National News
Ghana, Nigeria to invest in non-oil sector- Envoy

Ghana, Nigeria to invest in non-oil sector- Envoy
By: Michael Mike
The Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Rashid Bawa on Thursday revealed plans by his country and Nigeria to partner in area of non-oil sector.
The Envoy stated this at the 2022 Ghana Nigeria Business Council CEO Forum in Abuja.
Bawa said the latest partnership between the two countries would extend to the agricultural sector such as cassava and ginger production.
He said: “This is the first Ghana Business Council Meeting. We are looking at various areas of cooperation. There have been series of meetings in the last few days. We are looking at the non-oil sector; in the area of cassava and ginger production.”
Bawa, while noting that the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana have been for ages, said: “It is difficult to put a finger on the number of Nigerians visiting Ghana for various reasons daily, and vice versa.”
He added that: “However, according to a report published by the US Department of Economic and Social Studies in 2019, there were more Ghanian residents in Nigeria than any other country in the world with 233,002 persons. This was followed by Ghanians living in UK and the US.”
The forum, which is historic according to him, is the first of its kind since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
He said: “The forum aims to encourage the private sector operatives of our two countries to pull resources together to be competitive when trading under AfCFTA,” insisting that: “We have the framework of ECOWAS protocol in the last fourty years to promote this kind of activities,” and then with the coming up of AfCFTA, “Ghana-Nigeria have the biggest economies in West Africa region, it is high time we formalize these engagements in order to take full advantage of the potentials between both countries.”
He said with this forum, there should be many more to come, for “we don’t want it to be a one-time forum. We want to sustain it. As we speak, the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council and Ghana Investment Promotion Council are working out arrangement in ways they will have annual meetings among themselves.
“There will be coordination between Nigeria and Ghana businessmen. We believe that pretty soon, we are going to have certain collaboration that will be beneficial to both countries.”
Meanwhile, Ghanians CEOs have been urged to create platforms for Nigerians to connect with investments opportunities that can generate growth for economies of both Ghana and Nigeria and create a win-win situation for both countries.
The President, Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry, ACCI, Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar in his opening remark at the 2022 Ghana Nigeria Business Council CEO Forum in Abuja urged Ghana to take advantage of the population of Nigeria as it presents a large consumer market for investors and traders.
He said: “In 2009, Nigeria net trade with Ghana in the export of metal was $2.1 billion, transportation $1.59 billion, mineral product $232 million.
“In 2019, Ghana had a trade net with Nigeria in the export of footwear and headwear worth almost $105 million, foodstuffs worth $25million and chemical products worth over $11million dollars.
Abubakar who was represented by Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, a former minister of state for health and later foreign affairs, who is the Vice President Communication, Strategy and External Relations of the ACCI, said the forum underscores the importance of the partnership between the countries over the years, urging that the forum should not just be a one off thing.
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Abubakar commended the effort of ECOWAS and the governments of Nigeria and Ghana towards the quick intervention in resolving the crisis between the Nigerian and Ghanians traders in Ghana.
He said: “I think the intervention will go a long way in making sure that the relationship between the two countries and the vision of the ECOWAS to be quickly integrated.
“So it is highly commendable that the government of these countries have taken initiative towards solving this crisis.”
He however lamented that the forum was coming a little late for if had existed the crisis between Nigerian and Ghanaian businessmen would not have festered. He admitted though that it was rather late than never.
Ghana, Nigeria to invest in non-oil sector- Envo
National News
VP SHETTIMA AND THE ILLOGICAL PERMUTATIONS FOR 2027

VP SHETTIMA AND THE ILLOGICAL PERMUTATIONS FOR 2027
By: Inuwa Bwala
As happened in 2023, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was to name his running mate, vested interests are again up in arms, trying to hoodwink or armstwist him into doing their bids.
What people forget, however, is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a master schemer and knows exactly what to do at the appropriate time. Contrary to what many people think, he has his own game plan and can not be compelled to play to the gallery.
In the last few weeks, I have read a plethora of writeups trying to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prescriptions on how to chart a new political course if he hopes to achieve his second term bid in the 2027 general elections.
Many of the write ups contain permutations in the event of the emergence of a perceived strong opposition and that unless he drops his Vice President for another person, he will have a difficult task.
As a student of political history, and given our experiences, I dare say that if Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima could win in the face of all the obstacles placed in their ways from within and from without there does not appear any threat to this same ticket in 2027.
I must confess that I have not yet met a shrewed political strategist in Nigeria like the President who against all permutations settled for Kashim Shettima neither am I aware of any politician who could be as loyal dedicated and determined to his Boss as Shettima has demonstrated over the years.
The game is already on, and the biggest threat to Tinubu in 2027 is indeed any attempt to shift the goalpost in the mu
middle of the game.
As far as I know, the combination has given a very good account of itself, and with the rays of hope beyond the immediate horizon, Kashim Shettima remains President Bola Ahmed Tinubu best choice
I am aware that people have been trying to drive a wedge between them by framing false narratives that are neither here nor there. So as not to embolden those who are heating up the polity unnecessarily, the silence maintained on political permutations remains the best by both the president and the vice president.
Silence on certain issues has paid off for both of them before, and it will again pay off.
When people thought Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sick and weak and may even die before the end of his first tenure, he maintained a golden silence on his health status and rather magnified it as real thereby tricking all Nigerians into believing it was true.
Now that he has proven to be healthy and strong, the voices that predicted a doom for the presidency are silent.
VP SHETTIMA AND THE ILLOGICAL PERMUTATIONS FOR 2027
National News
Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region

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
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