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Tag: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

  • NANS congratulates Buhari on his emergence as ECOWAS chairman

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his emergence as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    The congratulatory message is in a statement signed by NANS’ National Public Relations Officer, Bestman Okereafor, on Wednesday in Enugu.

    Read Also:Find lasting solution to farmers, herders crisis – NANS tells FG

    Buhari emerged as ECOWAS chairman on Tuesday at the end of the commission’s meeting in Togo to replace Togolese President, Faure Gnassigbe.

    NANS, therefore, stated that it was joining West Africans and Nigerians in congratulating Buhari, stressing that “Nigerian students consider this as victory for all Nigerians.

    “We have no doubt that President Buhari will bring about positive changes in West African states. We believe he will promote freedom, equity and social justice, which will bring about the much-anticipated peaceful co-existence among member states.

    “Once again from all Nigerian students schooling both at home and in the Diaspora, we say congratulations to our beloved President, Muhammadu Buhari.”

    NAN

     

  • Buhari lauds security summit between ECOWAS, ECCAS

    President Muhammadu Buhari has lauded the proposal for a security summit between members of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and countries in Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

    He spoke while receiving ECOWAS Chairman and President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe, in Katsina, on Friday.

    According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari emphasized that terrorism now transcends international boundaries, and no country can combat the scourge alone.

    Read Also:Buhari to attend AU Summit in Mauritania

    “We need to team up to fight common enemies. Terrorists in whatever form are enemies of humanity, and no effort must be spared to protect our people. I will always support anything that is meant to enhance security in our region,” President Buhari said.

    The security summit is billed to hold on July 30, this year.

    President Gnassingbe said he was happy to be in Katsina, the homestead of President Buhari, and thanked his host for his help in calming the political situation in Togo.

    He also briefed President Buhari on Mali elections, billed for next month, saying ECOWAS would ensure that everything went smoothly.

    Answering a question on what the sub-regional body could do to help Nigeria with the problem of clashes between cattle herders and farmers, the ECOWAS Chairman said the problem was not peculiar to Nigeria, but is common to a number of countries, including his own.

    “It is not a religious or ethnic problem and must not be misconceived as such. We will discuss the matter, and try to find a solution,” President Gnassingbe said.

    He also condoled President Buhari on the fire disaster caused by a fallen petrol tanker in Lagos Thursday.

     

     

  • Buhari to host ECOWAS conference on farmers/herders clashes 

    President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to declare open on April 26 a conference of the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on farmers/herdsmen clashes across the country.

    This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    Stressing that the meeting was initially planned for last February, he said that it was part of efforts by the ECOWAS and some other African countries towards finding permanent solutions to the persistent farmers-herdsmen clashes in Nigeria and beyond.

    He said “This is why, for instance, we initiated the conference that is to come up between April 26 and 29 under the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services, zeroing particularly on the protocol on the movement of trans-humans which was signed in 1978 but yet to be implemented.

    “I had meetings with President ECOWAS Commission, the one that left, and we agreed to have this conference sometime last month. But because there were leaving and new set of management was coming in it was shifted to toward the end of this month.

    “So, the whole idea is to look at this issue of movements across borders. So, this month on April 26, God willing, we are going to have this conference and Mr President has graciously agreed to open the conference,’’ he said

    The conference which would also attract participants from the Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, Morocco and Mauritania, he said, would explore the relationship between the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and trans-border criminal activities.

    He said “Zeroing particularly on the protocol of trans-humans which was signed in 1978 and we are yet to implement them. I had meeting with the president ECOWAS commission, the one that left and we agreed to have this conference sometimes last month but they were leaving, and the new set of management coming in, it was shifted to towards the end of this month.

    “The whole idea is to look at this issue of movement across borders. The protocol provided for instance, that any of such movement, of trans-human should be received at the reception center by the host country and there international trans-human certificate are supposed to guide them. And not only that, they should also go along with international health certificates for the cattle they are going with.

    “So, if somebody comes in with 10 cattle for instance, and if he is going out with 20, you have to ask him questions because of the issue of cattle rustling. We will also be able to know that the animals he is bringing do not carry disease. We also want to be sure that they obey the laws of the country to the latter.

