's a simple enough question - 'Were your
cameras used in these internment camps?'"

 

"Saying 'we're not involved in operations' or 'we don't have any control
over what's done with them' isn't really an answer."

 

He wrote: "Our parliamentary committee accepted that these internment camps
exist and that substantial and sustained human rights abuses are being
enabled by sophisticated surveillance technology. I need to understand the
level of Hikvision's involvement.

 

He said he was "unimpressed" with what he had heard, and remained
unconvinced he was getting a "full account".

 

The company has invited Professor Sampson to meet Ambassador Prosper, but
the commissioner says he wants answers to "basic questions" first.

 

Hikvision told the BBC: "We are looking forward to meeting the Biometrics
and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, and have nothing to add to our
letter."-BBC

 

 

 

Efforts to curb energy tariffs 'greenwashing'

The government is launching a review into how energy retailers market green
tariffs to consumers.

 

Nine million British households are now on energy products that are
advertised as being "100% renewable" or "green".

 

However, some energy companies accuse others of "greenwashing" - using
marketing spin to make "dirty" fossil fuel electricity seem clean.

 

"Transparency is key to bring consumers on the journey to net zero," said
Uswitch.com's Richard Neudegg.

 

Green energy tariffs often 'misleading'

Power companies 'hindering' move to green energy

The Department for Business is investigating whether suppliers need to
provide clearer information about the types of renewable energy used, where
it was generated and when.

 

It is also looking to gather evidence on whether third party intermediaries
in the energy market, such as price comparison websites and auto-switching
services - which currently operate outside the retail market rules - should
be regulated.

 

"Millions of UK households are choosing to make the green switch and more
and more of our energy comes from renewables, but I want people to know that
when they sign up to a green tariff, they are investing in companies that
make a conscious choice to invest in renewable energy," said Climate and
Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

 

"Part of that is ensuring companies are being as transparent as possible on
where their power comes from. That way, every family in Britain can rest
assured their choices are helping to contribute to our world-leading target
of eliminating our contribution to climate change by 2050."

 

Mr Neudegg, Uswitch.com's head of regulation, said: "More and more people
are purchasing green tariffs but it's been difficult for bill-payers to know
exactly what's under the hood of these deals. We support any measures that
aim to demystify green tariffs for households."

 

Offsetting fossil fuels

One key concern raised about green energy tariffs is that suppliers make the
claim after paying to obtain certificates that "offset" fossil fuels.

 

When an renewable unit of electricity is generated - for example, by a wind
turbine - energy regulator Ofgem issues a Renewable Energy Guarantee of
Origin (REGO) to the firm owning the wind turbine, to prove that this energy
is green.

 

That firm is then allowed to sell both the electricity and the certificate
separately.

 

There is a marketplace where leftover REGOs are traded, and there are enough
of them "going spare" to allow energy suppliers to cover the proportion of
fossil fuels they sell to customers on each tariff.

 

Each certificate costs just £1 or £2 per customer per year, meaning an
energy supplier can make electricity from the wholesale market, which
includes fossil fuels, look entirely green, at an affordable price.

 

Marketing spin is how many energy campaigners describe this so-called
"greenwashing" of energy tariffs. And some households will agree with them,
with several feeling misled that their "green" energy provider does not in
fact purchase its power from a green energy source.

 

There has been an increasing appetite for green tariffs in the UK: consumers
are more aware of their carbon footprint and with home energy use accounting
for 15% of the country's greenhouse emissions, the government is keen to
encourage this, as it looks to hit its lofty target of zero-emissions by
2050.

 

Energy companies are seemingly eager to cater for this growing demand and
what some of them offer can be rather compelling - the chance to make a
simple change with a big impact. But in that rush to roll out new tariffs,
many analysts feel some providers are neglecting the bigger picture of the
desire to switch to green.

 

There are already calls for Ofgem to scrap the REGO certificates, so
providers can only declare their tariffs to be green if they come from a
renewable source. However, not all the industry agrees, as some companies
claim that the certificates support the funding of renewable generators
across the UK.

