Togo goes Parliamentary, Tax Rain in Nigeria & Climate Policy Needed for East Africa

May 28, 2024 | The VaultNewsletter

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ecowas bites its lips as democracy takes a new twist in togo
in april ruling party politicians unanimously voted to change the way the leader of the country assumes office
it's raining taxes and tax policy in nigeria
cyclone impact in east africa spotlights need for policy establishment and implementation
reports from both nations have revealed the devastating impact of the floods on lives and communities reaching alarming levels and exposing shortcomings in crisis management the death toll in kenya has surpassed 200 while over 212000 people have been displaced schools have also been closed and business activities have slowed down due to consistent heavy rainfall forecasts predict that heavy rainfall will likely intensify this month further raising fears and highlighting the need for an urgent response
data vault nigeria announces new minimum wage
source akintayo et al 2020 & policy vault
rwanda plans to increase its overall spending by 11 to 569 trillion rwandan francs 443 billion in the next financial year starting in july with 132 trillion francs coming from external loans and 386 trillion francs from domestic revenues an additional 7253 billion francs will be sourced from external grants
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ecowas bites its lips as democracy takes a new twist in togo

The Togolese parliament recently approved a new constitution that appears to tighten and extend President Faure Gnassingbe’s hold on power for at least another decade, drawing serious flak from opposition groups who labelled it a “constitutional coup” . Despite criticism that the constitutional changes lacked public input escalating arrests, and bans against protests , there has been no public reaction from ECOWAS.

in april ruling party politicians unanimously voted to change the way the leader of the country assumes office

Rather than the current presidential system where the leader is voted into office by direct elections, a parliamentary system has been adopted in the new constitution that has now been signed into law by the President.

it's raining taxes and tax policy in nigeria

To shore up the treasury and reduce the nation’s large fiscal deficit, key agencies of Nigeria’s federal government have directed banks and other financial institutions to begin collection of several taxes and levies – a move that has drawn the ire of many Nigerians who are still reeling from (partial) removal of fuel subsidy, devaluation of the Naira, high inflation, and an increase in electricity tariffs.

cyclone impact in east africa spotlights need for policy establishment and implementation

The recent weeks have presented difficult challenges for Kenya and Tanzania, as both East African countries battle humanitarian crises caused by floods and aftermath of a cyclone in the region. The slow response by both countries, despite early warnings, has underscored the urgent need for policy reforms aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness and response mechanisms.

reports from both nations have revealed the devastating impact of the floods on lives and communities reaching alarming levels and exposing shortcomings in crisis management the death toll in kenya has surpassed 200 while over 212000 people have been displaced schools have also been closed and business activities have slowed down due to consistent heavy rainfall forecasts predict that heavy rainfall will likely intensify this month further raising fears and highlighting the need for an urgent response

As people in the affected areas take stock and recover from the havoc, it appears that Kenya’s implementation of its Affordable Housing Policy helped to reduce greater loss of lives. Over 163,000 persons had previously been evacuated from high-risk areas along riverbanks in informal settlementsin Nairobi, thereby minimizing the number of potentially vulnerable persons. Going forward, the Kenyan government should prioritize implementation of its climate change mitigation strategies, such as the Kenya National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Plan, which aims to plant 15 billion trees and increase Kenya’s forest cover to over 30 percent by 2032.

data vault nigeria announces new minimum wage

The Nigerian government recently announced an initial increase in monthly wages for public sector workers. The increase would be around 25% to 35% for the different salary structures in the Nigerian civil service. Raising workers’ pay is part of President Bola Tinubu’s strategy to ease hardship after removing fuel subsidies and exchange rate devaluation, which exacerbated the cost of living across the country. Despite this increase, the Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, has rejected the pay increase , proposing a monthly living wage of 615,000 Naira.

source akintayo et al 2020 & policy vault

rwanda plans to increase its overall spending by 11 to 569 trillion rwandan francs 443 billion in the next financial year starting in july with 132 trillion francs coming from external loans and 386 trillion francs from domestic revenues an additional 7253 billion francs will be sourced from external grants

Rwanda’s Finance Minister Uzziel Ndagijimana presented the draft budget to parliament, with final budget presentation scheduled for June. Despite challenges like climate change effects and global inflation, Rwanda maintains strong economic growth momentum, with forecasts of 6.6% growth this year and further growth in the coming years. The economy, largely dependent on agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing, expanded by 8.2% last year, surpassing its initial target.

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