    “And the issue of carrying of arms because it is a no go area, we have zero tolerance to that because it is not part of the protocol. So, these are the issues that will be discussed at a high level ministerial conference which involves all ministers responsible for internal security and agriculture in all these countries, the fifteen ECOWAS countries plus some of these countries in Central Africa, particular, Chad, Cameroun and Central African Republic. And also, it will involve Mauritania and Morocco. Mr. President has graciously agreed to open the conference on 26th, so it is of great concern to us,” he said

    On threats by Shiites to continue attacks in Abuja, he said “Well, I’m not sure of where that alert is coming from. You know that these days, you have to be very mindful of these things in the social media. It is like I saw one yesterday saying that there is going to be nuclear attack in the United Kingdom and this was broadcast by the BBC, and it is fake.

    “So, you have to be very careful with that. But I want to reassure you that law and order exist within the society and the FCT minister is very aware and is on top of it because of what happened recently. The commissioner of police is aware and is part of it.

    “About some people attacking or not, I think is something that we have to be cautious of where such information is coming from. If there is anything like that, you will get it from official sources. As at now, there is nothing like that because the police is handling that. You must have listened to the news last night and this morning, the commissioner of police FCT came out to speak and he assured all residents of FCT of security of lives and property,” he stated.

    Read Also:Buhari to restore study of history in schools

  • ECOWAS to make self-sufficiency in rice a reality by 2025 – Official

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says its rice offensive programme would make self-sufficiency in rice a reality in the sub-region by 2025.

    Mr Ernest Aubee, Principal Programme Officer and ECOWAS Head of Agriculture Division, made the disclosure in an interview with our reporters in Abuja on Monday.

    Aubee said that the programme had been designed to enhance rice production in all member states

    ‘‘The programme will basically look at how the region can increase its production so as to meet consumption needs and reduce import.

    ‘‘It will also create job opportunities for our own farmers especially youths and women.

    ‘‘It will also improve the value chain so that it could be of high quality and nutritionally suitable for us as ECOWAS citizens to consume.’’

    He said that rice has become a highly strategic commodity in West Africa and is the largest source of food calories on the African continent.

    ‘‘ECOWAS countries imported around nine million tonnes of milled rice in 2014, representing a cost of 4 billion Euros.

    ‘‘To avoid risks of civil unrest and the scenarios of increased global food prices, there is an urgent need to increase rice production, processing, value-addition, and marketing in West Africa to achieve self-sufficiency.

    ‘‘Currently, the region depends on imports from Asia to fulfil about half of its consumption needs.

    “ECOWAS has initiated a regional offensive to reach rice self-sufficiency by 2025.’’

    The regional offensive for sustained recovery of rice production in West Africa Programme was approved by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in June 2014.

    Aubee said that this offensive was aimed at reducing imports to zero level by 2025.

    He said the joint collaborative spirit aimed at supporting the rice offensive would energise rice production in the sub-region.

    ‘‘It will also bolster a regional public-private partnership which makes self-sufficiency in rice and economic prosperity a reality in West Africa.

    ‘‘The fact book is a briefing document on key rice parameters in the ECOWAS region, opportunities and business cases aimed at attracting anchor investors.’’

    He added that the commission has been in partnership with CARI in four countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Tanzania to promote rice production in Africa.

    ‘‘We are member of steering committee for CARI for the whole of Africa and also a very active member in Nigeria Rice Advocacy Platform, helping to support rice cultivation in all rice production states.’’

    He said CARI Phase I has been successful in the four countries in the efforts to make Africa self-sufficient in rice.

    NAN

  • Jonathan seeks credible, peaceful elections, in Sierra Leone

    Jonathan seeks credible, peaceful elections, in Sierra Leone

    …Meets President Koroma, NEC, candidates, other stakeholders

    Ahead of Wednesday’s general elections in Sierra Leone, former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged the people of the West African nation to conduct peaceful and credible polls.

    The former President who is leader of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) Observer Mission to the March 7 elections gave the advice while meeting with different stakeholders in Freetown.

    A statement by Jonathan’s media adviser Ikechukwu Eze said that Jonathan had met with Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma, chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) Mohammed Conteh, chairman of the Political Party Registration Council (PPRC) Justice Patrick Hamilton, some Presidential candidates as well as leaders of the international community, youth associations, media unions, security outfits and civil society organisations.

    Jonathan advised the stakeholders to ensure non-violent processes during the elections.

