National News
ECOWAS to Invest in Reducing Barriers to Trade in West Africa
ECOWAS to Invest in Reducing Barriers to Trade in West Africa
By: Michael Mike
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to remove roadblocks of regional integration by investing time and resources on reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers in West Africa.
Speaking at the opening of the 89th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in Abuja, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray said in order to diagnose the state of the region, four strategic objectives have been identified, noting that these would be the focus of “our Management in the next four years. We call this the Commissions 4 by 4 (4 x 4) comprising specific deliverables or results to be realised within our mandate.”
Touray said one of the objectives is to deepen regional integration, adding that “here we intend to invest time and resources on reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers in our Community and improve the business environment for our private sector, fully operationalise the regional payment system to reduce difficulty of transactions in local currencies and over-reliance on international currencies (the US dollars/euros); we also intend to introduce ECOWAS VISA, at the first instance for diplomatic and service passports.”
He also stated that another objective is Enhanced Peace and Security, where there is an intention to fully implement the ECOWAS Action Plan against Terrorism, fully operationalise the ECOWAS Maritime Security Architecture, fully operationalise the National Early Warning and Response Centres and build synergy with the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Mechanism, and continuously build ECOWAS mediation and response capacity.
Touray also said another of the strategic objective is good governance, including good corporate governance to build confidence in the private sector, stressing that: “We will be focusing on building a stronger regime against anti-constitutional changes of government and supporting our Member States to deepen democracy. Our target here includes completing the democratic transitions in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali and strengthening both ECOWAS Court and ECOWAS Parliament to play their respective roles in improving governance in our region.”
He said ECOWAS is equally interested in Inclusive and Sustainable Development, under which there is the intention to increase “our commitment to food security, regional highway development, energy access, disaster response, gender mainstreaming, and climate action.”
He added that: “Besides these four strategic objectives, we have identified two enablers, namely capable institutions and equitable partnerships. Under these capable institutions initiative, we intend to look at our processes and our human and financial resources with respect to partnerships.”
In her address, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Community of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and President of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Dr. Carla Suzi Barbosa lamented that the economies of the countries of West Africa have witnessed the regressive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine-Russia, through food crisis and scarcity of other products that constitute essential goods for the regional populations.
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She said: “Furthermore, our sub-region has been troubled by human insecurity and violent extremism, and more recently by new waves of coups d’état, guided by uncertain compromises — which represents elements of fragility of some Member States in implementing mechanisms that guarantee the sustainability of the values of democracy and good governance.”
She stressed that as a consequence, “we are witnessing increasing situations of human poverty and vulnerabilities such as climate change, irregular rainfall, waves of internal displacement, forced migration, communities kidnapped by armed bandits, among others.”
The Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, in his message charged all the ministers to take the deliberations at the meeting to heart as the entire sub-region depends on them.
He said: “As an assembly of stakeholders with a collective responsibility of deciding on matters relating to integration and development in our region, it behaves on us to discuss all items on our agenda with an open mind in order to find solutions to the numerous challenges threatening our region, including the new wave of food insecurity and persistent obstacle to free trade, particularly on the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor.
“The interest of the citizens of our Community must be paramount and we need to avail ourselves of the opportunity presented by this meeting to articulate positions that will advance the achievement of sustainable economic integration and development of our region.”
ECOWAS to Invest in Reducing Barriers to Trade in West Africa
National News
Kare-Kare Association inaugurates new executive in Nangere
Kare-Kare Association inaugurates new executive in Nangere
Yahaya Wakili
Karai-karai Association Mayinakara Gamataka Nangere local government chapter Yobe state has today inaugurated its executives at the Emir of Tikau place, Sabon Gari.
Speaking at the occasion, the State Chairman Mayinakara, Alhaji Shu’aibu Shansi, thanked His Royal Highness, the emir of Tikau, Alhaji Dr Muhammadu Abubakar Ibn Grema LLD, for the support and cooperation he extended to the association.
He said during the Eid-el-kabir Sallah, by the grace of God, we are going to organize a one-week culture at this place and pray to Almighty Allah (SWT) to upgrade all Karai-karai tribes in the world.
Also speaking, a chieftain in the association, Alhaji Yunusa Yuguda, Jagaba of Fika, said people should know that this occasion is not for the APC, PDP, or any political party; this is for Karai-karai only. If you are from any political party, you can attend the event.
He said our people are ignorant of something; if there is such an event, they will not come or show up because there is a fear of victimization from their political leaders. He added that this association, Mayinakara, is not a political party and is only to unite all karai-karai tribes in every part of the world.
Hon. Halilu Abubakar Mazagane, a member contesting the seat for Yobe South Senatorial District under the PDP in the 2023 general election, said that this association of Mayinakara was established because of me, because I enjoy the impact of the association; it works tirelessly on me.
“I want all that will happen in Nigeria; I want to include Karai-Karai inside and call on Karai-Karai those who have positions in government; if the son of Karai-Karai gets admission and he doesn’t have money to pay the school fees, please pay it for him.” Mazagane added.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Caretaker Management Committee of Nangere local government, Hon. Salisu Yarima, said we are here all on behalf of the Karai-Karai tribe; let us unite ourselves and speak with one voice.
Salisu Yarima urges all karai-karai leaders, or Mayinakara, to embrace the love of each other and call on all media houses in Nigeria and the world at large to publicize the karai-karai tribe in the world.
In his closing remarks, Nangere local government Mayinakara Patron, Alhaji Adamu Chillariye, said that everywhere karai-karai is a karai-karai, you can’t change your tribe; everybody is answering his tribe name, but to my surprise, a karai-karai man doesn’t want to answer his own.
Adding that, may be he fills shame on it; I don’t know; you can’t change your tribe; this is how God made you. He called on those involved in such an attitude to stop it. Adding to that, Mbeno is a mother and the head of organizations, but they left it behind; therefore, he urged them to revive it.
The state chairman, Alhaji Shu’aibu Shansi, further inaugurated the executives of the of the Mayinakara Gamataka Nangere local government chapter, with Dauda Muhammed Nangere as chairman, Yakubu Auta Degubi as secretary, and Audu Ibrahim Dinda as treasurer.
Kare-Kare Association inaugurates new executive in Nangere
National News
Women Face the Toughest Hurdles in Northeast Nigeria
Women Face the Toughest Hurdles in Northeast Nigeria
By: Chi Lael and Dr. Kelechi Onyemaobi
Aisha and her eight children have spent the last three months hiding in the bush in northeast Nigeria. Her husband was killed last year, shot by members of Boko Haram. Aisha managed to escape. “We ran into the forest,” said Aisha, “me and my eight children. We stayed there for three months. Every day, I would look for firewood and risk taking it to town to sell, so I could feed my children.”
Aisha and her children were eventually taken in by a kind family who they still live with. They are amongst the one million people being helped by WFP as food insecurity in northeast Nigeria. “I really appreciate this food. If we didn’t have it, my children would go out to beg around the community,” said Aisha.
Tragically this crisis is not the result of a drought, but conflict that has been spreading through the region during the last decade. It is estimated that more than 30,000 people have been killed in the fighting – and Aisha’s husband is just one of them. The state of Yobe – where Aisha lives – Adamawa and Borno, have borne the brunt. The seemingly bucolic idyll – the camels grazing by the side of the road, the ox-carts ferrying goods for sale – belie the underlying atmosphere of fear.
Nor is Aisha alone in her plight: one in four women in northeast Nigeria are now widows as a result of the conflict, leaving many of these families to suffer from the absence of their fathers and husbands.
Added to this, an estimated 2.1 million people have also had to flee their homes, which in a largely agrarian community severely increases the threat of hunger. If people can’t grow food, work their land, then they risk starving.
Ya Kaka, 25, and her children also receive support from WFP with funding from the European Union (EU). But she is a victim of another aspect of the conflict – forced marriage. When she was 18, Ya Kaka was kidnapped by insurgents to become a ‘bride’ for a soldier – however, Ya Kaka was already married, with children. After three years – having given birth to a baby in captivity – Ya Kaka finally managed to escape and return home.
“I was always scared that I might get caught. But one day, I woke up and decided to escape. I was ready to do whatever it would take,” she said.
Unfortunately, when she returned, Ya Kaka’s first husband rejected her and her new baby because she’d been married – albeit as a kidnap victim – to another man. Now Ya Kaka lives, with four children, in the village of Kukareta, near Damaturu, only able to feed them with the food she receives from WFP. “I’m hoping and praying to God to take away all my pains, I want to forget all I’ve gone through or all that I’m always thinking about,” said Ya Kaka.
Almost 5 million people currently suffering acute food insecurity in need of urgent assistance in the conflict-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. WFP is supporting up to 1 million people with emergency food and nutrition assistance for children, supported by its donors including the EU.
Chi Lael and Dr. Kelechi Onyemaobi work for the United Nations World Food Programme, the
world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. They can be reached via email at Chi.Lael@wfp.org and Kelechi.Onyemaobi@wfp.org
Women Face the Toughest Hurdles in Northeast Nigeria
National News
Eid: Tuggar tasks Muslims to remain resilient, pray for peace
Eid: Tuggar tasks Muslims to remain resilient, pray for peace
By: Michael Mike
The Minsiter of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has tasked the Muslim Ummah all over the world to remain resilient in the face of global challenges.
He made the call in his Eid message to Muslims.
He said amidst the Eid celebrations, adherents of the Islamic faith should reflect on the sacrifices and lessons of the concluded month of Ramadan for guidance.
He enjoined the Muslim Ummah to pray for the country and the success of the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu to bequeath dividends of governance to the entirety of the Nigerian nation.
He further added that adherents should pray for lasting peace in the country and regions plagued by strife and wars across the world.
Eid: Tuggar tasks Muslims to remain resilient, pray for peace
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