TheNewsGuru

Tag: ECOWAS

  • ECOWAS okays conduct of election, says it’s peaceful

    ECOWAS okays conduct of election, says it’s peaceful

    Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday.

    According to a statement by the organization, the electoral process of March 18 was peaceful.

    The statement read, “The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission deployed by the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States, His Excellency Dr Omar TOURAY, has been on ground monitoring the Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections in Nigeria held on Saturday, 18 March 2023.

    “A total of 837 candidates vied for the position of Governors in 28 States out of 36 whilst the State Houses of Assembly Elections held in 36 States except FCT, Abuja and 10,240 candidates vied for 993 State Assembly seat.

    “The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission has been monitoring the process, which has been peaceful generally with all the stakeholders present (INEC officials, party agents and voters) expressing satisfaction at the process.

    “In all, one hundred and sixty-three (163) observers have been deployed by ECOWAS and they are drawn from the Community Institutions (the Commission, Parliament, and the Court of Justice); West African Ambassadors accredited to ECOWAS; Member States’ Electoral Commissions and Ministries of Foreign Affairs; and electoral experts from civil society. It also included a thirteen-member Core Team of electoral experts that has been in the country prior to the presidential and national assembly elections.”

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that ECOWAS (also known as CEDEAO in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa.

    Collectively, these countries comprise an area of 5,114,162 km2 (1,974,589 sq mi), and in 2015 had an estimated population of over 349 million.

    The goal of ECOWAS is to achieve “collective self-sufficiency” for its member states by creating a single large trade bloc by building a full economic and trading union.

    The union was established on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, with its stated mission to promote economic integration across the region.

    A revised version of the treaty was agreed and signed on 24 July 1993 in Cotonou.

    The ECOWAS also serves as a peacekeeping force in the region, with member states occasionally sending joint military forces to intervene in the bloc’s member countries at times of political instability and unrest

  • Nigeria makes progress with Niger in boundary re-demarcation

    Nigeria makes progress with Niger in boundary re-demarcation

    The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has disclosed Nigeria and Niger Republic are making commendable progress in the re-demarcation of the international boundary between both countries.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Director-General of NBC, Mr Adamu Adaji made the disclosure in his address at a meeting of the Joint Standing Committee of Experts on Re-demarcation of Nigeria-Niger International Boundary.

    Speaking during the event held on Tuesday in Abuja, Mr Adaji reiterated the resolve of both nations to complete the demarcation of the Nigeria-Niger border.

    He expressed appreciation for the commitment of security personnel in the border area to provide security and the enabling environment for the erection of pillars along the borderline.

    “We are making commendable progress in our set goal of re-demarcation of the international boundary.

    “Our aim is to make the boundary more visible to border inhabitants, and not to separate the people who share the same history and culture.

    “There is no doubt that the relationship between Nigeria and Niger Republic is the best and both countries are one and the same.

    “With the continued support of our governments and indeed development partners, we will soon conclude all outstanding works on the re-demarcation of the boundary.

    “After that, we will shift focus to the promotion of cross-border and joint development activities for our two nations.

    “It is on this note that I assure you of the commitment of Nigeria’s delegation to the worthy mission of the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission (NNJC) and pledge our cooperation and support,’’ Adaji said.

    He said 128 main pillars out of the 148 pillars demarcating the boundary had been re-constructed, “leaving only 20 pillars to be reconstructed.

    Adaji appreciated the presidents of Nigeria and Niger Republic as well as the contribution of the German International Development Agency for its financial support in the emplacement of the required pillars on the boundary.

    In his remarks, Head of Delegation of Republic of Niger, Dr Pate Balla thanked the authorities of both countries for the cooperation and efforts to justify the demarcation.

    Bella stressed that the governments of the two countries had made significant progress in strengthening the process in line with the ECOWAS agreements.