    He said “The need to sustain the peace that the good people of Sierra Leone have been enjoying since the end of the civil war.

    “As Africans we have to avoid the temptation of playing politics of desperation. It should be played without bitterness or rancor, with our mind focused on development and the welfare of our people.” he said

    He added that the Mission was in the country to support “the integrity of the electoral processes through diligent observation of the polling activities in line with the rules and code of conduct for international election observers.”

    While welcoming Jonathan to his office the PPRC boss Justice Hamilton thanked the former President for his roles and contributions to the growth of democracy in Sierra Leone.

    He said: “I believe that the reason you are here is to see that we have something similar to the credible and transparent elections you organized as President of Nigeria.”

    Speaking in the same vein, the Presidential Candidate of the main opposition party, Sierra Leonean Peoples Party (SLPP) Brig. Gen Julius Maada Bio (rtd), noted that the presence of Jonathan and other former African Presidents in Sierra Leone was an indication that democracy is on the rise on the continent.”

    Meanwhile the international election observation missions (IEOMs) present in Sierra Leone on Tuesday issued a joint statement urging the people of the country to ensure that these elections “are transparent, credible and conducted in accordance with prescribed laws and
    regulations.”

    The statement issued by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU), The Commonwealth, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), European Union (EU), and The Carter Center (TCC) reads: “We recognise that the 2018 elections in Sierra Leone, the fourth since the end of the civil war, are critical to the maintenance of peace and stability in the country.

    Based on consultations with Sierra Leonean stakeholders over the past weeks, have noted the efforts of the National Electoral Commission, the Political Parties Registration Commission, the Judiciary, the Office of National Security, the Sierra Leone Police, civil society, the media and other key institutions towards the conduct of peaceful and transparent elections.

    “We call on the political leaders, parties and their supporters to ensure peaceful elections and respect for the rule of law as they go to the polls tomorrow (Wednesday) and through the results tallying process. Further urge them to uphold their commitments under the ‘Freetown Declaration’, which was signed by presidential candidates on 28 February 2018.

    “We further call on the NEC and party polling agents to conduct their duties in a professional manner, which would ensure that these elections are transparent, credible and conducted in accordance with prescribed laws and regulations.

    “We encourage candidates to accept the outcome of the elections in line with Article 9 of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance (2001) and, in the event of complaints or disputes, encourage candidates to seek redress through legal channels
    whilst at all times refraining from acts of violence and intimidation.

    “We look to the government of Sierra Leone to uphold its constitutional obligations to provide a secure environment that guarantees the safety of candidates, voters, NEC officials and
    electoral materials. The missions urge the security agencies throughout the country to demonstrate professionalism and to enforce the law in a neutral and proportional manner. The different IEOMs have deployed over 250 international observers across the country to follow
    all aspects of Election Day and some will remain to observe the tallying process and post-election period.”

    Read Also: Search for unity begins in Jonathan’s home

  • Pay your dues promptly – Buhari tells ECOWAS member states

    Pay your dues promptly – Buhari tells ECOWAS member states

    President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Member States of the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) to pay their annual contributions as and when due for the Commission to operate effectively.

    The President made the call when he received the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean Claude Brou at the State House, Abuja, on Friday

    He also maintained that the sub-regional body must run a leaner organisation by cutting costs and becoming more efficient so as to achieve its objectives.

    President Buhari said a lot of work had already been done toward cutting running costs, following the recommendation of a committee set up by the Commission on the reduction of the number of commissioners.

    “We must work toward limiting costs, keeping the number of statutory positions low and running the organisation more efficiently,” he said.

    While welcoming the new President of the ECOWAS Commission to Abuja, the President pledged the full support of the government of Nigeria in ensuring that his tenure was successful.

    “The task is enormous. The job is not easy, given the many challenges facing the sub-region, ranging from issues of security and that posed by the environment, including the shrinkage of the Lake Chad,’’ he noted.

    He, however, pledged the full commitment of Nigeria to work with other ECOWAS Member Countries toward finding lasting solution to the problems.

    In his remarks, Brou said he was at the Presidential Villa to inform Buhari that he had assumed office at the ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja, and was fully prepared to address priority issues.

    According to him, such issues include the common currency, restructuring of the organisation and the pending issue of new memberships.

