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ECOWAS Commission says maritime security war in West Africa is almost won – Brou

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

The President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Jean-Claude Brou has said the war against maritime insecurity in the West African sub-region was being won.

Brou who said the attestation to this was the removal of Nigeria from the piracy list hotspot, noted that strategies were in place to equally win the war on terrorism

Brou said this while delivering reports of the ECOWAS Commission before the ECOWAS Parliament during the ongoing 2022 First Ordinary Session of the Parliament in Abuja.

He also argued that the victory against maritime insecurity could also be seen with the decreasing rate of attack in the Gulf of Guinea following actions by member countries.

He said, “A year ago, I told you that the maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea was extremely disturbing and globally we were the zone having the largest number of maritime piracy attacks.

“Actions have been carried by the countries individually but also at the level of regional coordination.”

He noted that the situation had reduced slightly to the point that Nigeria has come out of the list of countries having a high level of maritime piracy.

“We will continue to work at regional level with the inauguration of our regional coordination centres for maritime security that has been set up in the various zones,” he said.

He said all together they were working actively particularly in zone F in Cape Verde.

Patoma Admin by — June 18, 2022 in Foreign 0
ECOWAS extends launch of single currency, ‘ECO’ to 2027

By Favour Nnabugwu
President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Brou, has said the community will launch the ECOWAS single currency “ECO” in 2027.
It will be reclled that the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of States and Government in June 2019 resolved to have a single currency and adopted the name “ECO” during its Extraordinary Session in Abuja.
Brou while delivering reports of the ECOWAS Commission before the ECOWAS Parliament during the ongoing 2022 First Ordinary Session of the Parliament in Abuja.
“And so, 2027 we go back to the currency. The process of the performance criteria is always prioritised if we want to be in a very favorable condition to introduce the single currency.
Brou said that the process of launching the single currency was stalled following the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic from 2020, as countries needed to focus on handling the pandemic.
He said that the convergence criteria had to be thorough so that the currency once implemented will serve the citizens effectively.
“We had to suspend that in 2022, 2021. We are looking at 2022 to 2026 to be able to create conditions that will enable us to stabilise the economies.
“Because you can introduce the currency but what is required is that it should be of quality.
“In other words, it should serve the needs of the population and also should inspire confidence and trust in in the population.
“So that is the main objective, to ensure that the convergence criteria is been followed,” Brou said.
Member of the ECOWAS Parliament and Nigerian lawmaker representing Andoni-Opobi/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers Awaji Abiante, said that the delay in the launch of the currency is to avoid any form of crisis.
Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the session, Abiante said that the single currency is work in progress and there is hope that sometimes it will work.
“Every good thing comes with its challenges so getting the economies of the 15 member states to agree on that transaction and how it can be moved forward.
“If it is hurried, definitely it could run into crisis so it is good to have every aspect of it discussed, agreement reached, such that it will be implementable,” Abiante said.
On the sustainability and benefits of the currency, Abiante said that until it is implemented, one cannot say how viable it would be.
“Whatever anybody says, it is just going to be mere projections, it is only when it is implemented that you will see the benefits.
“But simply put, it will ease transactions, it will open up the economies, it will make it free for people to engage in both commercial and industrial activities,” he said.
Patoma Admin by — June 16, 2022 in Foreign 0
Nigeria remits $74.7m levy to ECOWAS Commission for 2021

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

 

Nigeria’s Delegation of Parliamentarians to the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has paid &74.7million as levy to the ECOWAS Commission.

The Community Levy is 0.5 percent, imposed on goods from non-ECOWAS member states. a mechanism put in place by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government since 2003 with the intention to mobilize funds necessary for the accomplishment of ECOWAS missions

Presenting the Report on behalf of the Nigerian Delegation, at the ongoing First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, Honourable Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu in Abuja said the Nigerian Government is preparing to pay the 2022 levy.

“In 2021, Nigeria remitted a total sum of US$74,730,054.43 to the ECOWAS Commission”

“In line with Nigeria’s commitment to fulfilling her financial obligation to ECOWAS, the Federal Government is assiduously making arrangements to pay up the contribution for 2022,” she assured.