    “In view of the demarcation, there were areas to be looked into in trans-border cooperation. We are indeed grateful to the government of Nigeria on the effort of strengthening the cooperation,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, Secretary-General of the NNJC, Mr Adamou Namata noted that the synergy between Nigeria and Niger Republic had not been betrayed.

    “The 1,500km boundary between Nigeria and the Republic of Niger is the only one that has not witnessed any form of armed conflict.

    “All stakeholders must play their parts to ensure amicable demarcation of the boundary and placement of the pillars,’’ Namata stressed.

  • TNG Deal Breakers: ECOWAS Bank and access to credit for Nigeria’s SMEs, businesses

    TNG Deal Breakers: ECOWAS Bank and access to credit for Nigeria’s SMEs, businesses

    It isn’t very likely that many Nigerian entrepreneurs are aware of the existence of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). Headquartered in Lomé, Togo, the bank has been in operation for 40 years and among Nigerian businesses, little is known about the financial products through which it supports both the public and private sectors’ financing requirements. 

    It was not until a few years ago that the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs realizing that Nigerian entrepreneurs and businesses were not making use of the bank’s facilities began an awareness tour of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. But that was where it ended! There was neither a follow-up nor any known support policy or strategy mapped out to support struggling entrepreneurs who may qualify and access credit to boost their operations. 

    It is also incumbent on the Federal Ministry of Finance to sensitize the private sector and small businesses about the activities of the Bank and the role it plays in guaranteeing facilities from the Bank. In addition, the ministry may also organize workshops and bring in resource persons from EBID to lecture entrepreneurs on the levels of credit available, requirements and processes involved in applying for loans and grants. 

    While other West African countries’ businesses seem to be making use of EBID’s financial support, Nigerian authorities appear to have abdicated their duties towards ensuring equal participation by their citizens. Although EBID’s support to the SMEs is not well publicized, credible information from Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry indicates that the bank finances manufactured exports to other African countries, especially within the West African sub-region. 

    Model

    Modelled after NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development), and as the financial arm of ECOWAS, “EBID’s primary mission is to promote economic integration through the financing of programmes and projects of its Member States in line with those of the Community and/or the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Consequently, it has two windows, one of which is dedicated to the promotion of the private sector, whilst the other focuses on the development of the private sector.” 

    This financing strategy is meant to encourage more trading and partnership in the ECOWAS countries in line with the foundational objectives of the economic community. What the bank intends to achieve through SME support is to standardize exportable goods and services across the region. Packaged food and clothing dominate items that receive grants and loans from the bank provided the entrepreneurs show markets where there is demand for the products.

    Capital Raise 

    Beginning this year, the Board of Governors for EBID has approved a capital increase to US$ 3.5 billion from the existing US$ 1.5 billion. At an extraordinary session held last quarter of last year, the Board comprising finance ministers of Member-States also called for the last tranche of the bank’s capital totalling US$ 438 million. 

    The ECOWAS Bank plans to expand financing operations to provide ample opportunity for entrepreneurs within the region to access single-digit loans that will support trade with member countries. In addition, the Bank is intensifying its resource “mobilisation initiatives and seeks to position itself as the foremost regional development finance institution committed to playing a key and expansive role in assisting ECOWAS Member States to navigate the path to socio-economic recovery from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian – Ukraine war.”

    Over the years, the Bank has quietly morphed into a fully operational Development Finance Institutio, facilitatingd about US$750 million for Nigeria’s Bank of Industry. Aside from this intervention, there seems to be no other recorded intervention in the country’s public and private sectors.

    With the Bank’s increase in capital, Nigeria’s economic managers owe it a duty to businesses to inform them about Nigeria’s shareholding commitment to the Bank and how they can benefit from the loans and grants structure of the bank. “With each intervention, we have always endeavoured to achieve our vision of being “an effective instrument for poverty alleviation, wealth creation and job promotion for the well-being of the people of the sub-region,” EBID claims.

