National News
Concerned ECOWAS Parliamentarians Call for Lifting of Sanctions on Niger
Concerned ECOWAS Parliamentarians Call for Lifting of Sanctions on Niger
By: Michael Mike
A call has been made for the lifting of the sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Niger following the coup d’etat that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The Head of State in ECOWAS had last July imposed sanctions on Niger Republic over the Bazoum ouster by some military officers led by erstwhile Presidential Guard Commander, General Abdourahamane Tchiani. This decision seems to be supported by many Western governments.
But on Wednesday at the opening of the 2nd Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament for 2023 in Abuja, a group of parliamentarians of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament concerned with the turn of affairs in the troubled country, appealed to the Heads of State and Government in the region to lift the sanctions imposed on the Niger Republic.
The Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, who is also a member of the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ali Ndume, while addressing journalists after the opening session of the parliament, said the sanctions were biting hard on the masses including Nigerians in the border states.
Ndume said: “Niger is bordering about eight states in Nigeria, namely Borno, Yobe, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi. Since the closure of the border and the imposition of sanctions, poor people especially children and women have been exposed to untold hardship and no meaningful progress have been made in term of resolving this issue.
“We are, therefore, using this opportunity of the 2nd extraordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament to appeal to the ECOWAS Head of State to intensify the resolution of the political impasse in Niger by first lifting the sanctions and opening the closed border of Niger and Nigeria.
“Let me add by saying that this is a collective decision by some of us who are concerned about what is going on and the suffering our people are going through.”
He added that: “This also affects other non-border countries because Niger is a lead way for goods moving from Sokoto to Ghana, goods moving from Togo to Nigeria, and goods moving from several parts of the ECOWAS countries from the West down to the North.”
The lawmaker said they thought the sanctions were temporary and the issues would have been resolved, “but it’s getting to four or five months into the political impasse, the only thing we know that is happening is the increased suffering of the poor people of Niger and to some extent, Nigeria.”
The Senator representing Borno South in the upper chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly argued that the group was reechoing the position of the parliament, adding that the parliament had set up an ad-hoc committee, which he is a member of, to proffer solutions to the impasse in Niger.
He said the committee had submitted an interim report, noting that: “One of the resolutions which were endorsed by all the parliamentarians is the lifting of sanctions and the continuation of discussion on how to resolve the impasse. We are only reechoing the position of the ECOWAS parliament.”
Also speaking, Hon Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, from Sokoto, said his people were suffering from the sanctions on Republic of Niger.
He lamented that thousands of trailers loaded with food items to be transported to Niger were stranded at the order, lamenting that the food items were already decaying.
He said the border closure is also increasing insecurity in the region.
Meanwhile, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, has called for concrete actions to safeguard democracy and to restore the region as the bastion of democracy in Africa.
Touray made the call in his address at the opening of the fifth Parliament’s second ordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament of the year 2023.
Said the Republic of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have all experienced coups recently, creating fears that democracy could be in danger in the region.
He said: “The resurgence of coup d’états has challenged us all in more ways than one and led us to reflect on what is not working in our process of consolidating democracy.
“As politicians, you are best suited to guide us on what we must do to tackle the root causes of all these unconstitutional changes of government.
“We count on your wisdom to help in safeguarding the rights of our people and for the preservation of peace, security, and stability, which are necessary for our socio-economic development and regional integration process,” he said while addressing the parliament.
The ECOWAS Commission president said, at the political level, ECOWAS was engaging in dialogue with the Member States in transition, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea, in order to support them to return to normal constitutional order through the organization of free, transparent and inclusive elections.
“As far as the Republic of Niger is concerned, we adhere to the guidance of the current Chairman of ECOWAS to resolve this crisis through dialogue and negotiation.
“On the security front, the region continues to suffer from attacks by armed groups and terrorists who seriously threaten the territorial integrity of Mali and Burkina Faso, resulting in loss of life, material damage and millions of displaced persons and refugees.
“In this regard, we continue to provide multifaceted support to help these countries face these challenges, despite the sanctions,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Dr Sidie Mohammed Tunis, noted that the region’s prosperity and security are inextricably linked to its members shared responsibility to look out for one another.
He said: “Only a foolish neighbour goes to bed when his neighbour’s roof is on fire,” Tunis said. “In a region of interconnected threats and challenges, we can only address our issues effectively through broad, deep, and sustained cooperation among states.”
Tunis also called for greater self-reliance from ECOWAS member states. He said that the region cannot rely on outside help to solve its problems.
“We need to be more self-reliant,” Tunis said. “Each Member State must take on more responsibility for the development and advancement of the ECOWAS region.”
He noted that despite its numerous challenges, the ECOWAS region is on the right track, pointing to the recent successful presidential and legislative elections in the Republic of Liberia as a sign of progress.