Speaking on the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods, the Nigerian Parliamentarian explained that Nigeria has constantly shown and will always show initiative in the implementation of ECOWAS Texts on the Protocol in Free Movement of Persons and Goods.

“In furtherance of this shared vision of an economically advanced region, the Federal government of Nigeria has reopened four (4) additional land borders of the country to ease regional trade.

“This is shown by her active involvement and support for the Lagos-Abidjan highway, that is projected to bring exponential socio-economic development to countries within the region,”

“Additionally, as a giant in the sub-region, the Nigerian Government continues to maintain her enduring commitment to the development of the region.

Patoma Admin by — June 15, 2022 in Foreign 0

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

 

T,he Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspend its sitting to mark the 32nd Anniversary of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election in Nigeria.

The Fifth Legislature of the 2022 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament is underway in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city and runs until the 2nd of July, 2022.

However, according to the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Ahmed Idris Wase, the Community Parliament would be observing the public holiday on Monday, 13th June to commemorate the Democracy Day in honour of the late presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 election, Moshood Abiola.

Wase, the Deputy Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives disclosed this on Saturday at the ongoing 2022 Parliamentary Session in Abuja.

He expressed the well wishes of the ECOWAS Parliament to the Government and good people of Nigeria as the nation celebrates the historic event.

In view of the foregoing, sitting at the Parliamentary Session resumes on Tuesday, June 14 with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou expected to make apresentation.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government unveiled activities lined up for the celebration of this year’s Democracy Day (June 12), even as it declared Monday, June 13, a public holiday.

In compliance with the presidential directive, activities lined up for the celebration include a public lecture at the National Mosque, held on Friday, June 10, 2022, by 9:00 a.m. and Jumat prayers on the same date and at the same venue.

This will be followed by a Presidential broadcast on Sunday, June 12, by 7:00 a.m., and a church service at the National Christian Centre at 3:00 p.m.

Monday, June 13, will feature a Ceremonial Parade, which begins at 9:00 a.m., at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

 

Patoma Admin by — June 13, 2022 in Foreign 0
CSOs launch coalition for whistleblowing in ECOWAS-member nations

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

 

A number of civil society organisations (CSOs) have formed a coalition to promote whistleblowing within ECOWAS-member nations aimed at combating corruption and achieving transparency and good governance.

The coalition—Whistleblowing Advocacy Coalition of West Africa (WACOWA)—was formed following a meeting organised by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) and civil society partners.

The consultative meeting was an exploratory discussion with the ECOWAS commission and the Network of Anti-corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) on improving the fight against corruption in West Africa.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the CSOs said the coalition will complement the ECOWAS commission’s efforts in promoting whistleblowing as an accountability tool in member states.

It will collate reported cases to aid the work of anti-corruption agencies, seek new partners that will participate in the objectives of the advocacy and create solutions that will serve the needs of the communities,” the statement reads.

“Corruption has been one of the major challenges facing West African states since independence, and its pervasiveness in the subregion makes it seem intractable. Among the many damaging impacts of corruption over the decades are mass poverty, high-level unemployment, disregard for law and order, lack of trust in government and rising political instability resulting in the destruction of lives and property.

“Although most ECOWAS member states have passed anti-corruption laws, ratified international conventions against corruption and established special national anti-corruption institutions, a few others have yet to do so. Still, despite these efforts, tackling corruption in the region has not yielded the desired result

The integrity of government and level of corruption are rated more poorly in West and East Africa than in other regions on the continent, as pointed out by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in one of its reports issued in 2005. Even Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has over the years expressed similar sentiments by indicating that ECOWAS countries have excessively higher levels of corruption than countries in other regions.

“A key feature in the ECOWAS Commission’s protocol to combat corruption in the region is the ECOWAS Whistleblower Protection Strategy.The Commission identifies whistleblowing as one of the most direct methods of exposing corrupt acts which have the capacity to foster transparency and accountability in both the public and private sector administration. 

The key objective of this strategy is to encourage member states to pass whistleblowing legislations that are safe for making disclosure of wrongdoing and ensuring protection against retaliation because of such disclosure.”

The CSOs said they will promote whistleblowing as a conscious and required citizen action aimed at decreasing corruption and promoting development in their communities.