 

Dr Jeff Hardy is a senior research fellow at the Grantham Institute at
Imperial College London. He is also a former head of sustainable energy
futures at Ofgem.

 

"This is a case of consumer mis-selling and it needs to be addressed. Not
all suppliers are offering the same product and we need to be able to tell
the difference," he wrote in a policy paper in October, calling for urgent
action to be taken by the regulator.

 

"Ofgem's commitment to reform the market is incredibly welcome, but the
longer this takes, the more customers are deceived, and the longer the delay
to the decarbonisation of the energy system."

 

He is calling for the REGO certificates to be retired, and for suppliers to
be allowed to market their energy as "100% green" only if they have bought
all of it from a renewable generator.

 

The BBC has approached several big energy providers for comment.

 

British Gas said its Green Futures tariff had been awarded a gold rating by
Uswitch in its Green Accreditation programme.

 

"To achieve the Uswitch standard, British Gas matches 100% of the
electricity you use with renewable sources, such as UK wind and solar
power," a spokesperson said.

 

On top of that, the carbon footprint for 100% of the gas you use is balanced
by CO2-cutting projects around the world. We also use renewable biogas from
food and farm waste."

 

A spokesperson for EDF said: "Customers need to know that when they buy a
product marketed as helping the environment, it genuinely does that, and we
welcome steps to ensure the highest of standards across the industry."-BBC

 

 

 

Uganda: Access to Land, Capital Hampering Youth's Involvement in
Agri-Business

Young people in sub-Saharan Africa have keen interest in agriculture
especially with the use of technology but are hampered with numerous
challenges including limited access to land, skills set, sustainable
financing and access to markets, a new report has revealed.

 

A new study carried out by Heifer International in 21 African countries
titled 'The Future of Africa's Agriculture - An Assessment of the Role of
Youth and Technology,' reveals that 10 out of 11 countries, with the
exception of Tanzania agreed that the most important support required is
funding.

 

However, more training and mentorship were seen as more important than
funding in Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

The survey also reveals that whereas more youths in Uganda, Tanzania and
Zimbabwe stressed the need for support in the area of access to markets,
their counterparts in Senegal, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana prioritized the need
for support in agri-technologies. Access to land was the major concern for
the youth in Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

 

The organisations working in the sector suggested that the best way to
engage youths in agriculture is through technological innovation (39%),
government support for young farmers (32%) and inclusion of youths in
agriculture policy formulation (21%).

 

"Most youths in Africa also do not have access to land for agriculture. 59%
of youths surveyed do not have access or own land. Land ownership amongst
young people is lowest in Ghana, Zambia, Senegal and Rwanda," the survey
notes. "Youths in Malawi seem to have access to land, with only 14% having
no access, the lowest among countries surveyed."

Technology adoption

 

Overall, technology adoption in Africa too remains low, with Ghana, Senegal
and Zambia having the lowest agri-tech adoption rate. Zimbabwe, Kenya and
Nigeria have the highest technological adoption rates, according to the
survey that featured 30,000 youths, stakeholders in innovations and small
holder farmers.

 

William Matovu, a director at Heifer International-Uganda said the paradox
of Africa's economic development is that the continent's urban and rural
populations who produce most of the food is mostly comprised of smallholder
farmers practicing subsistence farming while living in extreme poverty.

 

"This scenario scares away the continent's youth from careers in
agriculture, yet ordinarily Africa's youth should be replacing the aging
farming population but this generational shift is not happening fast and
well enough to secure Africa's food security goals," he said.

He reckoned that Africa's youths disapproving attitude towards agriculture
is mainly a result of lack of funding which is the biggest barrier towards
their interest in the sector.

 

Africa's agricultural sector accounts for nearly 30% of the GDP of
sub-Saharan Africa and employs 54% of the work force, but it is still
underdeveloped.

