National News
Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation
Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation
By: Michael Mike
Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Nile University, Nigeria, Prof. May Nwoye, has implored the ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective formulation, monitoring and implementation of community budgeting for subregional development.
Speaking on the sub-theme: “Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the ECOWAS Parliament in Considering and Monitoring the Community Budget,” at the event with main theme: “The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament in Community Budget Formulation and Monitoring.” Nwoye said
that parliamentarians should be committed to ensuring that the budget always effectively and efficiently aligned with the long-term goal of ECOWAS integration Vision 2050.
Nwoye defined a budget as a financial plan, which forced an institution to map out its goals, control expenditure and keep track of progress to make vision a reality.
The Management Science expert said that effective budget formulation, monitoring and implementation were crucial for achieving both financial stability and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
“For me, ethical budgeting is the building block of financial management.
“Effective budget formulation is crucial for achieving economic stability, promoting economic growth and ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
“We should take a collective resolve to decolonise our region through ethical budgeting that is goal-oriented, effective and efficient towards the recovery of our ecosystem.
“We must, therefore, tackle the old impediments to be able to confront new imperatives, and contribute in ensuring that Africans benefit from their resources.”
The academic noted that the subregion was besieged with economic predicaments and was currently faced with the problem of formulating an impeccable system capable of delivering socioeconomic services to the citizenry.
She told the parliamentarians that their bringing financial management issues for discussion at the event showed how important the parliament viewed the goals and programmes of pursuing regional economic development.
Nwoye said that in order to promote ECOWAS’ economic integration vision across the region, which required humongous resources, the lawmakers must be strategic in their plan and intentional in their approach.
“The essence of this event is to encourage parliamentarians to improve on their knowledge of community budget formulation and implementation.
“The event also aims to help participants attain a better understanding on how to mitigate the challenges associated with considering and balancing the community budgets.
“The knowledge of financial management will play a pivotal role in the strategic and operational functions of most of your activities.’’
The expert also stressed the need for parliament to have a cordial working relationship with the ECOWAS Commission and the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) in implementing the 2016 Supplementary Act.
She said that various sectors were competing for the same limited and scarce resources; hence, they were expected to negotiate for adequate allocation of funds by justifying why they wanted the money.
“ECOWAS Parliament should also facilitate collaboration and coordination among the ECOWAS institutions and relevant bodies within the community for effective and efficient budget formulation, monitoring and implementation.
“Implementing effective budget monitoring and control measures is crucial for ensuring that their budgets are accurate and that budget variances are minimised.
“By closely monitoring and controlling the budget, ECOWAS Parliament can identify potential issues and take appropriate actions to address them in a timely manner,” she said.
Nwoye urged the parliament to leverage ICT by deploying budgeting software or tools, which could greatly enhance the effectiveness of budget monitoring and control.
“These tools provide real-time visibility into budget performance, automate data collection and analysis, and generate reports and alerts to keep stakeholders informed,” she said.
She said that to ensure accountability and transparency, the parliament should create a budget oversight committee to oversee the monitoring and control process as well as applying deliberate efforts to regularly track and review budget performance.
Don urges ECOWAS parliament to ensure effective budget monitoring, implementation
Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region
By: Our Reporter
A deserter from the Niger Republic Armed Forces who reportedly joined the terrorist group Boko Haram has surrendered to local authorities in Kindjandi, located in the Diffa Region of southeastern Niger Republic.
The individual, identified as Abba Ibrahim, had been serving with the Nigerien Armed Forces since 2022 before deserting his post in Bosso on March 8, 2025, according to military intelligence sources. He fled alongside a fellow soldier, Bandam Dala, and subsequently joined a Boko Haram faction active in the Lake Chad area.
Security sources disclosed that Ibrahim surrendered on April 21, 2025, arriving in Kindjandi on horseback with a rifle. He was accompanied by an unidentified young man whose details are yet to be confirmed.
Ibrahim was taken into custody by the Nigerien Armed Forces on the morning of April 22, 2025, and is currently undergoing debriefing and interrogation by military intelligence.
The Diffa Region has remained a hotspot for insurgent activity due to its proximity to Lake Chad and border areas with Nigeria, where Boko Haram and other extremist groups operate.
Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region
National News
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
By: Michael Mike
The West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) has commended the initiative by ECOWAS to extend an invitation to the governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger for the official launch of ECOWAS’ golden jubilee in Accra.
The Network, in a press statement on Tuesday, said it supports the initiative by ECOWAS to ease tensions and foster diplomacy in a bid to sustain the common heritage, shared history, and longstanding socio-cultural ties of the peoples.
The statement read: “As ECOWAS opens its doors and extends an arm of friendship and collaboration to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the Network encourages the three countries to reciprocate the gesture, upholding the spirit of good neighbourliness and cross-border cooperation. Such
cooperation is necessary now more than ever, especially as we require a concerted effort to confront matters of common interest to the subregion, such as security and trade.
“WADEMOS maintains the position that the restoration of trust and confidence between
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, on the one hand, and ECOWAS, on the other hand,
remains critical to sustaining cooperation and enhancing the free movement of goods and people. Building trust and confidence, we believe, is also critical to effectively combat the growing threat of terrorism across the subregion.
“Considering the close ties that exist among the West African peoples, WADEMOS
continues to urge the three Sahelian countries to be reconciliatory in their engagements with ECOWAS.”
WADEMOS is an independent and non-partisan network of diverse national and transnational civil society organisations and civic groups working to promote and defend democracy, good governance, and inclusive development in the West Africa region.
It mobilizes, coordinates, and leverages the collective voice and power of civil society and other pro-democracy actors, resources, and opportunities within the West Africa region to advance its mission. The current membership of WADEMOS stands at 47 spread across West Africa.
The WADEMOS Secretariat is based in Accra, Ghana.
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
Interior Minister Orders Investigation into Alleged Extortion by NSCDC Officers
By: Michael Mike
The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has ordered an immediate investigation into allegations of extortion involving officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The officers, according to a viral post, allegedly extorted ₦5.2 million from a group of young men traveling from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State to Akure, Ondo State.
The Minister, in a statement by his spokesman, Babatunde Alao, noted that any officer found guilty will face the full weight of the law.
He said: “We will not tolerate any form of misconduct from our security agencies.
“We are building a paramilitary that is disciplined, professional and serve Nigeria and Nigerians with all sense of diginity and patriotism.
“On this case, we will see that justice is upheld and ensure that security personnel serve with forthrightness,” he said.
Interior Minister Orders Investigation into Alleged Extortion by NSCDC Officers
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