ECOWAS Court Leadership Visits ECOWAS Commission Auditor General for Collaboration

By: Michael Mike

The President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, the Honourable Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves, accompanied by the Honourable Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Vice-President of the Court, paid a courtesy visit to the Office of the ECOWAS Auditor General on 16 October 2024.

This meeting marks the beginning of a strengthened collaboration between the two institutions, in a spirit of transparency and good governance within the Community. 
In his address, João Alage Mamadu Fadia, Auditor General of ECOWAS Institutions, hailed the visit as a highly symbolic gesture, reflecting the willingness of the Court’s new management to work closely with his Office.

He recalled the scope of the ECOWAS mission, by stating that: ‘Serving a community of 15 Member States and more than 400 million citizens is an immense responsibility’. He also emphasized that the audit function is not limited to a control role, but also includes accompanying and advising institutions, in order to help them adhere to best governance practices. 

‘Our role is not to police, but to ensure that administrative and financial operations comply with established standards,’ he said.

He added that collaboration with the Court of Justice was crucial to enhancing transparency in the management of public affairs. 

In response, the Honourable Justice Ricardo Gonçalves expressed his commitment to working closely with the Office of the Auditor General throughout its mandate. ‘We recognise the important role of audit in improving our internal processes. We are here to express our willingness to follow your recommendations and to benefit from your advice in order to ensure sound and transparent management of the Court’, he said.

The President of the Court, who was also accompanied by the Chief Registrar, Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, stressed that the management of the Court’s judicial and administrative affairs required meticulous rigour. He added that cooperation with the Office of the Auditor General would be a key factor in the Court’s success in meeting the highest standards of governance and accountability.

The Auditor General, surrounded by several members of his team, including the Director of Operational Audit and the Director of Performance Audit, reiterated his commitment to supporting the Court throughout his mandate, affirming that his Office will always be available to provide technical and advisory support.

ECOWAS Court Leadership Visits ECOWAS Commission Auditor General for Collaboration

Yobe Gov’t Constitutes Ten-Man Committee On New National Minimum Wage
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By: Sule Mamudo
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The Yobe State, Governor His Excellency Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON has approved the constitution of an ten-man committee on the new National Minimum wage recently approved by the federal government.

The ten-man Committee to be the chaired by the Secretary to the State Government has the state Head of the Civil Service as Co- Chair while the remaining will serve as members.

The members of the committee includes the Hon. Commissioner of Finance, Alh. Mohammed Abatcha Geidam, Budget and Economic planning Alh. Garba Gagiyo, Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu Jajere FCNA, and the State Accountant General.
Others are Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Mukhtar Musa Tarabutu and TUC Bulama Musa while the Perm Sec Establishment Shuaibu Ibrahim Amshi and that of Public Service Office of the Head of Service Alh Dr. Bukar Kilo mni will serve as secretary and co-secretary respectively.

The ten man Committee will among other terms of reference workout modalities on the successful implementation of the new national minimum wage in the state.

The Committee will also determine the financial implication of the implementation of the new minimum wage at the State and Local Government in addition to make recommendations for Government consideration.

Yobe Gov’t Constitutes Ten-Man Committee On New National Minimum Wage

UN Women Poaches Christian Religious Leaders to Combat Violence Against Women, Girls

By: Michael Mike

UN Women and the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OIAC) have called for Christian leaders to escalate action to curb violence against women and girls.

This appeal came during a two-day UN Women and Ford Foundation-supported workshop for members of the OAIC.

OAIC is a community of leaders of different churches. The workshop aimed to enhance the knowledge of Christian leaders of the nuances of gender-based violence, initiate collective action against gender-based violence through the various church mechanisms, and provide the opportunity for Christian leaders and churches to network and consolidate on the fight against gender-based violence.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in three women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that an estimated 137 women are killed daily by a partner or family member globally, highlighting the severe consequences of GBV.

In Nigeria, GBV remains a significant challenge, manifesting in various forms, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and harmful traditional practices. These issues are often perpetuated by cultural norms and religious misinterpretations that justify violence and discrimination against women and girls.

Religious leaders, as moral guides and influencers within their communities, play a critical role in either reinforcing these harmful norms or championing efforts to eradicate GBV, this informed the reason behind organizing the workshop to lobby them.

According to a statement by UN Women on Thursday, the workshop is intended to impact sermons delivered by clergies and Christian leaders so that messages delivered over the pulpit have interpretations of religious texts and tenets that address gender inequality, condemn gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices, and promote gender justice.

UN Women Programmes Officer Ibrahim Nurudeen facilitated sessions that demystified some harmful social norms and beliefs common in the religious cycle. Participants affirmed that some tenets need to be appropriately communicated in the contemporary context.

According to the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Daniel Okoh, “We must use this opportunity to deal with deprivation of opportunities for the female members to exercise their God-given talents by their spouses and the leadership of their churches. We must first deal with these issues connected to GBV before we can effectively give moral leadership in this advocacy and, indeed, the battle”.

The workshop provided an in-depth analysis of GBV’ssocio-economic impact, its implications, and the critical role of religious leaders in combating this issue.Participants were equipped with strategies to incorporate gender equality principles in their messages, marriage counselling, and promoting healthy and respectful relationships.

President, OIAC Nigeria, Israel Akinadewo said: “Conclusively, as a noble organisation as ours, I would appeal that after these sessions, we become champions of spiritual battalions combating any form of GBV.”

The statement said by empowering religious leaders with the knowledge and tools they need, UN Women aims to drive a transformative socio-cultural shift towards a more just, equitable, and violence-free society in Nigeria and across West Africa.

UN Women Poaches Christian Religious Leaders to Combat Violence Against Women, Girls