 

Mondo Kyateeka, the Commissioner for Youth and Child Affairs at the Ministry
of Gender, Labour and Social Development said unfortunately, young people
are selling off the only available land to migrate to cities or go abroad
for low-skills jobs

 

He said there are also feelings that older people are not willing to
relinquish the land they can no longer use, to the younger persons to use
it.

 

He, however, said the government is seeking ways of curbing the sale of
agricultural land, saying the position is that agricultural land should
remain for that purpose.

 

Key recommendations

 

As a result, the survey recommends a review of existing programmes that
targets smallholder farmers and that youths must be conducted to determine
if the current strategies support the African farmer with the use of
technology.

 

"Innovation must be viewed within the context of the current realities,' the
survey notes. Beyond a smart App, the survey says providing linkages to
local and regional markets will go a long way in improving the financial
bottom-line of every farmer. The survey says digital literacy must also be a
key consideration.

 

The survey says while smallholder farmers in rural areas do not have access
to smart phones or Internet access, a basic phone is a good starting point
in introducing the use of technology, through weekly SMS on prevailing
market prices and best input bargains.

 

Furthermore, youths with a keen interest in agri-tech must work
collaboratively with smallholder farmers to get a better understanding of
their challenges and how to provide sustainable and affordable solutions.

 

"There is also need to capture data to provide evidence-based results on the
immediate benefit and long-term impact of the use of technology by
smallholder farmers," the survey notes, adding that stakeholder engagement
with the governments to provide access to land, tax waivers and fiscal
policies that deliberately support youths in the sector should be a
component of every programme.-Independent (Kampala).

 

 

 

Nigeria: Hard Time for Consumers As LPG Price Rises 33%

Consumers are facing a difficult time as the price of Liquefied Petroleum
Gas, LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas, has risen by over 33 percent
month-on-month from N360/kg in July to N480/kg in August.

 

Investigations by Energy Vanguard showed that a 12.5kg cylinder which sold
in Lagos for N4,500 in June and July, is now selling for N6,000 at different
parts of the state.

 

In Abuja, the nation's capital, a 12.5kg cylinder which sold for N4,800 in
July has risen to N6,000.

 

The new prices come at the backdrop of the recent Federal Government's
efforts aimed at promoting more use of gas in Nigeria and its declaration of
2021-2030 as Nigeria's decade of gas, meaning more demand for the commodity.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had recently set up a N250 billion fund to
expand the usage of gas.

 

The Gas Expansion Programme, particularly targets increased use of cooking
gas as a cleaner source of cooking energy for Nigerians.Gas prices had
recorded steady rise in recent months with market price at N4,400 in June
and N3,200 in November/December 2020.

 

A resident of Agbado, Ogun State, Mr. Obatomi Ajewole, said the increase in
the price of cooking gas has affected measure of plate of food sold to
customers by food vendors.

 

Reasons for price hike

 

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, NALPGAM, has
attributed the latest rise in the price of cooking gas to Federal
Government's re-imposition of Value Added Tax, VAT, on imported LPG.

NALPGAM's Executive Secretary, Bassey Essien, in a press statement obtained
by Energy Vanguard explained that Nigerians may have to pay up to N10,000 in
the nearest future to refill 12.5kilogram cylinder of cooking gas.

 

The government had in 2019 gazetted the removal of VAT on LPG as a product
to increase its domestic utilisation.

 

However, Essien said that the reintroduction of the policy has further
increased the price of cooking gas across the country.

 

He stated: "It is unfortunate that the Federal Inland Revenue Service and
the Federal Ministry of Finance have gone to resuscitate a product that has
been exempted and gazetted from VAT.

 

"This was gazetted in 2019 and has encouraged domestic gas utilisation.
Nigerians are already complaining about the prices of cooking gas across the
country, and this would further worsen the situation".

He cautioned that the initial objective of domestic availability will be
defeated if cooking gas goes out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians due to
the current increment in prices of the commodity.

