Somali pirates hijack Greek ship

Somali pirates have taken hostage of a Greece ship carrying a cargo of salt to Kenya off Somalia’s south coast on Thursday. 26 crew members believed to be of Filipino origin were reported to be on board and their fate is currently unknown.Somali authorities told AfricaNews that the Greek vessel, known as the Centauri, was attacked late on Wednesday or early on Thursday. They said the situation is becoming worrying since the hijackers are now expanding their zone of operations southwards from the Gulf of Aden.International naval forces guarding the area have been informed about the situation and vessels have been advised to stay clear from Somalia’s coast and must be extra vigilant in the Gulf of Aden. “The ship was expected to call at Mombasa on September 19 and discharge 17,000 tonnes of bulk salt,” Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers’ Association told the Reuters news agency. “It was taken in southern Somalia, which is unusual for the pirates. They could be taking it to Eyl,” he added. Several vessels are being held for ransom at Eyl. Earlier this week, French commandos rescued two sailors amid fears they were being led to a pirate stronghold at the port. Gulf of Aden, which ties the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, is one of the world’s busiest watercourses where over 20,000 ships ply yearly.

Security threat in Ghana, 7 banned

The National Security of Ghana has banned seven former commanders from all military and police installations and garrisons in the country. It further reminded the public of an existing ban on former president Rawlings on the same issue, a statement from the Security Coordinator, Sam Amu said.The seven commanders include a former General Officer Commanding, Lt Gen. Arnold Quainoo, a former chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah, Real Admiral Owusu Ansah, a former Chief of Naval Staff, C.K Dewornu, former Inspector General of Police, F.Y Asare, former Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Bruce Konuah, former Defence Advisor to Pakistan, and W.K Aboah, former Commissioner of Police.The ban comes in the wake of a recent meeting held by them in the residence of the former president where security concerns in the country were purported to have been discussed.The Deputy Information Minister, Frank Agyakum, explained that the directive is as a result of the Armed Forces Security Council meeting which assessed the security situation in the country, according to an Accra based radio station, Joy Fm.The security council meet from time to time to assess the security situation and the directive may be as a result of an intelligence gathered, he said. Agyakum said actions or inactions by some of these former security personnel may have contributed to the directive.Commenting on the recent meeting held by the ex- president, he said maintaining security in the country was the responsibility of the military, police and national security and for others to meet in the name of national security was worrying.He stated the utterances by some of the former security capos after the said meeting were even worrying. “To ask service commanders to disobey unlawful command was to me scary,” he said.

Miniskirt row rocks Uganda

Heated debate erupted in the Eastern African country of Uganda as to whether women should be banned from wearing tight miniskirts in public or otherwise. The country’s ethics and integrity minister is spearheading the call because women wearing them distract drivers and cause traffic accidents.Minister Nsaba Buturo told journalists in the capital Kampala that wearing a miniskirt was like walking naked in the streets.“What’s wrong with a miniskirt? You can cause an accident because some of our people are weak mentally. Wearing a miniskirt should be regarded as indecent, which would be punishable under Ugandan law,” he added.“If you find a naked person you begin to concentrate on the make-up of that person and yet you are driving. These days you hardly know who is a mother from a daughter, they are all naked.”Earlier this year, Kampala’s Makerere University decided to impose a dress code for women at the institution. AfricaNews monitored Network Africa on BBC on Thursday morning and most Uganda women opposed to the minister’s assertions.“I wear miniskirts a lot. I am not comfortable in long skirts because I have nice legs. The only thing that makes me comfortable is miniskirt. I don’t support it (ban), where are we going to put them because we have bought them and those selling it have paid taxes on them too,” young Sylvia stated.The situation was not different in Ghana when AfricaNews interacted with some young university students for their views on the Uganda issue.“That’s funny and strange. We are in a civilized world and people’s view and way of dressing should be respected. I think the men should respect themselves enough to control their eyes and feelings. I don’t dress to kill but dress to look good,” Jemima Boateng stated.But others had more sympathy with minister Buturo. “I think skimpy things are not good. We are keeping the dignity of Africa as ladies and we have to cover ourselves up,” one woman, called Sharon.