    Specific Areas of Intervention

    Primarily, the Investment Bank’s financing targets infrastructure and basic amenities in its regional and national projects while the private sector focus is mainly on industries and services. Specifically, Member-States’ rural development and environmental development projects may attract funding for irrigation, flood control, rural water supply and agriculture projects.  Livestock, fisheries, ecosystem protection, renewable energy and capacity building are other areas it can pull investment to support such programs.

    Aside from EBID’s social sector provisional funding in vocational training, education and health, its private sector investments embrace the agro-allied industry, mining, and other industries. Technological innovations and services related to information technology, financial engineering, hotel and tourism are other areas facilities can be extended.

    With the Bank’s capital raise and efforts to increase its paid-up capital, Nigerian businesses have the opportunity to access requirements in the various sectors of activity which focuses on the private sector and SMEs engaged in packaged food products that may be traded in other West African countries. Part of its expansionist programs up to 2025 may rely on AfDB investment targets on agriculture and food packaging.

    Levels of intervention per loan

    • Minimum amount of UA1 million (about US$1.5 million);
    • The maximum amount of UA 20 million (about US$30 million) for national public sector projects;
    • The maximum amount of UA 30 million (about US$45 million) for regional public sectors projects;
    • The maximum amount of UA is 15 million (about US$22.5 million) for private sector projects.

    There are also smaller units of credit to SMEs which constitute some of EBID’s financial products to encourage entrepreneurs in the West African market.  

    Before the current structure of the Bank, it operated as ECOWAS Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which focused its financing regimen on the public sector while ECOWAS Regional Investment Bank (ERIB) engaged the private sector. For its current wider scope of activity, the Bank envisages itself as “a powerful financial institution for private sector promotion and financing in the region and an effective instrument for poverty alleviation, wealth creation and job promotion for the well-being of the people of the region.”

  • Immigration raises alarm on use of ECOWAS travel certificates by human traffickers

    Immigration raises alarm on use of ECOWAS travel certificates by human traffickers

    The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in Bayelsa, on Thursday raised the alarm on the increased use of ECOWAS Travel Certificates (ETC) by human traffickers to evade suspicion and arrest.

    The NIS said it uncovered the new strategy used by human traffickers to evade security checks and avoid suspicion by using the ETC as a travel document by their victims to any of the ECOWAS Member States to evade stringent checks at the airports and lower the level of suspicion.

    The NIS in Bayelsa also said in line with the directive of the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, Isa Jere Idris, a trafficked victim by name Miss Maureen Ekpe, was rescued and released to the family, while the alleged trafficker was at large.

    The Public Relations Officer for NIS in Bayelsa, Ibiemo Cookey, in a statement in Yenagoa, noted that the NIS, in Bayelsa, observed sudden increase in the rate at which young people obtained the ECOWAS travel certificate.

    He said this necessitated a risk analysis and a checklist of the age group that was involved, as well as the reasons given for the travel and countries where the holders of the document frequently visited, before it attached additional security measure to issuance of the document.

    He said it was on this ground that the unit directly responsible for the issuance, ECOWAS Unit, was tasked to add additional security document to the requirement.

    The document, called the Suspicious Travel Interrogation Form, was zeroed down to any suspected case and has yielded results so far.

    “It has helped in rescuing two victims by denying them the facility and denying several others without genuine reasons for travels, after due diligence interrogation.

    The PRO said in one of the cases, the trafficker, who was at large after the victim was stopped, prompted the alert system and gave the command the idea behind the increased demand for the document against the conventional passport.

    “The Bayelsa Command will not rest on its oars, until the syndicates are exposed and the only well justified, authentic trips without any link to Trafficking in Persons (TIPs) or Smuggling of Migrants (SOM) is established through the use of our interrogative process and  vital intelligence tools to fight the menace,” Cookey said.

    The NIS called on parents and guardians to desist from releasing their Wards/Children to people with hidden identities or motives, by verifying the kind of work their children were being offered and to report any suspicious move to take their children outside the country for unconfirmed work and mouth watering  plans.