    He also presented a special message from the Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara to Buhari and condoled him on the recent death of two members of his family members.

    NAN

  • Technical varsity to run disruptive model

    Technical varsity to run disruptive model

    When pioneer students of the Technical varsity, founded by the Oyo State government, resume next month, they will find they need more than reading their books to make good grades.
    Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Ayobami Salami, said their grades would be determined by the right balance of scores they get in the theoretical and practical aspects of their courses.
    Salami spoke when he led a team from the university to the headquarters of The Nation in Lagos on Thursday, where he was received by the Editorial Board Chairman, Mr Sam Omatseye, and other senior editorial board members.
    The former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) of the Obafemi Awolowo University ( OAU ), Ile-Ife, said courses would be graded on a 60:40 ratio – with theory attracting 60 per cent of score and practical 30 per cent.
    He said students would be taught by both academics and experts on the field (including artisans). While lecturers teach and grade the theoretical aspects, experts with hands-on experience in the field – regardless of their educational qualifications – would teach and grade the practical aspect of the courses.
    Salami said with this system, the university hopes to groom students thoroughly conversant with their subject areas who can fit seamlessly into technical roles required by their programmes of study.
    He said: “If you score 55/60 in theory and score 15/40 in skill that will be 70 which will give you an A in any university but a failure in Technical University because it has not been balanced.  Whether you have A, B, C or D is not a matter of the total mark you scored but the distribution.  So you can score 60 per cent and score B and someone can score 80 per cent and score C depending on the balance of the skill and the theory. That is the way we want to go.  So that by the time the graduate comes out of our university, he is not loaded with the theoretical concepts and principles.  He has the skill to back up the certificate.”
    However that is just one area the university plans to be different from others.
    The Vice-Chancellor said all students of the institution are expected to graduate bilingual as well as get training in two vocations.
    Surrounded by 13 Francophone out of the 18 countries that make up the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Salami said Nigerians have been losing out on international jobs because many professionals cannot speak French.  He said Technical University graduates would be able to claim these juicy international appointments after undergoing the institution’s Language programme, which would include two immersion sessions at the French Language Village in their first two years of study.
    Regarding vocational training, Salami said by their third year, each student would have been certified experts in two vocations with which they could start their own businesses.
    He said the best ideas would also learn to write proposals and get funding to run
    Courses being run by the university which sits on 200 hectares of land along the Ibadan-Lagos expressway are dictated by the needs of the Nigerian economy.  Salami assured that the institution’s aim to remain on the cutting edge of teaching and learning necesitates that its curriculum is designed in collaboration with industry experts, who he said would also be involved in its implementation.
    He said this was a departure from the norm in conventional universities where academics sat to design courses based on what they think society needs.
    When asked about the sustainability of the institution beyond the present political dispensation, Salami said the institution would not depend on the Oyo State government for funding in perpetuity and would charge competitive fees.
    He said: “Oyo State government is starting this university – mid-wifing it – let me say serving as a facilitator.  It is not going to be funding it in the long run.  So there is an exit plan. The plan is that government will midwife it – for now they are paying for everything – but after a while there is a systematic programme that maybe 20 per cent this year; I am just talking hypothetically – from 100-60-20-30 to zero. Overtime, the university will be paying for its own staff while the government will be responsible for just infrastructure.
    “The model is actually a PPP model.  So, let me say that we are going to charge like private universities.  It is government university but with a private sector orientation.  However, in order not to shut out children of the poor, there must be safety nets.  We have created a scholarship basket for which we are approaching government at all levels, corporate organizations, foundations, philanthropists to contribute.”
  • Supreme Court to hear Dasuki’s appeal on bail Jan 25

    Supreme Court to hear Dasuki’s appeal on bail Jan 25

    The Supreme Court has fixed January 25 next year for the hearing of an appeal by former National Security Adviser (NSA) Mohammed Sambo Dasuki.

    Dasuki’s appeal is against an earlier decision by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, dismissing his complaint that his continued detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) after the bail granted him by some courts was unlawful.

    Thursday at the Supreme Court, parties regularised their processes before a five-man panel of the court led by Justice Musa Datijo Mohammed. Joseph Daudu (SAN) led a team of lawyers for the appellant, while Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) led the team for the Federal Government.

