The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ECOWAS

  • Osinbajo congratulates Edwin Clark at 90

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has felicitated with former Federal Commissioner of Information and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, on his 90th birthday, which comes up on May 25.

    Osinbajo, in a statement, joined family members, friends, colleagues and the entire Ijaw nation in commemorating the milestone in the life of the nationalist, whose “life reflects our collective and continuous efforts towards building a great nation’’.

    The statement was issued by the acting President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Osinbajo saluted Clark’s unwavering patriotism and relentless pursuit of the unity of the country, particularly his maturity in speaking for the good of all Nigerians.

    He also commended him for promoting the South-South quest for a new developmental vision and supporting the cause of the poor and vulnerable.

    The acting president extolled the personal sacrifices and diplomatic shuttles of the great Nigerian leader, who worked relentlessly for the birth and sustenance of ECOWAS.

    He assured the nonagenarian that his labour of love for the South-South and the progress of the country would be remembered by many generations to come.

    He prayed that the “almighty God will grant the elder statesman longer life, good health and that as his days are so shall his wisdom, strength and favour be’’.

  • EU plans €140m for Northeast rehabilitation

    EU plans €140m for Northeast rehabilitation

    The European Union plans to contribute €140 million towards the rehabilitation of the Northeast affected by Boko Haram.

    Head of the EU Delegation to ECOWAS and Nigeria, Amb. Michael Arrion said the support is in addition to what the EU already pledged in Oslo in terms of monetary commitments.

    Arrion added that they are aware that 25 LGAs out of 27 need strong support in terms of rehabilitation in Borno state and the EU will contribute to that.

    He made this revelation yesterday in Abuja, when members of the Progressive Alliance of Democrats and Socialists in the European Parliament visited members of the  #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) advocasy in Abuja.

    His words, “I am happy to tell you that very soon we will be in Borno to announce a support recovery and rehabilitation. We will be working with the Borno authorities. I took your message. We know that 25 LGAs out of 27 need strong support in terms of rehabilitation. We will contribute to that, I promise you.

    “We will announce our plans in two weeks’ time. The support is in addition to what we already pledged in Oslo in terms of monetary commitments. In Oslo we pledged €140m in humanitarian response.

    “We are going to announce another package for Borno which is more or less the same amount but this is not for humanitarian assistance but something more long term to address the needs in terms of reconstruction, rehabilitation and recovery. We will implement this package with the state authorities, with Governor Kashim Shettima and the Commissioner for the 3Rs.

    “Of course we cannot be everywhere at the same time but we will work together with other partners, donors and concentrate on a few LGAs. The priority is water, sanitation and electricity. Others will take health and education. We intend to provide electricity to some health centres and rehabilitate some of these centres.”

  • Osinbajo felicitates with Edwin Clarke at 90

    Osinbajo felicitates with Edwin Clarke at 90

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, has felicitated with former Federal Commissioner of Information and elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark on his 90th birthday, billed for May 25th, 2017. 

    Osinbajo, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, joined family members, friends, colleagues and the entire Ijaw nation in commemorating the milestone in the life of the nationalist.

    According to him, Clark’s life reflects the collective and continuous efforts towards building a great nation.

    He also commended Clark’s unwavering patriotism and relentless pursuit of the unity of the country, particularly his maturity in speaking for the good of all Nigerians, promoting the South-South quest for a new developmental vision and supporting the cause of the poor and vulnerable.

    The Acting President extoled the personal sacrifices and diplomatic shuttles of the great Nigerian leader, who worked relentlessly for the birth and sustenance of ECOWAS.

    He assured the nonagenarian that his labour of love for the South-South and the progress of the country will be remembered by many generations to come.

    He prayed that the almighty God will grant the elder statesman longer life, good health and that as his days are so shall his wisdom, strength and favour be.