    The NIS explained that the fight against human trafficking must be collective, to safeguard the lives and destinies of the young people.

    The NIS also assured that all cases being investigated would be concluded before the New Year, for onward report to the Service Headquarters, Abuja.

    He stated that the command had stepped up its strategies, while officers and men were warned to avoid being accomplices in anyway.

  • ECOWAS Commission condemns attempted Coup in the Gambia

    ECOWAS Commission condemns attempted Coup in the Gambia

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has condemned the attempted but foiled Coup d’état in the Gambia on Dec. 21, reiterating that ECOWAS’ rejection of an unconstitutional change of government.

    The ECOWAS Commission, in a statement made available to journalists, said that it was solidly behind the democratically-elected government of the Gambia. commending the leadership and personnel of the Gambia security services for foiling the illegal plot.

    The statement reads “The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has received with utter dismay and shock the news of an attempted coup in the Gambia.

    “ECOWAS Commission strongly condemns the attempt to overthrow the democratically-elected government of the Gambia and underscores ECOWAS total rejection of all unconstitutional change of government in any member State.

    “ECOWAS Commission salutes the leadership and personnel of the Gambia security services for their adherence to their constitutional role and for foiling this illegal plot.

    “ECOWAS Commission stands firmly by the democratically-elected government of the Gambia and once again reiterates its total condemnation of the attempted coup plot.

    A statement from the Gambian Government on Dec. 22, disclosed that the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF) High Command, in a swift military operation conducted on Dec. 21, arrested four soldiers linked to the alleged coup plot.

    According to the statement, the arrested soldiers are currently helping the Military Police with their investigations.

    “The Gambia Government announces that intelligence reports have shown that some soldiers of the Gambian army were plotting to overthrow the democratically-elected Government of President Adama Barrow.

    “The GAF High Command, in a swift military operation, conducted on Wednesday, arrested four soldiers linked to this alleged coup plot.

    “Those arrested are Lance Corporal Sanna Fadera from the Gambia Navy as the alleged ring leader of the plot; Corporal Mbarra Touray from 1st Infantry Battalion, Yundum Barracks; Corporal Ebrahima Sanno from the Military Police, who is currently on study leave, and Sergeant Gibril Darboe from The Gambia Navy.

    “The apprehended soldiers are currently helping the Military Police with their investigations.

    “Meanwhile, the soldiers allegedly involved in the plot, either being pursued or on the run, are: Corporal Njie B from the State Guards Battalion; Warrant Officer Class 2 Jadama from The Gambia Navy and one Badjie from The Gambia Navy.

    “First names of Jadama and Badjie are yet to be established.

    “Investigations into this matter are continuing and members of the public would be accordingly informed of any developments as the situation unfolds.

    Citizens, residents and members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps are urged to carry on with their normal activities as the situation is under total control and there is no need to panic,” the statement read.

    Newsmen reports that ECOWAS Presidents in the just-concluded 62nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on Dec. 5 in Abuja, reiterated their commitment to prevent every form of unconstitutional change of government.

    They pledged to address likely root causes of unconstitutional change of government in the region, especially tenure elongation of democratically-elected presidents.

  • BREAKING: ECOWAS Director, Emmanuel Okorodudu is dead

    BREAKING: ECOWAS Director, Emmanuel Okorodudu is dead

    Mr Emmanuel Eyesan Okorodudu, Head of the Democracy and Good Governance Directorate at the ECOWAS Commission, is dead.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Chairman of the FCT Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche made the disclosure on Monday.

    Comrade Ogbeche wrote: “This life sef! A few days ago, we were with Dr. Emmanuel Okorodudu, the Head of the Democracy and Good Governance Directorate at the ECOWAS Commission for a program on Nigeria’s 2023 elections in Port Harcourt.