 

He also noted that more than one million metric tonnes of gas were consumed
by Nigerians in 2020, with about 60 per cent of the product imported by
marketers.

 

"We import to augment the 350,000MT allocated to the domestic market by the
Nigerian LNG Company Limited", he added.

 

NALPGAM boss, insisted that charging VAT on LPG would return Nigerians to
era of cooking with kerosene stoves and firewood with the attendant health
implications.

 

According to him, the new prices are "based on the price the marketers buy
the product from the depots and terminals.

 

Early in 2020, a 20 metric ton truck of LPG was sold for N3.4 million, but
by December 2020, it had gone up to N5.4 million, and up again to N5.6
million in January 2021. As at today the truck sells for N8 million.

 

"The average cost of a 12.5 kg cylinder of gas sells for about N6,000 and if
the situation persist till Dec 2021, a 12.5kg cylinder of gas may sell for
N10,000 or more.

 

"My association has made so many advocacies to draw the attention of the
government to address the factors that are responsible for the price surge
particularly in line with the declaration of the decade of gas, but we are
yet to see any move made by government.

 

"Rather than do the needful, the government is re-imposing VAT on imported
LPG, which has been on exemption and gazetted since 2018. So if importers
are made to pay for the VAT element, the associated cost will be passed to
consumers", he added.

 

On his part, the National Chairman of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers
Branch of NUPENG, Mr Chika Umudu, attributed the price hike to the country's
high dependence on imported LPG.

 

"As the dollar is appreciating against the naira, the price of LPG is
increasing," he said.

 

He suggested that the Nigerian LNG Limited, which accounts for more than 40
per cent of the LPG supply volumes in the country, should be supplying the
domestic market in accordance with the demand, rather than having a fixed
quantity per annum.

 

"People in rural areas and semi-urban areas, who are even the major target
of LPG expansion, are beginning to dump their cylinders. It is not a good
development.

 

Experts react

 

Reacting to the hike, Chief Research Officer at Investa, Ambrose Omokordion,
said, "there is a compelling case of economic law at play as in short supply
trumping demand, and don't forget the recent devaluation of the naira.

 

"Now the price of cooking gas has risen by more than 60 per cent since early
December last year on the back of the recent devaluation of the naira and
lingering inadequate domestic supply of the fuel.

 

"Going forward what we need is complete deregulation, and not knee-jerk
response.

 

On his part, the Programme Manager, National LPG Expansion Implementation
Plan, Dayo Adeshina, stated that the product, which had sold at $260 per ton
in January, now sells for $650 per ton at the international market.

 

He argued that while the same pricing index used at the international market
is used locally, the depreciation of the naira against the dollar is
currently fueling the hike in price.

 

Adeshina explained that the Federal Government is currently working on other
domestic sources, noting that it was imperative to drive a large volume into
the market to ensure competition.

 

"When a large volume comes into the market, then we can start to see a
decrease in price. One of the things we don't have control over is the
pricing index."

 

When this reporter visited some restaurants in Lagos, it was discovered that
some canteens and restaurants are now turning to charcoal and firewood
because they cannot factor the hike in cooking gas appropriately into their
costs.

 

Also speaking on the development, an economic analyst, Dr. Olufemi Omoyele,
said "Government should work out a framework with NLNG to meet up with local
demand and equally encourage other multinational companies to supply the
domestic market so that we stop talking about importation of LPG."

 

Vanguard News Nigeria

 

 

 

South Africa: Labour Dept to Conduct Virtual EE Workshops

The Department of Employment and Labour is set to conduct virtual Employment
Equity workshops from 1 September.

 

The department's Employment Equity (EE) Directorate and the Inspection and
Enforcement Services (IES) branch will jointly conduct this year's
workshops.

 

The national workshops are being held virtually for the second year in
succession due to the impact of COVID-19 in the country and the world. The
department will host the workshops through Microsoft Teams in all the nine
provinces under the theme 'Real transformation makes business sense'.

The virtual EE workshops will start on 1 September until 28 September 2021.