  • Human trafficking proceeds hit $32b, says ECOWAS chair

    Human trafficking proceeds hit $32b, says ECOWAS chair

    • Liberian leader seeks strict policy implementation

    The proceeds of human trafficking in West Africa has risen to $32billion yearly, Chairman, Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] Permanent Representative and Liberia President, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson has said.

    She warned that unless member states take bold steps to implement policy measures put in place by the body, human trafficking in the sub-region will continue to increase.

    The Liberian leader spoke yesterday in Abuja during  the opening ceremony of the three-day ECOWAS Annual Technical Meeting of Member States Focal Institutions on Counter Trafficking in Persons.

    President Sirleaf Jonhson said: ‘’Despite the progress globally and in our region, trafficking remains a serious human security challenge that defies collective. endeavors, unfortunately, very few members states are hitherto, slow in taking bold actions in implementing  effective policy measures to combat and stem human trafficking.’’

    She further said it is more worrisome to note that in line with United Nations Children’s Fund is a United Nations (UNICEF) current report, it is estimated that the profit generated from human trafficking globally presently stood at $32 billion.

    Represented by the Liberia Ambassador to Nigeria, Prof. Al-Hassan Conteh, the ECOWAS chairperson urged participants to ponder on the critical questions of how member states can work together to domesticate the ECOWAS Plan of Action to win the war against human trafficking as well as how measures must be put in place to restore the lost faith and trust of the youths across the sub-regional countries in stemming a new wave of the menace.

    The Annual Technical Meeting since inauguration in 2007 has served as a useful platform to review and monitor member states implementation of the ECOWAS Plan of Action on Trafficking in Persons. Iit has its objectives of validating the new plan of action on trafficking in persons for 2017-2022, evaluate member states activities on combat of trafficking in persons for year 2015 and capacity building of the fiscal points on counter trafficking measures..

    In her Speech, the Commissioner, Social Affairs and Gender of ECOWAS, Dr. Fatima Dia Sow said this year’s meeting is even more important in view of the process initiated by the body in the past two years for the evaluation of the last plan of action and adoption of a new plan of action.

    ‘’The focal points from the member states in this gathering will be called upon to consider for valuation a new plan of action that builds on the successes of the last and emphasises both the migration linkages with human trafficking and forced labor as well as emerging issues in combating human trafficking,’’she said.

  • ECOWAS urges FG to invest more in agriculture

    ECOWAS urges FG to invest more in agriculture

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged the Federal Government to increase its investment in agriculture to enable Nigeria regain its place in the sector.

    The regional body Principal Programme Officer on Agriculture, Mr. Ernest Aubee, made the call in Abuja on Monday.

    The programme officer said more investment in agriculture would attract and encourage more youths and women into the venture.

    He said technology that would ensure quality seeds, fertiliser, good storage and packaging facilities, good transportation and marketing facilities should also be encouraged.

    Aubee commended the federal government for its “Green Alternative” initiative, saying improved investment in the sector would help to translate the plan into reality.

    He said, “Nigeria has been a leader in agriculture in the past but it went down at some point and oil and gas took over.

    “Nigeria needs more investment in the agriculture sector now. All that is needed is more investment to transform agricultural plans into practical reality.

    “They also need to modernize and mechanise where possible.

    “The government needs to develop the markets; a lot of production is going on but they need to address some value chain issues like storage.

    “For some agricultural commodities like fruits and vegetables, if you do not have proper storage, their shelf life is very short and they get spoilt.”

    NAN

     

     

  • ‘ECOWAS committed to regional trade’

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has restated its commitment to the economic integration of the member-states by improving regional trade.

    Its President, Marcel De Souza, gave the assurance that the ECOWAS Task Force on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) would be strenghtened.

    At one of the strategic sessions, held in Abuja, chairman of the Task Force and former Niger Republic ruler Salou Djibo handed over a report of the progress and challenges encountered by the ETLS as observed in several member-states already visited by the Task Force.

    The Task Force, he said, had visited seven ECOWAS member- states, including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and observed similar challenges in all states, though with a few peculiar issues observed in some specific countries.