Signatories to the statement include African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Civic Media Lab, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Human and Environment Development Agenda (HEDA), MILID Foundation, OrderPaper.ng and Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development (PRIMORG).

Others are Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)
Tap iNitiative, Transparency International (TI) – Nigeria, and 21st Century Community for Youth Empowerment and Women Initiative

Patoma Admin by — June 13, 2022 in Foreign 0
Nigeria woman in California returned $36,000 found in Sofa to owner

By admin

 

Vicky Umodu, a Nigerian woman who lives in San Bernardino California has shown an exemplary display of honesty after she returned (36,000) N14.9m she found in a sofa.

The honest Nigerian woman was said to have moved into a new home in California and was checking on Craigslists for new furniture to buy.

How it happened

The honest Nigerian woman was said to have moved into a new home in California and was checking on Craigslists for new furniture to buy.

She found out that there is a family who wants to give out furniture belonging to a late relative.

She picked up the chairs and had them delivered to her new home. When the chairs arrived, she was checking them out when she found a huge sum stashed in one of them.

Umodu said:

“I just moved in, and I don’t have anything in my house. I was so excited, so we picked it up and brought it in.

‘I was just telling my son, “Come, come, come!” I was screaming, “This is money! I need to call the guy!”’

She returns the money

They made contacts with the kind family that gave them the chairs and had the money returned. She said:

‘God has been kind to me and my children. They’re all alive and well. I have three beautiful grandchildren, so what can I ever ask from God?’

After returning the money, she got the sum of N900,000 in return for her honesty.

When Umodu spotted a Craigslist post advertising free furniture, she said, she felt as though she’d won a jackpot.

Then she learned that she’d actually taken home a jackpot.

It was May 18, and she and her son, Oly Umodu, 29, had collected the free furniture and moved the pieces into their living room. Vicky Umodu said she felt something unusual as she was placing the upholstered cushion on an oversize, cream-colored armchair.

The money stucked in envelopes

 

The seat cushion seemed off.
She thought perhaps there was a heating pad inside, so she unzipped the cushion, stuck her hand in and felt around.

“It wasn’t a heating pad, but I could feel there was a bunch of paper,” she said. “When I pulled it out, I was shocked.”

“I was happy to help Vicky and put the furniture and other items to good use,” he said. “When she called me about the Craigslist ad, she told me she had nothing and needed everything that I was posting.”

“My heart went out to her, but you also wonder if somebody is going to turn around and sell everything for a profit,” he said.

When he drove to Umodu’s house and saw there was nothing inside except the furniture she’d picked up at his uncle’s house, it was a validation of her honesty, he said.

“I was appreciative that they truly needed everything they’d taken,” he added.

Patoma Admin by — June 12, 2022 in Metro 0
ECOWAS PARLIAMENT concerns about 2023 elections in Nigeria, Liberia, S/Leone

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

 

The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Y Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis has expressed the need of finding the best possible ways of ensuring  peaceful electoral process in Nigeria, Liberia  and  Sierra Leone.in 2023

He made the call in Abuja at the commencement of the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in 2022.
Hon. Tunis: “May I remind us that next year will be very pivotal for democracy across the region? With elections scheduled to hold in three Member States; the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone, our role in ensuring that the democratic processes are conducted in a way that guarantees the best possible outcomes cannot be overemphasized.

“In coordination with the ECOWAS Commission, we must begin our engagements long before polling day to ensure successes in all three Member States.”

He also said, despite the gains made by the ECOWAS states, terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry continue to cause major setbacks for security in the region. In Burkina Faso, Mali and the Federal Republic of Nigeria the situation has worsened.

“We condemn the recent attack on the Kaduna International Airport and the Abuja-Kaduna train that led to the loss of innocent lives and injuring too many others; the gruesome attack at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ondo State that led to the killing of many, and many others unfortunate deaths across the region,” he lamented
He further stressed the need for regional cooperation and integration which he said is beneficial to the survival of the ECOWAS Community.

To leverage the vast benefits of multilateralism and parliamentary diplomacy, I represented the Parliament at several regional meetings including the Parliamentary Summit on Regional and Provincial Unions of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean and the 144th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

“These engagements demonstrated our full commitment to Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation and support our determination to bring much-needed visibility to this Parliament.”