He said: “The people of Liberia have shown us that democracy is possible in our region,” insisting that: “We can all learn from their example.”
Tunis also praised the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for its leadership in sustaining peace and security in the West African region.
Concerned ECOWAS Parliamentarians Call for Lifting of Sanctions on Niger
National News
ECOWAS Moves to Solidify Movement Across West African Countries, Inaugurates EU-funded Programme on Migration
ECOWAS Moves to Solidify Movement Across West African Countries, Inaugurates EU-funded Programme on Migration
By: Michael Mike
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is consolidating movement of citizens of West Africa by inaugurating the second phase of the European Union (EU) funded project “Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa (FMM II)” to advance economic growth.
Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mrs Damtien Tchintchibidja reiterated the commitment of economic blog to ensure free movement and encourage commerce and economic development in the sub region at the inauguration of the FMM II in Abuja on Thursday.
The event was organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the ECOWAS Commission.
The vice-president explained that the FMM is designed to promote the free protocol and movement of persons, goods and services, as vision of ECOWAS for regional integration.
According to her, the initiative would demonstrate renewed commitment to ensure migration governance and regional mobility serve as pillars of development within the sub-region.
Tchintchibidja added that: “During the first phase of the project, we made significant progress in enhancing migration governance, strengthening boarder management and operational license to drive the free protocols.
“We reinforced migration governance, harmonised policies, strengthened border management systems, facilitation of labour mobility and supporting member states in aligning national policies with ECOWAS migration instruments.
“These achievements played key roles in enhancing regional security and economic mobility within our region, however, our work is far from over, benefits of migration must be fully harnessed.
“This requires structured, coordinated approach both at national and regional levels; we are optimistic FMM II will serve as vehicle towards addressing new-migration challenges, while capitalising on emerging opportunities.
“The FMM II will enhance mobility across borders in safe and orderly manner, through specific efforts to ascertain migration governance framework, enhance coordination mechanism, data driven policy making and integrated approaches.”
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts to ensure that migration contribute positively to economic growth, stability and social-coercion in the ECOWAS region.
Speaking at the event, the Head of Cooperation of the European Union (EU), Mr Massimo De Luka, said the five-year project aims to maximise development potential of free movement of persons and migration in West Africa.
He noted that the project would be achieved through support of the effective implementation of the ECOWAS Free Movement of Persons Protocol and the ECOWAS Common Approach to Migration.
He said: “The basis for cooperation and coordination on improving free movement of persons and migration in West Africa has been established.
“The second phase will deepen the cooperation in enhancing migration governance and at the same time commit to regional integration.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Massandjé Toure-Litse commended the milestones achieved during the first phase to be in line with ECOWAS mission.
Toure-Litse was represented by Mr Albert Siaw-Boateng, Director, Free Movement of Persons of ECOWAS Commission/Project Coordinator, West Africa Unique Identification for Regional Integration and Inclusion (WURI).
Toure-Litse said, “This milestone reaffirms our collective commitment to regional integration, migration governance and sustainable development, which are core principles that underscores the ECOWAS mission.”
ECOWAS Moves to Solidify Movement Across West African Countries, Inaugurates EU-funded Programme on Migration
FG Moves To Fast Track MSMEs Growth, Sets Up C’ttee To Enhance Financing
** We’ll be more deliberate in supporting small business owners to grow – VP Shettima
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said that the federal government, working in collaboration with other stakeholders, will be more deliberate in ensuring growth in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) space in Nigeria.
To this end, the National Council on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has set up a committee to interface with the Central Bank of Nigeria to enhance the financing of small businesses in the country.
This was part of decisions taken on Tuesday at the first meeting of the National Council on MSMEs for 2025 held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking after deliberations by members, Vice President Shettima said the federal government, through its agencies and partners, has the moral burden of supporting growth in the MSME space and facilitating job creation across different sectors for Nigerians.
Reeling out the mandate of the committee, the Vice President said the efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in supporting small businesses, evident in important policies and programmes, need to be complemented by stakeholders, especially the private sector.
The committee headed by the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. John Enoh, has Ministers of Science and Technology; Women Affairs; Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MSMEs as members.
Others include the CEOs of Bank of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Bank of Agriculture (BOI), Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and the representative of NACCIMA and the organized private sector.
In the same vein, Council also approved a loan scheme for MSMEs known as the syndicated de-risked loans for small businesses.
The scheme will be a partnership between state governments and financial institutions aimed at enhancing access to finance for MSMEs at single-digit rates across the country.
Vice President Shettima advised state governments to set up vehicles that are devoid of political interests to drive the implementation of the syndicated de-risked loans for the MSMEs scheme.
“Some of these initiatives are laudable and will need to outlive the present administrations in the States. Regardless of political affiliations, Nigerians must be seen to be the ultimate beneficiaries of these schemes that we are trying to put in place,” the VP stated.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MSMEs, Mr Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, presented the ‘syndicated de-risked loans’ scheme for small businesses, seeking the cooperation of members and describing it as a game-changing programme to provide affordable and available loans for businesses.
