Hellocash Mobile Money Service Goes Live in Ethiopia

Lion International Bank and Somali Micro Finance in partnership with BelCash Technology Solution PLC launched the official pilot of the HelloCash mobile money services.

BelCash Technology Solution PLC is an Ethiopian based technology service provider for financial industry.

The HelloCash mobile money platform will provide financial services to all Ethiopians. The HelloCash service enables existing and potential customers of Lion International Bank and Somali Micro Finance to carry out transactions in four key areas of financial transactions: Deposit, Withdraw, Transfer and make payments. The HelloCash mobile money service is provided in compliance with National Bank of Ethiopia's directives on mobile money.

The pilot of HelloCash mobile money service is underway in three part of the country with locations consisting of a mix of agent outlets and branches.

HelloCash Mobile Money would make financial services available to more Ethiopian, especially at the grassroots in order to drive financial inclusion in the country.

One of the uniqueness of HelloCash mobile money services is its interoperability and shared infrastructure features. The system is designed for multi banks and MFI's to be interconnected and offer the mobile money service to their respective customers, therefore, partnering financial institutions are able to share each other's agent and branch network to serve each other's customers.

This allow any customers of any partnering bank to visit any agent or branches to conduct financial services regardless of which bank customers belongs too. The sharing of agent network allows partnering banks to optimize their investment as well as increase national wide service coverage.

CEO of BelCash International, Mountaga Vince Diop mentioned that this is only the beginning of what seems to be an irreversible step to reinforce Financial Inclusion in the country.

BelCash Technology Solutions PLC provides the Banks and the Micro Finances, Go-to-Market turn-key mobile money solutions (including capacity building, business and operational models, hardware, disaster recovery and Call center facilities) and facilitate the penetration of Mobile and Agent Banking in the Ethiopian Financial landscape.

The Financial Institutions providing HelloCash in Ethiopia are confident to build a unique network of more than 20.000 agents across all Ethiopia within the 3 coming years.

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Jonathan projected to defeat Buhari – Ex US envoy to Nigeria

The former US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell has said that despite the strength of the opposition, President Jonathan may emerge the winner of the March 28 polls.

He said this in a report titled “Nigeria’s 2015 Presidential Election: Contingency Planning Memorandum Update,”

A parts of the report read: “The APC is stronger than its predecessors (Action Congress of Nigeria and Congress for Progressives Change) and reflects a splintering of the political classes.”

“The government’s inability to defeat Boko Haram, the economic hardships brought on by falling oil prices, and a growing public perception that the Jonathan administration is weak has fuelled support for the All Progressives Congress. Though the APC’s voter base is in the North, it enjoys support all over the country, unlike the opposition in 2011.

“It is uncertain whether any provisions will be made for voters in the three northern states placed under a state of emergency because of Boko Haram, as well as the estimated one million people displaced by the insurgency.

“These displaced voters would likely support Buhari and the APC; their exclusion would benefit Jonathan and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Thus despite the strength of the opposition, Jonathan remains the likely winner.”

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RCA to train 5000 more cricketers

The newly re-elected Rwanda Cricket Association president, Charles Haba has pledged to put more effort in developing the sport across the country.

The 38-year-old former Right Guards CC player, was returned an opposed as head of RCA, a position he has held since 2000. According to the RCA constitution, the term of office is two years. After his re-election, Haba said that in the previous years, focus was mainly on creating awareness about cricket in the country.

“It is now time to develop the game beyond Kigali. When we started RCA in 2000, cricket had just been introduced here, but today, the number has increased to 5000 cricketers,” he said, adding that their target is to double that number in the next one year.

In addition to Haba, all the other executive committee members including vice president Srinath Vardhineni, Secretary General Emmanuel Byiringiro and Treasurer, Steven Musaale, retained their posts. Meanwhile, a new position of head of women cricket was also created and will be headed by Sonia Uwimana.

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Akufo-Addo Congratulates Stars

This is to congratulate the senior national football team, the Black Stars, for their impressive display in the just ended Africa Cup of Nations, where they emerged as silver medalists.

Despite being written off by football pundits prior to the commencement of the tournament and coupled with the difficult beginning they had in their first group game against Senegal, they rallied together, showed character and determination, and gave a good account of themselves right down to the last kick of the tournament. The nation is proud of them.

We all hoped they were going to bring back the cup after we last tasted victory some 33 years ago, but it was not to be. I am, however, confident of the future of the Black Stars, who can look forward to years of unparalleled success.

We have a solid base of good players who will emerge victorious in the next AFCON tournament in 2017, and make Ghana proud in future continental and global competitions. Congratulations once again!

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Ferwafa to help Rayon Sports clear Shungu’s arrears

Rwanda Football Association (Ferwafa) has agreed to lend money to Rayon sports so that they pay their former coach Raoul Shungu salary arrears totaling $18,943 (Rwf13m) including accumulated fines.

