The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ECOWAS

  • FAO to address livestock development challenges in Nigeria

    FAO to address livestock development challenges in Nigeria

    Mr Suffyan Koroma, Food and Agriculture Organisation Country Representative to Nigeria, has said that the organisation will organise a livestock development conference in August to address challenges in the sector.

    Koroma made the disclosure when he presented his letter of commission to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He said the conference was part of the organisation’s support to improve the utilisation of grazing reserves in the country.

    “Our support to improve the utilisation of grazing reserves and stock routes to mitigate conflicts and promote commercialised stock production has led to calls for a national conference on livestock development.

    “The conference is expected to come up with comprehensive recommendations to address all issues associated with grazing reserves and livestock production; this will happen sometime this month.

    “We are also looking at developing a national dialogue for the livestock policy development,” he said.

    Koroma further said that the activities of the FAO to respond to the crisis in the northeast was “fully aligned” with the intervention initiative of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

    He added that FAO supported Nigeria’s economic growth plan and agricultural promotion policy aimed at reducing food and agricultural imports and boosting exports.

    “The strong confidence my UN colleagues have in my technical and leadership ability led to revised implementation modalities of the UN sustainable development framework for Nigeria.

    “It also put FAO as the lead agency for the diversified economic growth outcome area which is a key aspiration for Nigeria within the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.”

    In his response, the foreign affairs minister commended the FAO’s response to the crisis in the northeast.

    He said that the resumption of the new country representative would contribute to “more holistic approach to putting agriculture front and centre of our development goals”.

    Onyeama also commended the organisation’s initiative to organise a livestock development conference adding that the transhumance crisis needed to be addressed sub-regionally.

    “This has led to conflict and security issues and it is one of the items we also want to place on the sub-regional agenda of ECOWAS because it is not just a national issue.

    “The transhumance aspect of it is significant and we have to adopt a sub-regional approach to addressing that issue; the national conference to address that will be important,” he said.

  • Osinbajo tasks ECOWAS on free movement, regional security

    Osinbajo tasks ECOWAS on free movement, regional security

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure free movement of its citizens while strengthening regional security.

    The acting President made the call at the ECOWAS Heads of Immigration meeting‎ in Abuja.

    The meeting was designed to foster regional collaboration and migration management.

    Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, also called for more effective and proactive migration management system in the sub-region.

    “We have to find a sub-regional mechanism to solving insecurity challenges and irregular migration in‎ ECOWAS,” he said.

    He said that despite the need for‎ free movement of persons within the sub-region, concerted efforts must be put in place to address the attendant security challenges such as human trafficking and terrorism.

    He charged immigration and security agencies within member states to develop a robust security gathering and sharing mechanism to address irregular migration and security challenges in the region.

    The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau  (retd), said all hands should be on deck to address the perennial challenge of irregular migration in the region.

    “This meeting will help to strengthen cooperation amongst member states in the implementation of ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons in the light of the prevailing security challenges within the region,” Dambazau said.

    NAN

     

     

  • AU, UN, ECOWAS back govt

    The the United Nations (UN),  the African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the weekend “unequivocally condemned and deplored” the Boko Haram terrorists ambush in Maiduguri on July 25 against a convoy of Personnel of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) accompanied by geologists, under military escort. Different sources revealed that around 50 persons were killed during the attack.

    In a joint statement, the international agencies reaffirmed “their support to the people and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in their implacable struggle against terrorism.

    “The AU, UN, and ECOWAS reiterate their support to all ECOWAS states to fight against terrorism, by encouraging them to implement the ECOWAS counter-terrorism strategy aimed at eradicating this menace in the region.

    “The AU, UN, and ECOWAS sincerely wish the injured a swift recovery and express their deepest condolences to the victims and their families, as well as to the people and Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

  • Stop abusing ECOWAS protocol, agents told

    Importers and clearing agents at the land borders have been urged to stop abusing the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to boost revenue and facilitate trade.

    Speaking with The Nation at Seme border, World Cargo Investment, Managing Director,Adesope Aderoju said ETLS was introduced by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to facilitate the integration of trade and commerce among member- states.