 

The first workshop will target stakeholders in Limpopo and the workshops
will conclude with stakeholders in Mpumalanga.

 

The workshops will be held from 10:00 - 13:00.

 

The workshops will target employers and their employers' organisations,
human resources executives and practitioners, EE forum members, assigned
senior managers/transformation managers, academics, employees and trade
unions, labour relations practitioners and civil society organisations,
among others.

 

The department will send an invitation to each province in order for the
stakeholders to access the Teams link ahead of the actual workshop.

 

Participants will be limited to not more than 250 per session and it will be
on a first come, first served basis due to the limited capacity of the
Microsoft Teams platform.

 

The schedule of the planned virtual workshops is as follows:

 

- Limpopo - Wednesday, 01 September 2021

 

- Free State - Thursday, 02 September 2021

 

- KwaZulu-Natal - Tuesday, 07 September 2021

 

- Eastern Cape - Wednesday, 08 September 2021

 

- Western Cape - Tuesday, 14 September 2021

 

- Gauteng - Wednesday, 15 September 2021

 

- Northern Cape - Tuesday, 21 September 2021

 

- North West - Wednesday, 22 September 2021

 

- Mpumalanga - Tuesday, 28 September 2021

 

SAnews.gov.za.

 

 

 

Nigeria: Host Communities to Get $500m Annually From New Pia - Kyari

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, yesterday calmed frayed nerves among some
indigenes of oil producing communities in the Niger Delta, maintaining that
the three per cent approved under the new Petroleum Industry Act could be
bigger than what the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) currently
gets.

 

Speaking when he appeared on Arise Television, THISDAY's broadcast arm,
Kyari noted that given about $16 billion total expenditure by the oil and
gas sector last year, host oil communities could earn as much as $500
million yearly if the trend continues.

The new law mandates the payment of three per cent of oil companies'
operating expenses in the previous year to the host oil communities, which
are mostly in the Niger Delta.

 

The GMD noted that whereas the oil-producing communities could not determine
what projects would be located in their areas before now, from now on, the
new legislation ensures that they largely control their funds and projects
in the communities.

 

Kyari said although in the past there were attempts to make sure that oil
companies provided for the host communities, it was not done in the right
manner, even if carried out in the name of Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) projects.

 

"And three per cent of your operating expenditure is a huge number. Many
people argue around whether it should be 10 per cent or five per cent or
three per cent. But percentage of what? I think that's what most people
don't understand today.

"Last year's operating expenses for the year was about $16 billion. Three
per cent of $16 billion is a large number, somewhere around $500 million
plus. That's because in today's context, it is probably bigger than the
NDDC. That's really what it is. That's what you're providing," he stated.

 

He stressed that the signing into law of the new Act essentially means
transforming from a law that is 54 years old to something new, saying that
with the legislation, the NNPC would now operate under the Company and
Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

 

"The meaning of this is that this company will just be another
privately-owned company in a sense, this company will pay taxes, this
company will pay royalties, and this company will deliver dividend to its
shareholders. This isn't the situation today, because the corporation has no
such obligation today.

 

"What this bill will do now is that in the very short term, within the
framework of the petroleum industry act, within six months a new company
will be incorporated. That means all liabilities and assets of this company
will be transferred to the new company, not all of them.

"By the way, the bill is also very clear that some toxic assets of the
corporation would no longer would be with the corporation, but the
shareholders can decide to keep some of the assets and leave some within the
corporation," he explained.

 

Given the new scenario, Kyari pointed out that the NNPC would become more
efficient, much slimmer and a much more commercial national oil company at
par with its peers across the globe, pledging that the company will do
better under the new arrangement.

 

He added that there was already a framework established by government, which
would take care of the new transition within the timeframe of six months to
incorporate and transfer assets, personnel among others.

 

The GMD noted that while he recognises that the NNPC is a national oil
company operating in a resource-dependent country, with some obligations to
the people, the new law would effectively mean the deregulation of the
sector.