    “Since I met Okorodudu at a Media Foundation for West Africa, MFWA, event a few years ago, he uses every opportunity to commend me and reassure me, “you will go far.”

    “In Ghana about two months ago, he filled me on some facilitations he was planning and how he wants me to be part of the resource.

    “I was delighted not just for the financial reward, but the exposure the trainings will afford.

    “After the Port Harcourt training just this past week at the debriefing, he was happy and outlined our engagements for January. See me counting my chicks!

    “God’s sense of humour came brutally this morning as Dr. Okorodudu passed!

    “He was such an engaging fellow. He had hopes for not just Nigeria, but the sub-region. He was a walking encyclopaedia. Now all that is gone!

    “Dr., I will miss you and all I can ask is rest in peace. For me, God will make a way”.

  • ECOWAS Court re-elects president, vice for another 2 years

    ECOWAS Court re-elects president, vice for another 2 years

    President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Asante has been re-elected by his peers for an initial two years following an election by the Court’s five-member college of judges.

    The President of the ECOWAS Court was re-elected on Oct. 13 alongside the Vice President of the Court, Justice Gberi be-Ouattara, the Communications Directorate of the Court disclosed in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    The re-election followed the assumption of duty of the two new judges of the Court; Justices Claudio Monteiro Goncalves from Cape Verde and Sengu Mohammed Koroma from Sierra Leone.

    It stated that the two new Justices of the court were sworn in on Oct. 6 in Bissau by the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Community, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau.

    Justice Asante, who was among three judges of the court whose tenures were extended by the Heads of State and Government of the Community, said his re-election showed the confidence his colleagues reposed in him.

    Asante said that the re-election will afford him the opportunity to improve on the performance of the previous college in order to strengthen the court’s role in the delivery of justice.

    He also pledged to deepen the court’s enviable jurisprudence which has made it a global brand, particularly in the area of human rights which has become its signature mandate.

    He welcomed the two new judges to the Court’s family and expressed confidence that with their pedigree, they would contribute immensely to furthering the work of the Court.

    Asante assured the new judges of the Court’s determination to provide the necessary tools to ensure that they functioned optimally.

    Justice Asante also commended the outgoing judges of the Court- Justices Keikura Bangura from Sierra Leone and Januaria Tavares Silva Moreira Costa from Cape Verde, who just completed their tenure.

    He assured them that they will continue to be a valuable resource for the Court.

    The new judges, who were appointed for a four–year term, were later taken through some administrative issues related to their tenure as statutory appointees of the Community.

    They were later introduced to the staff during a meeting attended by the new college of judges and their outgoing colleagues.

    Among the three judges whose tenure was renewed by the Heads of State and Government of the Community, was Justice Dupe Atoki from Nigeria.

  • Ndume, ECOWAS lawmakers regret subdued powers of Parliament by Commission

    Ndume, ECOWAS lawmakers regret subdued powers of Parliament by Commission

    Some Members of the ECOWAS Parliament have bemoaned the restriction of its powers by the ECOWAS Commission which have limited them to exercising their mandates.

    They made this known on Friday during Parliament’s High-level Seminar in Lome, Togo with the theme “Application of the power of the Parliament in light of the restructuring of the ECOWAS Commission”.

    This is also as experts charged Parliament on exercising its Parliamentary Powers.

    The Member of Parliament insisted it was imperative for the Parliament to start executing its powers as enshrined in its Supplementary Act which indicates the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament to include a law-making role among other functions.

    Sen. Ali Ndume, representing Nigeria at the ECOWAS Parliament said that it is worrisome to discuss the enhancement of Parliament’s power when these powers have been overly restricted.

    “It is odd to discuss the powers of the parliament at this point, I think we need to look at the whole process and ensure that it is worth it.

    “The powers of the Parliament have been overly subdued, and if we are going to be what we are then we should be what we are.