    Dasuki, in his brief of argument, stated that on December 29, 2015 at the Kuje Prisons and shortly after perfecting the third bail conditions, the operatives of DSS abducted him to their custody without fresh charges thereby disobeying the court orders on the bail matter.

    He said sometime in 2015 he was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.

    He claimed that based on his applications, he was admitted to bail on various conditions by the Federal High Court to enable him prepare for his defence and that he subsequently met all the bail conditions.

    Dasuki said he was thereafter taken to two High Courts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on separate charges of money laundering, conspiracy and breach of trust. He said upon his application, the two trial judges – Justices Hussein Baba Yusuf and peter Affem – admitted him to bail to enable him prepare for his defence.

    He stated that the Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in a 2016 judgment on his fundamental rights enforcement suit, ordered the Federal Government to effect his release. He said despite the judgment, he was yet to be released.

    He wants the Supreme Court to compel the Federal government to obey the orders for bail granted him by courts. Alternatively, he wants the apex court to stop his trial at both the Federal High Court and High Court of the FCT, pending when the government will allow him to enjoy the bail granted him.

    In a counter argument in its respondent’s brief, the Fed Govt wants the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the decision of the Court of Appeal to the effect that his continued incarceration was not a violation of any pending order for his release.

    It argued that all orders in respect of the bail granted the appellant by the three courts have been obeyed.

  • Buratai mourns Malu

    Buratai mourns Malu

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has commiserated with the family of the Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu, a former chief of army staff, who died on Monday.

    He said in a statement issued by the army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman that he “received with deep shock the sad news of the passing away” of Malu.

    Buratai prayed to God Almighty to grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    The late Malu was said to have died at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday.

    Born on Jan. 15 1947 at Katsina-Ala, Benue of Tiv origin. Malu enrolled in the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna in 1967.

    He was part of the 3rd Regular Course and got commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation in 1970.

    Malu held various positions in his military career, including Commander, the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) peace-keeping force (ECOMOG) from December 1996 to April 1998.

    He was Chief of Army Staff between May 1999 and April 2001.

    During his service, he contributed immensely to the sustenance of democracy, peace and security in the country.

    NAN

  • World Bank, UNDP seek NiMet’s support on climate services

    World Bank, UNDP seek NiMet’s support on climate services

    The World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ) have solicited the support of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NiMet ) in their climate and weather services initiatives in some developing countries.

    A statement by Mrs Theresa Ushie, Assistant General Manager, Public Relations, NiMet, on Tuesday in Abuja said the beneficiary nations in Africa were Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia, and Singapore in Asia.

    Prof. Sani Mashi, Director-General of NiMet said the synergy was in recognition of the agency’s track record in providing quality meteorological services and attainment of ISO 9001:2015 certification of its aeronautical services.

    Mashi disclosed this on Tuesday when he received a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) in Abuja.

    He said that NiMet was mandated to promote the application of meteorological information to address development in accordance with the provisions of the Global Framework for Application of Climate Services (GFCS).

    NiMet boss disclosed that Nigeria had produced a National Framework for the Application of Climate Services ( NFACS ), which according to him, is awaiting presidential approval.

    “NiMet is providing support services to Liberia and Sierra Leone through daily weather forecast services; provides technical support to the ECOWAS Commission; and training of meteorologists in Benin Republic and the Gambia, among others.

    “NiMet is the first, and the only meteorological agency in Africa to receive the International Standards Organisation, ISO 9001:2015 certification for the provision of meteorological services for the aeronautical sector.

    Mashi, however, pledged NiMet’s continuous support for ECOWAS meteorological programmes.

    Earlier, Dr Johnson Boanuh, Director of Environment, ECOWAS Commission, who led the delegation, said they were in NiMet to acquaint themselves and their programmes with the new management.

    Boanuh, while commending NiMet, expressed appreciation for the agency’s support for the ECOWAS commission and the Regional Office for World Meteorological Organisation ( WMO ) in Nigeria.

    He disclosed that the WMO and GFCS Secretariat in Geneva had established an office in Dakar, Senegal to support and facilitate the establishment of NFACS in all ECOWAS member states.

    According to him, part of the programme drawn to facilitate the establishment of the NFACS is geared towards strengthening the capacities of the various National Hydro-Meteorological Services to meet their obligations.

    Boanuh said the body had commenced the needs assessment programme for ECOWAS member states, which according to him, will be executed in phases.