    One of such challenges is the inadequate awareness of the provisions of the ETLS among stakeholders and community citizens.

    “It is important to also familiarise the members of the judiciary and legal sectors in the region on the provisions of the ETLS in order to effectively settle disputes which may arise at the national level,” he said.

    The chairman of the ETLS Task Force stated that border crossing in the region also continues to be an impediment to the realisation of trade and economic integration in the region. This, he said, was due to the harassment of commuters and pedestrians at borders.

  • Nigeria condemns Cote d’Ivoire mutiny

    Nigeria condemns Cote d’Ivoire mutiny

    The Federal Government of Nigeria on Wednesday condemned the recent developments in Cote d’Ivoire where a small fraction of the country’s armed forces tried to cause unrest in the cocoa rich West African nation.

    A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Acting President, Laolu Akande, said Nigeria expressed strong and unflinching support for the Government of President Alhassan Ouattara and welcomed ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis.

    The federal government also urged the parties in the crisis to exercise maximum restraint, remain calm and continue with dialogue and negotiations with the Government of President Ouattara.

    It urged the mutineers to return to their barracks and refrain from any action capable of undermining the peace, security and democracy in the country.

    The federal government further urged the people of Cote d’Ivoire to remain steadfast in their support for the government and refrain from giving support to the mutineers in the overall interest of peace, tranquillity, good order and prosperity of the country.

    The statement also disclosed that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is currently discussing with the Ivorien President and the President of Liberia, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who is also the current ECOWAS Chairperson, to seek ways towards a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

    “In a series of conversations with both Presidents since Monday, May 15, Prof. Osinbajo expressed Nigeria’s support for the government and people of Cote d’Ivoire, and also for the sustenance of peace, security and democracy in the country.

    “The acting President also noted the readiness of the federal government to work with ECOWAS and West African leaders to pursue a quick resolution of the situation,” the statement added.

  • ECOWAS advices against substandard agric produce

    ECOWAS advices against substandard agric produce

    Mr Ernest Aubee, the ECOWAS Principal Programme Officer, Agriculture, has advised against the smuggling and importation of substandard agricultural produce into member states.

    Aubee told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, that the development was totally `unacceptable.’’

    Aubee was reacting to complaints by seafood dealers on the activities of fish smugglers hiding under the guise of the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of people, goods and services.

    “No one should trade in commodities that are going to be detrimental to a fellow member state.

    “You cannot take something that is sub-standard or something that is bad and move it from country A to country B to make money.

    “It is unacceptable for anybody to try to dump substandard food in any ECOWAs member states.

    “It is also unacceptable if you decide to violate not just the regional but also the national laws of a country when it comes to food quality, food safety issues.

    “My appeal to all business people in fisheries or in other agricultural commodities is to respect the regulations, the protocols on free movement of peoples, goods and services.

    “Also respect other protocols dealing with the marketing products from one place to another,’’ he said.

    According to him, the protocol on free movement of people, goods and services does not promote illegality among member countries.

    Aubee commended the Agricultural Promotion Policy of the Federal Government known as the Green Alternative.

    He said the policy was building on the successes of previous agricultural policies aimed at improving the sector.

    The official also lauded the efforts of the government in rice production, saying it would guarantee export to other ECOWAS member states.

    NAN recalled that the Association of Indigenous Sea Food Stakeholders led by its National Chairman, Mr Lamina Rasheed, had complained about the continuous smuggling of fish through the land borders.

    Following this complain, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, set up a task force to clamp down on offenders.

    The minister also announced a fine of 250,000 dollar or five years’ imprisonment or both as punishment for offenders, in addition to the forfeiture and destruction of the product.

     

  • Eradicating Statelessness: UNHCR Rep lauds ECOWAS as global pacesetter

    Mrs Liz Ahua, the Regional Representative, UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), has described ECOWAS as a global pacesetter for its progress towards eradicating statelessness in the West Africa sub-region.