    “The ECOWAS Parliament is so much important now most especially as we have a lot of challenges bedevilling the sub-region, hence we need to start working and not to start talking of power enhancement;

    “We should do the right thing, and doing the right thing should not be personal, we can be in the position today and tomorrow someone else take over.

    “Going forward, this seminar should provide an opportunity for us to look at the document that we are currently using, it is not the issue of enhancement, but the issue of amendment;

    “One of our problems is the Commission, and we can’t expect them to correct it, the Parliament Legal Director should be made to handle this Acts, and then we should have other MPs to look at the law and jointly amend it”, Ndume said.

    Mr Stephen Zargo a lawmaker from Liberia said that Articles 7 and 9 of the ECOWAS Parliament Acts give parliament an enhanced power, but the power has not been well utilised.

    “We are arguing because you need leadership to make it happen if the Act gives us the power, we are crying because we have a leadership deficit,” Zargo said.

    Hon. Fatoumatta Njai from the Gambia however called for the strengthening of the legal department of the ECOWAS Parliament.

    “As a Parliament, our Legal Department must be strengthened, it should be a directorate and not a department.

    “We should have started on the implementation on how to use our enhanced power and without a strong directorate, we cannot achieve this course” Njai said said.

    Preceding the reactions from the lawmakers were presentations and recommendations by experts which includes; the ECOWAS Commission’s Legal Director, Daniel Lago, and the Legal Adviser of the ECOWAS Parliament, Isatou Njia.

    The experts spoke on the operationalisation of the new institutional Reforms and on Exercising Parliamentary Powers.

    Bodo in his presentation charged Parliament with the establishment of a Committee/Working Groups in other to deepen their powers.

    Isatou in her presentation noted that it is left to Parliament to take control and fully implement the provisions of the Supplementary Act.

    This she said can be achieved by developing necessary guidelines in conjunction with implementing institutions and agencies of the Community.

    Concluding the session, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Tunis agreed to the call of the MPs and added that their concerns have long been pondered by individuals and he feels more pain over these issues raised.

    “Listening to what we have all been yearning for, I think this is the beginning, now we have an opportunity to come up with an outcome document with the support of the Director of Legal Affairs.

    “Because at the end of the day even in the Commission he is the one to respond to this issue.

    “The Director of Legal affairs is for all institutions, now that we have him here working with our own legal adviser, I really hope we can come up with a document at the end of this seminar .

    “Because it is so timely with everything that is happening in this region, trust me it is the MPs that can do the job, not technocrats, but those MPs must have the powers,” Tunis said.

  • Don’t disappoint us, Buhari tells new ECOWAS President

    Don’t disappoint us, Buhari tells new ECOWAS President

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday received the new President of the ECOWAS Commission and his Management Team, telling them the kind of sub-regional body West African leaders desire and must have.

    The president told Dr Omar Alieu Touray, the new President, and the delegation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    “I wish you success in your assignments, which we hope can collectively drive our sub-region to one that is economically integrated, politically stable, and socially in harmony with itself, to the admiration of our continent, and, indeed, global community.

    “That is the ECOWAS we desire, and must have. You cannot afford to disappoint us.”

    According to him, as the host of the ECOWAS Commission, Nigeria expects that the scrupulous processes that led to the new appointments “would impact on the fortunes of our Organisation.”

    He said this should be in terms of ”efficient and effective service delivery that bears positive impact on the lives of our citizens.”

    He added that when the founding fathers met on May 28, 1975, to establish ECOWAS, what was uppermost on their minds was the promotion of economic cooperation between the member-States.

    He said this was to raise the living standards of citizens, hence driving the economic development of the sub-region in an integrated manner.

    The president said: “Forty-seven years after, this core objective for the formation of ECOWAS remains critically relevant to our national and sub-regional aspirations.

    ”Issues of inter-state cooperation and collaboration, harmonisation of policies, integration of programmes, conflict management and security of the sub-region, have continued to necessitate the need for our solidarity and collective responses to our common challenges.”