 

"When you have a CAMA company, you cannot put those obligations or those
responsibilities on the company, and therefore, somebody will have to pay
for it. Here, it is all of us because once you are selling petroleum below
market price, and essentially that's the meaning of subsidy, and somebody
will have to pay for it and that's the state, all of us.

 

"The PIB did envisage that we're going to have a market regulated petroleum
market regime. And by the way, I'm sure you're aware that only petroleum is
regulated today. And every other petroleum product prices are determined by
the market. And therefore the only one element that is not resolved today is
petrol," he noted.

 

While the new law envisages a fully deregulated market, Kyari stressed that
a number of engagements have been going on to ensure a smooth transition.

 

However, he said when deregulation eventually happens, there would be
safeguards against market manipulation to ensure the poor and vulnerable are
not unduly exposed.

 

"The provision of the law is such that it recognises that subsidy will be
out someday. But it didn't say that we'll do it tomorrow. So there are a
number of balancing that we will do, there's clearly a policy issue for
government to say that I'm going to let go of this," he explained.

 

Further commenting on the possible impact of subsidy removal on ordinary
Nigerians, the NNPC GMD admitted that eliminating the subsidy regime could
have adverse consequences on the ordinary person if not properly managed.

 

He said certain conditions needed to be fulfilled by government before the
policy action is taken.

 

Among other things, he said there must be some arrangement to provide
alternative for petroleum by making gas readily available to consumers at a
more affordable prices.

 

He also said there's need to put in place some structures that would
stabilise prices to avoid exploitation of the ordinary people under the new
regime.

 

"And therefore, those conditions and provisions must take place before you
can think of exit," he said.

 

Kyari said there are already ongoing engagements with stakeholders including
labour on how to deal with the issue of subsidy in the new regime.

 

He said,"I think two things would play out, first of all, timing is
everything in this conversation. When will that happen? Obviously it is not
tomorrow and is there any engagement going on?

 

"Absolutely correct today because as we speak now there are a number of
engagements that has been going on and there's one element that is not
resolved which is that will any removal of subsidy have adverse impact on
the ordinary person?

 

"The answer is correct if you don't manage it properly. And so what can you
do about it. "

 

The NNPC GMD said, "With passage of the PIB into law, you must determine how
you are going to transit out of this.

 

"Transition means you either set platform for market manipulation; do you
have safeguards against potentially a transportation cost rises and is it
going to affect some labour issues that you have to deal with? And so many
other things that have happened in other jurisdictions.

 

"It's not what you can do in one, three two months but obviously make up
your mind that the market is going to determine the price of petroleum and
then you must put up a process and that process is clearly determined by
what us really practical today."

 

He said, "As an insider, I know that Mr. President's key concern around the
price of petroleum is that how is this going to affect the ordinary person?
How are we going to deal with it and what excuses do we have to make sure
that we don't sell at the prices we sell today and of course, this is a very
obvious and germane concern but can you afford it?

 

"And that's the other question we have to ask in the long term but in the
short term those engagement must take place; the provision of the law is
such that it recognizes that subsidy will be out someday but it didn't say
we will do it tomorrow.

 

"But I also agree as an insider that you do need to have some structures on
ground to ensure that there's no some form of adverse effects on the
ordinary Nigerian and that includes stabilisation of how prices are fixed in
the market so that you done have exploitation of the ordinary people.-This
Day.

 

 

 


 


 


Invest Wisely!

Bulls n Bears 

 

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INVESTORS DIARY 2021

 


Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


Companies under Cautionary

 

 

 


 

 

 

 


ART

PPC

Dairibord

 


Starafrica

Fidelity

Turnall

 


Medtech

Zimre

Nampak Zimbabwe

 


 

 

 

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of
Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not
constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or
subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has
been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or
warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All
opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without
notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be
suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth
companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than
the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any
other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability
whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its
contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this
report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent
investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of
any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are
for guideline purposes only and sourced from third parties.

 


 

 


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