    Aderoju said the scheme was set up to eliminate barriers and promote free trade.

    ETLS, he said, allowed goods manufactured in member-states to move freely without payment of import/export duties within the region.

    “The scheme has been subjected to unbridled abuse, especially by some unscrupulous importers and Asian businessmen. These unscrupulous people bring in goods from China and other Asian countries, ship them into the sub-region and land such goods in ports of neighbouring countries such as Benin Republic, Ivory Coast, Ghana and even lately Liberia. They subsequently change the labels on these goods and smuggle them through the land borders into the country.”

    A source said the implications of this act are grave.Apart from the loss of huge government revenue, goods that find their way into the market in this manner gain unfair competitive price advantage over locally made products.

    Apart from the abuse of the ETLS, which is mostly perpetrated through the land borders, many importers also disregard the country’s import policy. They bring in various goods, including those banned by the government through seaports.

  • Nigeria to benefit from the 50m euros EU fish fund – EU official

    Nigeria and other ECOWAS countries will benefit from the 50 million-euro European Union (EU) fund set up to ensure sustainable fisheries development and marine security, an EU official says.

    Mrs Stefania Marrone, Head of Regional Cooperation Section in the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Marrone spoke on the sidelines of the meeting on “Regional Policy Process for the Development of ECOWAS Fisheries and Aquaculture Regional Policy and Strategy Frame Work of ECOWAP’’.

    She said that the programme would be implemented in various West African countries within a six-year period.

    The EU official said that the funding arrangement would strengthen governance and management of fisheries in the ECOWAS region.

    She said that it would also improve the handling of landed catch in major ports and other selected sites to reduce post-harvest wastage and increase fishermen’s earnings.

    She said that the programme, being financed by the EU Development Fund, was approved in June in Brussels.

    Marrone said that the establishment of fishery development programmes became imperative because of the recognition that the sector was one of the most globalised and dynamic industries in the world that required adequate protection.

    She also noted that fish farming had grown rapidly in the West African sub-region, saying that pragmatic efforts should, therefore, be made to boost its development, while giving substantial assistance to fish farmers in various aspects of the industry.

    Marrone, however, underscored the need for ECOWAS countries to stamp out illegal fishing by foreign commercial vessels, while building up national fleets and processing industries.

    She said that if the countries were able to do that, they would be in a position to generate billions of dollars as revenue and create jobs to ensure social and economic security.

  • Nigeria optimistic for seat at UN Human Rights Commission

    Nigeria optimistic for seat at UN Human Rights Commission

    Nigeria says it is optimistic of clinching a seat in the UN High Commission for Human Rights.

    Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, who disclosed this to newsmen on the sidelines of the 31st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the 29th AU Summit in Addis Asaba, said the country also had the backing of the AU.

    Speaking on the highlights of the Executive council meeting, he said; “we hope to get a seat in the UN High Commission for Human Rights; we do have the AU’s support.’’

    The Minister, who also spoke of the country’s chances of occupying positions in other global institutions, said that Nigeria’s chance was very bright.

    “For ECOWAS, we are hopeful of getting the positions that we want and for the United Nations (UN), we are pushing for a candidate in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

    “Though, there is a Zimbabwean candidate who is also going for the same position, we are trying to find a workable way forward on that because we want AU to support a candidate.

    “It can sometimes be tricky, but the process is ongoing.”

    Onyeama, who spoke further on the highlights of the meeting, said that the AU Committee on ECOWAS on Statutory Positions will on Sunday take decisions on allocations to member states.

    “We took part in the meeting and indicated interests in some of the positions that we feel would be of best interest to Nigeria.

    He said that the meeting also discussed the reforms of ECOWAS and various options regarding going forward on the reforms.

    “These past two years, a team was put in place and that team it was understood, will come in for two years and completely reform the organisation and then leave.

    “So, we have to implement that reform and then allocate positions for the new ECOWAS that would emerge after these two years transition period dedicated to reforming the organisation,’’ the minister said.

    On Nigeria’s assumption of the post of Chairman of AU Peace and Security Council, Onyeama said the country would push for peace in all the conflict areas in Africa.