    He listed such challenges as climate change, terrorism, health issues, good governance and the sustainability of democracy anchored on rule of law and ultimately, development and progress for the citizens.

    Buhari told the new Management Team that citizens of ECOWAS must directly feel the impact of the organization through people-oriented programmes.

    He urged that projects must include effective advocacy around core issues of concerns to the sub-region.

    “May I emphasize the importance of team-work and the necessity for the new Team to work assiduously to re-position ECOWAS in order to deliver to the expectations of our citizens,”the president said.

    He said this could be achieved through a careful fine-tuning of the sub-region’s development agenda 2050, that is guided by the African Union Agenda 2063, and conscious of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.

    “With many Development Experts on your Team, I have no doubt that you will evolve appropriate partnerships and working relationships with Development Partners across the globe, to maximise opportunities for progress,” he stated.

    Touray thanked Nigeria for the support she gave to the candidature of the new Team members.

    He pledged that they would live up to the expectations of West African leaders, “as we are fully conscious of the priorities set for us.”

    He said they would work with member-States to pursue their objectives, “and make ECOWAS institutions what you want them to be.”

  • Alleged Staff Recruitment: ECOWAS sets up investigative panel

    Alleged Staff Recruitment: ECOWAS sets up investigative panel

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has set up an investigative panel, to investigate the alleged malpractices in its’ staff recruitment process, it further directs the immediate suspension of the recruitment.

    Dr Sidie Tunis, Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament gave the directive in a statement issued by the parliament’s Communications Division.

    The suspension follows allegations by the Nigerian delegation at the parliament that the country’s candidates were being marginalised in the recruitment exercise.

    Newsmen reports that the Nigerian representation to the bloc had threatened to withdraw its membership as its citizens were being marginalized at the parliament in respect of employment and promotions.

    The speaker had received written complaints from the 1st Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase and the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the ECOWAS Commission, Amb. Musa Sani Nuhu.

    According to the statement, the work of the eight-man independent Ad Hoc Investigation Committee is expected to start on Aug.  2022 and its findings are expected to be made available to the speaker within a week.

    A bureau meeting will be convened immediately to consider the report for onward submission to the plenary.

    “The action of the Honorable Speaker is in conformity with Rule Thirty-three (33) and Thirty-four (34) of the Rules of Procedures of the Parliament which provides that a Special Committee may be set up to address specific matters.

    “The Ad hoc Committee would be headed by Sen. Mohammed Ali Ndume, Chairman of the Committee on Administration, Finance, and Budget.

    “Other Members of the Committee include:Hon. Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu from Nigeria and  Hon. Fatoumatta Njai from the Gambia.

    “Hon. Amadou Djibo Ali from Niger, Hon. Kounon Nahou Agbandao from Togo, Hon. Caramo Camara from Guinea Bissau, Hon. Moussokora Chantal Fanny from Cote d’ Ivoire and Mr. Arboncana Oumarou Dicko  to serve as Clerk to the Committee.

    “The Terms of Reference of the Ad Hoc Committee shall be as follows:  Investigate allegations of inappropriate conduct in the ongoing recruitment process at the ECOWAS Parliament; Investigate allegations of marginalization of Nigerian Candidates in the current recruitment process;

    “Investigate and determine if indeed the plenary adopted any Resolution concerning the subject matter (Recruitment of Staff), using normal parliamentary procedure;

    “In the execution of its mandate, the committee shall be granted access to all documents relating to the recruitment exercise and work with the Advisory Committee on Recruitment and Promotions at the ECOWAS Parliament, to under-study and review the exercise.

    “The Ad hoc Committee would be guided by the provisions of the Supplementary Act and the ECOWAS Staff Regulations.

    The leadership of the parliament has said it is devoted to upholding and protecting the rights of all citizens of the community to aspire to positions in any ECOWAS institution, in line with the provisions of the group’s staff regulations and all related protocols.