    Ahua said on Sunday in Banjul at the opening of a three-day ministerial meeting on the adoption of the Regional Plan of Action to Eradicate Statelessness in West Africa.

    She noted that since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration in February 2015, ECOWAS member states had made significant commitments and progress which could not be over-emphasised in the drive to combat statelessness in sub-region.

    “The progress made since Abidjan has been significant and it is without hesitation that I can say this region is setting an example, not only for the continent, but for the world.

    “Three member states have newly acceded to the 1954 and 1961 international statelessness conventions; 12 member states have developed National Action Plans to end Statelessnes.

    “Three officially adopted the declaration, including one at presidential level.

    “Reforms of national legislation are under way in seven countries.’’

    Ahua said that notwithstanding the progress and success made so far, a lot more needed to be done to achieve the UN global target of eradicating statelessness by 2024.

    According to her, statistics have shown that while over one million persons are stateless in West Africa, 60 million people lack documentation proving their identity or nationality.

    Statelessness, she explained, had considerable cost in terms of human rights, security, socio-economic development, marginalization of communities and their exclusion from mainstream society.

    She said it was in consideration of these costs that the UNHCR and ECOWAS earlier organised a meeting of stakeholders and experts to work together on the next critical step in the fight to eradicate statelessness in West Africa.

    Also speaking, Dr Fatimata Dia Sow, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, said that eradicating Statelessness was in tandem with one of the ECOWAS visions to foster regional integration.

    Dia Sow said that since the Adoption of the Abidjan Declaration, ECOWAS, with the support of UNHCR, had focused on addressing the root causes of statelessness and had defined the way forward toward eradicating it.

    She noted that millions of stateless persons across the world had been denied their fundamental human rights for several reasons, including gaps in nationality laws, administrative practices and unwritten discriminatory laws.

    “Today, we are here to take concrete actions against these wrongs by validating this Regional Plan of action in order to achieve the target of the declaration in eradicating statelessness by 2024.

    “The Regional Plan of Action for Validation entails six strategic support measures that ECOWAS and UNHCR can provide to member states.

    “It Includes measures that ECOWAS will adopt to follow up on the commitments made by member states in the Abidjan Declaration and it spells out mechanisms for monitoring and implementation,’’ she said.

    In his remark, Mr Mai Fatty, the Gambian Minister of Interior, noted that statelessness is a collective problem in West Africa that required collective commitments and solution from member states.

    Fatty said that the government of the Gambia was resolutely engaged in the fight against statelessness in the country and had adopted a National Action Plan to end the problem.

    According to him, a West Africa without statelessness, will be stronger and more stable.

  • Reps to investigate 20 percent tax on imported medicines

    Reps to investigate 20 percent tax on imported medicines

    The House of Representatives is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the imposition of 20 percent tariff on a number of imported medicines.

    The lawmakers said the new tax regime is capable of making health care services inaccessible and out of the reach of the greater majority of Nigerians.

    The House has subsequently mandated it’s Committee on Healthcare Institutions and Services to investigate the issue.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Onwubuariri Obinna Kingsley (PDP, Imo), who noted that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has communicated the approval of the President of an Import Adjustment Tax list wherein 20 percent tax was imposed on medicines such as paracetamol tablets and syrup, chloroquine tablets and syrup, imported into the country.

    “We however know that until this Import Adjustment List, Nigeria had a zero percent  duty on imported drugs as a result of the recommendation of an Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee on Health that member states impose zero percent duty on imported drugs, given that the healthcare needs of the region cannot be adequately addressed by local manufacturing.

    “It is of great concern that the situation that necessitated the ECOWAS recommendation prior to 2013 has not abated, instead it has exacerbated.

    “We should be worried that the reintroduction of duty and imposition of a whopping 20 percent tax on imported medicines will aggravate the already deplorable condition of the nation’s healthcare delivery system and could lead to high death rates,” he said.

    The motion was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote, while the Committee was given two weeks to carry out the investigation and report back to the House for further legislative action.