    He said Nigeria would also be looking at the issue of rapid deployment of Africa Standby Force (ASF) to conflict areas and robust engagement in the conflict zones.

    ASF is an international, continental African, and multidisciplinary peacekeeping force with military, police and civilian contingents that acts under the direction of the African Union (AU).

    The ASF is to be deployed in times of crisis in Africa.

  • Obasanjo calls for common currency in ECOWAS

    Obasanjo calls for common currency in ECOWAS

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday called on leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to agree on common currency to boost the regional trade.

    Obasanjo made call at the ongoing 24th Annual General Meeting of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Kigali, Rwanda.

    He spoke on: “Can Regional Economic Communities Work for Africa: Lessons from a Founding Father.”

    He said the issue of common currency was getting delayed because the regional leaders had put forward “ECO” as a name for the currency but wondered why it had not been adopted.

    According to him, the currency is required to move the current level of regional trade from 25 per cent to more than 50 per cent.

    He said the various currency zones like the Naira zone and the Cedi zone, among others should not be allowed to mitigate the flow of trade within the region.

    He blamed too many internal conflicts and changes in policies, among others, as some of the challenges facing the region.

    Obasanjo, however, lauded ECOWAS countries for their ability to resolve the issues on their own, adding that ECOWAS on its own had resolved conflicts in Liberia, Sierria Leone and The Gambia.

    He said in the case of Gambia, ECOWAS leaders agreed that a military option should be adopted but without firing a bullet.

    “I was sure the ousted president Yahya Jammeh will leave but when he started delaying ECOWAS leaders met. It was agreed a military option should be adopted.

    “The tactics worked and when the countries leaders were saying the ousted president Yahya Jammeh had left the country with huge sums of money. I told them to allow him go with the money so far he allows the country to remain in peace,” he said.

    He said the region had been most democratic region going by free and fair elections conducted in the countries.

    NAN

  • UNIDO advises FG to industrialise economy

    UNIDO advises FG to industrialise economy

    The United Nation Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) says Nigeria may not continue to be the leading Africa economy except it is industrialised.

    Mr Jean Bakole, the UNIDO Representative to ECOWAS and Regional Director, Nigeria Regional Office made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    “It is a must for the Nigerian government to do everything to industrialise the country to boost its position as the leading economy in Africa,’’ Bakole.

    He said that countries that had achieved giant strides today were the industrialised ones, adding that industrialisation would help Nigeria to achieve its set goal of Economic Recovery and Growth Plan by 2020.

    He said that Nigeria could achieve this through support and dedication, adding that UNIDO had set industrialisation as one of its priority areas to assist the Nigerian government.

    On mining, he said the country had discovered more than 40 mineral resources in the sector that had been abandoned due to over dependence on oil.

    He said that the sector had the potential to create wealth, employment and economic growth for the country.

    Bakole said that UNIDO would support the sector in its quest to address artisanal and small scale mining activities that had polluted the underground water and environment.

    “Artisanal and small scale mining are the largest sources causing 37 per cent anthropogenic emissions of mercury into the environment.

    “Artisanal miners using pollutant and heavy toxic metal like mercury do not only cause or release hazardous chemical but also contaminate underground water,’’ he said.

    He said that improper closure of mining sites had degraded and devastated the environment, had also become death traps to human and animals.

    UNIDO has reaffirmed its commitment toward working closely with the ministry to implement its mandate at the state, federal level as well as with all partners engaged in the sector.

  • Cooperation among West Africa police ensured Evans’ arrest – Idris

    Cooperation among West Africa police ensured Evans’ arrest – Idris

    The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has attributed the arrest of Chukwujeme Onwamadike, the suspected kidnapper popularly known as Evans, to information sharing and intelligence cooperation among police services in West Africa.

    “Information sharing is crucial to tackling the menace of trans-border crimes in West Africa; it is through such exchange that we were able to nab a Ghanaian/Nigerian kidnapper two weeks ago, after evading arrest for many years,” Idris said on Wednesday.

    Idris spoke in Accra, Ghana in a paper titled: “The role of Nigeria Police in national security and its contributions in West Africa”, delivered at an ongoing West Africa international security conference.

    The paper was sent, via email, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.

    “For several years, Evans terrorised Nigerians and nationals of many countries across West Africa. Efforts to apprehend him did not yield the desired results until we spread our search net wider”, he said.

    The police chief, who solicited closer ties among security agencies in the sub-region, emphasised the need to improve the method of monitoring and surveillance, particularly among border and coastal police units.

    Idris called for improved communication capabilities among intelligence gathering outfits in West Africa, and called for mutual support to plug loopholes usually exploited by criminals.

    He said that the Nigeria Police Force had 300,000 personnel in 127 area commands and 5303 divisions, adding that the force had consistently contributed to stability and peace in ECOWAS nations and under UN mandates.

    “The Nigeria Police Force trained 250 Liberian Police personnel in 2005 and has consistently offered training slots to police officers from Gambia and Sierra Leone at the Police Staff College, Jos and the Police Academy, Wudil.

    “We also trained 100 police officers from the Republic of Niger on mobile police combat in 1998. At the end of the training, Nigeria donated trucks, riot equipment and tear smoke to the Nigerien government,” he said.

    Idris said that the Nigeria Police Force also helped to stabilise Guinea Bissau in 2012, when the military intervened in its leadership and truncated democracy.

    “Our police personnel remained there until democracy was restored in 2014,” he stated.

    The IGP expressed Nigeria’s readiness to consistently cooperate with police formations in other countries to track down criminals, pointing out that such mutual cooperation had become even more necessary as technology had reduced the world to a small village.

  • Fulani, Herdsmen crisis: Struggle for natural resources – Association

    Fulani, Herdsmen crisis: Struggle for natural resources – Association

    • Kicks against Benue anti-open grazing law
    • Calls for establishment of grazing reserve commission 
    Cattle breeders association under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore on Tuesday kicked against anti-open grazing legislation enacted by the Benue State government.
    The group argued that they were original inhabitants of Benue valley in the State, thus the lingering crisis was a struggle for the state’s natural resources.
    The National Secretary, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Engr. Saleh Alhassan said during a world press conference in Abuja that it was inappropriate to treat members of the association as outcasts, adding that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol even allows the Fulani community free movement into and across the country.
    The Benue State Governor, Samuel Otom recently passed the anti-open rearing and grazing bill into law.
    Alhassan said: “We are ever ready. We are peaceful people. What we don’t accept is for people not to welcome us and want to annihilate us. We will not accept that.
    We know our history. We know our root. If you see us in the bushes, don’t think we don’t have our history and particularly in the Benue. We are challenging the Tiv people. We were there in the Benue valley before them…before they moved from Congo and settled in Cross River and later moved to the Benue valley. So they met the pastoralist there. This is a struggle for natural resources. You cannot beat us and say we should not cry, No. Even God will not be happy with that.
    However, he said the nation should acknowledge the existence of pastoral farmers and provide grazing reserves to develop new breed of cattle and embrace modern technology.
    “The Nigerian state must recognise that the Fulani pastoralist exists and as a socio-cultural group that has a right to the shared resources. We must be allocated land to do our cattle grazing, which systematically we can settle our families, change the breed of cattle they need and improve on the technology of cattle rearing,” he added.
    Speaking on ways to end the communal clashes, he stressed that the association was partnering on experimental ranching and nomadism with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as part of gestures to provide lasting solution to the crisis.
    In his remark, President of the socio-cultural association, Alh. Abdullahi Bello, described the enactment as wicked, obnoxious and repressive.
    He said it was wicked to criminalise their means of survival and freedoms.
    However, Bello urged the National Assembly to intervene on the issue, stressing that inter-state movement of pastoralists is synonymous to inter-state commerce.
    Our association view the current attempt by the Benue State government to criminalise our means of economic livelihood of cattle rearing through the enactment of an obnoxious anti-open grazing law as the most wicked act any government can do to us and our economic interest.
    “We want to state here that we reject that repressive and oppressive law and will deploy all the necessary legal means as enshrined in the constitution to challenge it,” he added.
    The association vowed to mobilise herdsmen in the country to resist the law as it was a deliberate attempt to enslave their members,”through this wicked legislation ever contemplated in the history of our nation.”