Rayon Sport Spokesperson Emmanuel Niyomusabye praised the football body for bailing out the club that risks Fifa penalties including relegation to the second division if they don’t clear the outstanding debt before 1st March.

“It is true that Ferwafa will meet all the payments to Raoul Shungu and we pay back the money later. We found it the last option to borrow money to avoid Fifa punishing us,” Rayon spokesperson Niyomusabye told Times sport.

The arrears accumulated during Shungu’s second stint at the club in 2008 when he agreed with club officials to use his own money to bring in players like Honore Kabongo, Bokota Labama, Jean Lomami and Jimmy Kidega.

Shungu is also said to have used his own money to buy logistics like balls, nets and training kit.

The Nyanza based side were facing financial problems at the time and agreed to pay back Shungu but never did so, failing to also pay one month’s salary to the former Amavubi coach. The Congolese coach was earning $2500 at the time.

Shungu left Rayon Sports in May 2009 after falling out with his assistant Jean Baptiste Kayiranga and the club’s leadership. Kayiranga would later take over as head coach.

In September 2009, Shungu wrote to Ferwafa asking for their intervention as Rayon Sports dragged their feet over payment of his money but the football governing body didn’t do much.

He then took the matter to Fifa in 2011 and in 2012 Fifa wrote to Rayon Sports asking them to pay the money or risk severe punishment. Towards the end of last year, Fifa again warned Rayon Sports that if they fail to pay before march 1, then they will be relegated to the second division and pay double the money they owe Shungu.

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Dawn in the Creeks Enters Second Season

Dawn in the Creeks (DITC), the Jeta Amata-led initiative aimed at promoting peace in the country’s Niger Delta region has kicked off its second season in Lagos, Nigeria.

At the official launch attended by Friends and Partners of DITC as well as members of the Press, Board member, Dawn in the Creeks, Andre Blaze Henshaw said the second season would leverage on the awareness and excitement generated by its debut season and highlight the gains made so far and the challenges facing the project.

“In our first season, we mobilized the youth of the area to become change agents in a Niger Delta that was, for too long, perceived as a cauldron of degradation, restiveness and mayhem”, Henshaw reminded.

And while these issues have not been totally eradicated, we can literally see a dawn of peace and hope on the horizon”.

Season two follows the 21 young men and women who had enrolled in the Nollywood Academy as they juggle their studies with their roles as peace ambassadors to their communities as well as leaders among their peers.

“Now things really get interesting because our fledgling film makers are starting to realize that the path of peace comes with its own peculiar issues”, -Henshaw explained.

“The crusade for a more peaceful and prosperous Niger Delta will not be embraced immediately by all but they would have to keep at the vision that only is it possible but has become necessary for their communities to be freed from a past riddled with poverty and despair”.

Among the friends and partners present at the launch was, the US Consular General in Nigeria, Ambassador Jerry Hawkins, who was full of praise for the Initiative and pledged the continued support of the American Government. “The U.S. Mission partnered with a distinguished group of Nigerian leaders to give the people of the Niger Delta platforms like the Dawn in the Creeks reality TV show and weekly radio programs, to share non-violent solutions to problems with their fellow Nigerians as well as with local, state, and national authorities”, he said.

Jerry hinted that “Improving the relationship and accountability between the government and its citizens will go a long way to ensuring the future remains promising for the region. Today, Dawn in the Creeks is a social enterprise run by a competent board of advisors from the world of business, civil society and entertainment. We are looking for corporate partners who share our vision of a better future for our youth.”

As in its maiden season, DITC2 will feature notable figures from the Nigerian entertainment seasons serving as mentors and facilitators for the Change Agents and is scheduled to air on select TV stations across the country.

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Terah AM performs “Wish you well” acoustic version

Hip hop artist, rapper, songwriter and producer Terah AM has performed an acoustic version of ‘Wish you well’ with the Yoyo crew on Ginger tinz.

Terah whose main goal is to spread urban rap music influence in 3rd and 2nd cycle institution in Ghana believes his music is not for everybody, but only for the openminded and young at heart.

Terah AM hails from Gbawe- Accra and is 1/3 of Metro District, an independent music group based in Accra comprising of talented artists and producers (JumpOFF & No Drrumz).

Terah AM is driven by his love for words and Images, and this has churned him out to be an excellent story teller.

He is able to draw inspiration from his experiences to create beautiful music, hence leading to the release of his two songs (How Halo Won & Wish You Well).

“Wish You Well” reflects the experience one goes through when a love partner decides to leave the other with the reason that the love is fading out. Terah AM who has gained exposure online and on major tertiary campuses used his “Wish You Will” song to tell a story by wishing anyone who goes through such situation well in spite of the challenges in finding another person like him or her.

He has released 2 joint EPs (Pushing Envelopes and Three) and has also feature singles.

Terah AM is scheduled to release his debut mixtape later on this year.

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