He said the initiative is in acknowledgement of the President’s passion and commitment to the development of small businesses and aimed at providing more jobs for Nigerians.
In his presentation on the state of MSMEs in Nigeria, the DG SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, said the agency was proposing an initiative which was born from a 3-day MSME conference held in 2024.
He said the initiative known as the GROW Nigeria strategy is to provide guidance, resources, opportunities, and the workforce to support the about 40 million small businesses across 8 distinct sectors.
Present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr Ifeanyi Ossai; the representatives of the Governors of Benue and Katsina States; the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Sen. John Enoh; Ministers of Science and Technology, Mr Uche Nnaji; Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi; representative of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria.
Others are the CEOs of Bank of Industry (BOI), Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON); National Bureau of Statistics (NBS); the Presidents of NACCIMA and National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME).
FG Moves To Fast Track MSMEs Growth, Sets Up C’ttee To Enhance Financing
Akume Insists Tinubu Means Well for the Nation
By: Michael Mike
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen.George Akume has said President Bola Tinubu means well for the nation, pledging to continue to work hard to support the Nigerian leader to achieve his many laudable programmes and vision for the country.
Akume made the promise at the weekend when he was decorated as “Star Associate of President Tinubu,” and Grand Patron of the Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates (NTCA),
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, made the declaration while he was decorated as “Star Associate of President Tinubu” by the National Co-ordinator/President of the Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates (NTCA), Hon. Henry Nwabueze, who led a delegation of leaders of the Movement to the SGF ‘s office at the weekend in Abuja.
Akume pledged to continue to support the policies of President Bola Tinubu in his quest to make Nigeria safe and economically viable again.
He also pledged to continue to work hard to support the Nigerian leader to achieve his many laudable programmes and vision for the country.
Nwabueze, on his part said Sen. Akume has given so much in service to Nigeria and in support for the Tinubu Administration that he became the best choice for the position of the Movement’s Grand Patron and the first to receive the award of “Star Associate of President Tinubu,” an award intended for those in diverse fields of endeavour whose very efforts are promoting the vision of Mr. President for a better Nigeria.
According to Nwabueze, a former President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and distinguished Delegate at the 2014 Justice Kutigi Nigerian National Conference initiated by the Jonathan Administration, Sen. Akume represents the Tinubu Administration’s efforts aimed at injecting competence, maturity as well as discipline and hard work in public governance, and thanked the SGF for accepting the two honours, revealing that in the weeks ahead Nigerians would see the advocacy campaigns of the Movement in support of President Tinubu’s efforts at repositioning the country.
He reiterated the advice to Nigerian politicians that anyone who is wishing to contest for the Office of President in 2027 should have a rethink, stressing that there will be no vacancy in Aso Rock Villa in that year.
Nwabueze added that: “The occasion today is a very short one and, therefore, does not require long speeches.
“Let me start by conveying the appreciation of the entire membership of the Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates (NTCA), both at home and in the Diaspora, all who have unanimously agreed that the man that has been chosen as our Grand Patron more than fits the bill.
“For several years, even before some of us were born,His Excellency, Distinguished Senator (Dr.) George Akume,CFR,has continued to serve this nation in diverse capacities.
“Whether as Permanent Secretary or Governor in his native State of Benue, Sen.(Dr.) Akume has for over fifty odd years held the flag of service and servant-leadership that has produced men and women of consummate repute and honour.
“Whether as Senator, Minister or even Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Sen.(Dr.) Akume’s place in the annals of history of our great nation remains one of honour well-deserved and laurels perpetually treasured.
“So, as we stand here today to decorate him as our Grand Patron and Star Associate of President Tinubu,the first in our list for such Honours,we are merely giving expression to what those who came before us saw to enlist him in the Benue Plateau Civil Service of his day,to make him Permanent Secretary in the Benue State Civil Service many years later,to make him Governor,to make him Senator, Minister and, today, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
“On behalf of the National Executive Council and, indeed,the General Congress of the Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates at home and abroad, I, Uche Henry Nwabueze, with the powers tacitly conferred on me by the Constitution of our Organisation, and in the name of the Most High God… Decorate you as Grand Patron of NTCA and as a Star Associate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Your Excellency, the SGF is by this decoration welcomed to function in this capacity with all the rights and privileges attached thereto.
“Accept our humble congratulations,Your Excellency, our Grand Patron,”
The Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates( aka: No Vacancy in Aso Rock 2027) is a registered group of like-minded Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora,who are committed to the promotion of the laudable efforts and programmes of the Tinubu Administration to repositioning Nigeria for greatness
The Movement has membership in all the States of the Federation and the 774 Local Government Councils.
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