On the Supply of vaccines to Africa, especially COVID-19, he said the continent still has a proportionately low number of fully vaccinated individuals against COVID-19. “Challenges ranging from the supply and delivery of vaccines to the shortage of medical staff, vaccine hesitancy and low health systems capacity, impede the Continent’s ability to tackle not only the current health crisis but future ones as well.”

One of the key highlights of this First Ordinary Session was the presentation of the State of the Community report by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency, Jean Claude Kassi Brou.

It was done in accordance with Article 32 of the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of Parliament, which stipulates that: “At each ordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament, the President of the Commission shall present a general report on the state of implementation of the Community’s work program”.

The presentation by the President of the Commission provides an opportunity for Members of Parliament, as representatives of the people, to track and oversight the implementation of community programs.

Also on the agenda of the session are Parliamentary workshops where public, private and the organized Civil Society are expected to share their concerns and challenges, as well as present and explain to regional Members of Parliament, their missions, and achievements.

The ECOWAS Parliament which is a Representative Assembly of the peoples of the Community has a statutory and guaranteed minimum of (5) seats for each of the 15 Member States, while the remaining forty seats are distributed in proportion to the population of each country.

Consequently, Nigeria has 35 of the 115 seats, followed by Ghana with eight seats. Others are Côte d’Ivoire seven Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal with six seats each. The other Member States namely, Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo have five seats each.

Patoma Admin by — June 12, 2022 in Foreign 0
ECOWAS PARLIAMENT set to host 115 members in Abuja come June 9

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

Arrangements are all concluded to host the 115 members of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS PARLIAMENT in Nigeria.

According to the legislative agenda set on its draft Order Paper, the Session which will open on 9 June 2022, is scheduled to close on 2 July 2022.

This is in line with Article 27 of the Supplementary Act A/SA.1/1/16 relating to the Enhancement of Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.

During this session, Parliament will deliberate on the draft community regulations emanating from the ECOWAS Commission, examine Community strategies targeted at improving governance, address issues of unconstitutional change of government and proffer solutions towards democratic consolidation in the sub-region

One of the key highlights of this First Ordinary Session is the presentation of the State of the Community report by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency, Jean Claude Kassi Brou.

This is in accordance with Article 32 of the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of Parliament, which stipulates that: “At each ordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament, the President of the Commission shall present a general report on the state of implementation of the Community’s work programme”.

The presentation by the President of the Commission provides an opportunity for Members of Parliament, as representatives of the people, to track and oversight the implementation of community programmes.

This remains an important process within the institutional functioning of ECOWAS.
Meanwhile, an interactive session is also planned with the ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, on the main initiatives of the departments within its technical competence.

Also on the agenda of the session are Parliamentary workshops where public, private and the organized Civil Society are expected to share their concerns and challenges, as well as present and explain to regional Members of Parliament, their missions, achievements.

The ECOWAS Parliament which is a Representative Assembly of the peoples of the Community has a statutory and guaranteed minimum of (5) seats for each of the 15 Member States, while the remaining forty seats are distributed in proportion to the population of each country.

Consequently, Nigeria has 35 of the 115 seats, followed by Ghana with eight seats. Others are Côte d’Ivoire seven Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal with six seats each. The other Member States namely, Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo have five seats each.

Patoma Admin by — June 11, 2022 in Foreign 0
ECOWAS concerns about terrorism, extension to coastal States

