Connect with us

News

France Against ECOWAS Single Currency- Members of ECOPARL

Published

on

France Against ECOWAS Single Currency- Members of ECOPARL

By: Michael Mike

The French government has been accused of moving against the adoption of a single currency for the entire West Africa region.

The adoption of the single currency, ECO would have wiped out CFA franc which is currently used by the Francophone countries that are more than have of the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional bloc

The CFA franc was created in the 1930s on the eve of the Second World War, and many critics see it as a neo-colonial device and a form of French monetary imperialism in Africa that continues to destroy any prospect of economic development in user nations.

Hon. Kolawole Taiwo, representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Lagos and a member of the ECOWAS Parliament, said the single currency in West Africa is not about technicalities but about political will to set it in motion.

He said: “Our leaders are not ready to make it happen. There are too many external interferences that are delaying it. For instance the Francophone countries still see France as their master, and the French don’t want to let go of them which was the reason why they came up with CFA franc in order to block the achievements of single currency which is known as Eco.”

He stressed that: “The problem of Eco is not technical but it is the political reason. If our leaders want it to happen tomorrow, they will announce it.“

Another member of the ECOWAS Parliament from Liberia, Mr. Clarence Massaquoi said that achieving a single currency in the region in 2027 demands a practicalised political will to do it.

He said: “We should be concerned about the economy of other smaller countries, which will speak well of the political will of our leaders of their countries.

“I think in the ECOWAS region, we are reluctant to exercise our political will on several decisions.”

He added that “they should not be afraid of political powers which for me is one of the reasons why we lag behind in decisions. I am only hoping that we would say that because it took the EU 37 years to come up with the Euro, so we too should take 37 years even if we have the possibility and prospect and willingness of the people to do it today.”

“I hope ECOWAS can take decisions; the political will is for the structure itself. As it stands, the parliament does not have a full parliament power, so most of the decisions are taken by the authority of Heads of States. If they are not willing to let go of some of the political control and are not willing to stand the fear of losing control, then we cannot thrive. Even the decision to give the parliament full parliamentary power,” he added.

France Against ECOWAS Single Currency- Members of ECOPARL

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

VP Shettima To Represent Nigeria At 2nd UN Food Systems Summit In Addis Ababa

Published

on

VP Shettima To Represent Nigeria At 2nd UN Food Systems Summit In Addis Ababa

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has departed Abuja for Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, to represent Nigeria at the second United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit being held from July 27 to 29, 2025.

Senator Shettima will join other global leaders at the high-level event on advancing the transformation of the coffee value chain as well as engage in other roundtables and meetings aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s food security drive.

The summit will bring together global leaders to reflect on progress made since the inaugural 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and accelerate commitments towards building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems.

The VP will also participate in other events on the sidelines of the summit designed to spotlight real-world examples of food systems transformation, promote knowledge exchange and partnership, and inspire collective action through evidence-based solutions and creative expression.

One of the events on the sidelines of the summit is a ministerial roundtable on public finance, trade, and responsible investment to accelerate the transition, field trips, and networking sessions.

At a recent briefing by the Task Force on the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit, VP Shettima had outlined three key objectives for Nigeria’s delegation: positioning Nigeria as a leader of thought on African food systems reform, leveraging international partnerships aligned with domestic priorities, and advancing a private sector-led model for continental food transformation.

The summit is organised in collaboration with the United Nations, the governments of Ethiopia and Italy. #UNFSS2025

The Vice President is expected back in Nigeria after his participation in the activities at the summit.

VP Shettima To Represent Nigeria At 2nd UN Food Systems Summit In Addis Ababa

Continue Reading

News

Chinese Businessman, 80-year old Grandma Arrested as NDLEA Seizes “Colos” in Moimoi Satchets

Published

on

Chinese Businessman, 80-year old Grandma Arrested as NDLEA Seizes “Colos” in Moimoi Satchets

By: Michael Mike

A Chinese businessman, Liang Tak You and an 80-year-old grandma, Mrs. Grace Ekpeme were among those arrested in the course of last week by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in nationwide interdiction operations leading to the seizure of consignments of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis hidden in bean pudding (moimoi) sachets and Canadian Loud, another strong strain of cannabis concealed in canned food items imported from Canada.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, Liang was arrested by NDLEA operatives at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos last Friday based on actionable intelligence.

He said the suspect, who arrived Nigeria from Bangkok via Dubai, UAE, on Emirates Airline flight, is a Chinese national, naturalised and based in Malaysia, but flew to Thailand where he picked two suitcases filled with 50 parcels of Loud weighing 26.1 kilogrammes before heading to Nigeria via UAE.

Babafemi said upon his arrival at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives who were tracking his movement from his port of departure allowed him to pass through necessary protocols before picking him up on his way out of the airport.