By Favour Nnabugwu
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is concerned about the raging terrorism in the Nigeria and it’s soill-over to other coastal State.
More recently, the attacked on Saint Francis Catholic church in Owo during mass on Sunday, killing at least 50 people including women and children. The gunmen shot at people outside and inside the church building, killing and injuries worshippers.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, expressed concern over the killing in Owo, Ondo State
ECOWAS is still confronted with terrorism and its spill-over effect to our coastal states.”
ECOWAS has 15 members Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Brou was more concerned about the fact that if the terrorism in Nigeria is not addressed properly, there is possiblity that it might extend to other States of the ECOWAS.
He said ECOWAS  adopts the Accra Initiative as well as other efforts that are being used by member states to fight this menace.
Brou stated this while delivering a solidarity message at the 2022 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament holding from June 9 – July 2, at the ECOWAS Parliament building in Abuja.
“Sincere condolences to the good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially the Executive Governor of Ondo State for the recent killing in cold blood of worshippers at Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo Ondo State. We equally express our condolences to families of our Member States whose loved ones have fallen victims to terrorist activities and banditry”.
Represented by the Vice President of the Commission, Mrs. Finda Koroma, the President also acknowledged “His Excellency, President Muhammad Buhari, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for his unwavering support to the ECOWAS Community Institutions, especially the ECOWAS Parliament, which is a testament of his regional commitment to ECOWAS integration”.
“Let me assure you of our unwavering support to the work of the ECOWAS Parliament and our commitment to working very closely with you to ensure that we fulfill the mandate of the ECOWAS People through our various work programmes”, he asserted.
“As you all know, despite all the progress Member States are making in the running of their respective countries, our region continues to face numerous challenges of security, humanitarian issues, political and economic affairs”.
Speaking on the health, the ECOWAS Commission President noted that “with the fourth wave of the COVID-19 slowing fading away, the outbreak has highlighted the intrinsic weaknesses in our health care infrastructure especially in the area of vaccine manufacturing and our preparedness to fight epidemics and pandemics which have engulfed our citizens”.
“On the political front, the ECOWAS Commission have continued to engage with military governments in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali to ensure transition to democratic rule within the time frame that is been prescribed by the Authority of Heads of State and Governments”.
Recognizing the effort of the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Sidie Tunis, the ECOWAS Commission President said: “We would wish to congratulate you and through you to the dynamic Members of the ECOWAS Parliament who have worked tirelessly during several of your sessions both in Abuja and at your delocalized sessions in member states, to discuss burning issues in our region that would improve the functioning of the regional  integration agenda that is being undertaken by ECOWAS Community Institutions, especially the economic, social and humanitarian programmes”.
“We have noted with keen interest that you have held sessions on the Joint Committee on Public Accounts/Administration, Finance, Budget and Macroeconomic Policies, Trade, Customs and Free Movements and the Vision 2050 process.  All of these have contributed to improvements in our work processes and the impact of our activities and programmes on the ECOWAS People”.
“I would like to congratulate you Mr. Speaker and Honourable Members at the opening of the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in 2022. This is the house of the ECOWAS of people and we are grateful for your unwavering support to the work of the ECOWAS Community Institutions. I also want to welcome most wholeheartedly the new members of parliament from Republic of Gambia who has been sworn in today.
Patoma Admin by — June 10, 2022 in Foreign 0
Nigerian envoy to issue passports after 8 wks of biometric capturing in Frankfurt

By Favour Nnabugwu

 

The Consul General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Frankfurt, Mr Wahab Akande, has vowed to issue passports eight weeks maximum after the biometric data capturing of the applicants.

The envoy made the pledge when he received a joint delegation of the Nigerian Community Germany (NCG) e.V. and the Concerned Nigerians Germany (CNG) e.V. on Friday.

Ambassador Akande however said that his pledge was subject to the availability of passport booklets.

The audience was sought by the two associations to discuss issues affecting Nigerians living in Germany, especially passport issuance, visa application by German nationals who were born Nigerian and the situation of Nigerian students who fled the war in Ukraine and are currently seeking refuge in Germany.

The meeting resolved that, among others, that: Passports are to be issued 6-8 weeks after the capturing of biometric data of applicants depending on the availability of passport booklets.

Administrative charges for passport application would be 20 Euro
Applicants would receive their passports by submitting self-addressed envelopes or paying 10 euros for postage
The meeting also resolved that the General Consul would instal POS machine in its premises to make payment for its services easier for Nigerians and others.

The Consul General also advised Nigerian-born German nationals to contact the consulate once their visa applications had been made and fees paid to facilitate the processing of their applications.

The delegation that visited Consul General Akande comprised, among others, of David Peters, President of NCG, and Chuks Lewis Ehiwario (President, CNG).

Patoma Admin by — June 9, 2022 in Foreign 0