The octogenarian grandma, Mrs. Grace Ekpeme, according to Babafemi, was arrested at Edet-Nsa street, Base Site, Calabar South, Cross River state with over 3 kilogrammes skunk in the early hours of Saturday following intelligence on her drug dealing activities.

He said in Lagos, NDLEA operatives last Wednesday intercepted a suspect Chidi Agbafo along Epe – Ajah expressway while taking consignments of 21.7 kilogrammes Colorado, some of which were packaged in moimoi cooking sachets and 3.8 litres of codeine based syrup in a commercial bus to deliver in Warri and Oghara, Delta state.

The spokesman said at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, a total of 101 kilogrammes Canadian Loud factory packed in 202 tins of imported food item labelled ‘Bean Salad Mix’ and concealed in two Toyota Sienna buses in a container that came from Canada, were recovered, adding that the discovery was made during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA officers, men of Customs Service and other security agencies last Friday.

He said no fewer than 71,000 pills of tramadol, diazepam and exol-5 were recovered from Usman Musa by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja- Kaduna highway last Wednesday when the suspect was travelling with the consignment of opioids in a commercial bus going to Kano.

In Borno, a 30-year-old lady Binta Usman was last Wednesday arrested by NDLEA officers who recovered 30.1 kilogrammes skunk from her house at Muna Moforo area of Maiduguri, with a follow up operation leading to the arrest of her accomplice Bala Abdullahi in the same area of the Borno state capital on Friday.

Babafemi said three brothers: Nanna Ozirinye, Chizom Ozirinye and Maxwell Ozirinye were on Saturday arrested when NDLEA operatives raided a cannabis plantation at bending corner forest, Idoani, Ose local council area of Ondo State where they destroyed 2,500 kilogrammes of skunk on an hectare of land and recovered already processed 121.4 kilogrammes of same psychoactive substance.

In Edo state, NDLEA officers last Wednesday raided the Asakpa community in Benin city, where they arrested a 26-year-old lady Bright Okon and recovered various quantities of Colorado, Loud, Arizona and skunk, all strains of cannabis as well as Methamphetamine from her.

He said while a total of 105.4 kilogrammes skunk was recovered by NDLEA operatives from an abandoned Honda car marked ABC 204 KM in Keffi, Nasarawa state, their counterparts in Niger state last Monday arrested a suspect Bashir Abdullahi with 6,400 pills of tramadol 225mg at Kasuwan Gwari area of Minna, even as a notorious drug dealer Jamiu Omolaja was taken into custody and 113 kilogrammes skunk retrieved from his enclave in Ifo, Ogun state last Thursday after a violent resistance and attack on NDLEA operatives by members of his gang.

Babafemi said a total of 10,910 capsules of tramadol were seized from a suspect Adamu Adamu (a.k.a Dankyado) by NDLEA officers on patrol along Gombe-Bajoga road, Gombe state on Saturday, while operatives in Kogi state last Thursday intercepted a consignment of skunk concealed inside garri, dried scent leaves, and other food items along Okene-Lokoja highway.

He disclosed that a follow-up operation in Abuja led to the arrest of 27-year-old Kindness Bala who was planning to travel to Katsina state with the cargo and later to Qatar.

Similarly, operatives in Kogi on Saturday recovered 23,600 pills of tramadol, 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 700 grammes of skunk from a truck at a motor park in Ayingba area of the state.

Babafemi said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, Apapa, Lagos, Cross River, Edo, Ondo, Nasarawa, Borno, Niger, Ogun, Gombe, Kaduna and Kogi commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Chinese Businessman, 80-year old Grandma Arrested as NDLEA Seizes “Colos” in Moimoi Satchets

Continue Reading

News

Police arrest man for killing mother-in-law in Kogi over false theft alarm

Published

on

Police arrest man for killing mother-in-law in Kogi over false theft alarm

By: Zagazola Makama

The Kogi State Police Command has arrested a man, Yayu Musa, for allegedly killing his 50-year-old mother-in-law, Atayi Abdul, in Olla Community of Omala Local Government Area.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred on Friday, July 25, at about 8:00 p.m., when the suspect lured the deceased to her farm under the pretense that thieves were stealing palm fruits from it.

Upon arrival at the farm, Musa reportedly attacked and slaughtered the woman with a knife.

Police detectives were immediately mobilised to the scene where photographs of the crime scene were taken. The suspect was arrested and is currently in custody.

According to police sources, the family of the deceased refused evacuation of the corpse to the hospital for autopsy, opting for immediate burial in accordance with religious and cultural practices.

The command has deployed joint security patrol teams to the community to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order due to rising tension.

Investigation into the motive behind the killing is ongoing.

Police arrest man for killing mother-in-law in Kogi over false theft alarm

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights