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Ghana’s Minister Calls for Breakdown of Barriers Impeding Trading Among West African Countries

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Ghana’s Minister Calls for Breakdown of Barriers Impeding Trading Among West African Countries


… Invites Nigerian Investors to Come Over to Ghana to Invest

By: Michael Mike

Ghanaian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Samuel Ablakwa has called for tumbling down of the artificial barriers impeding trading among West African countries.

Speaking in Abuja at the weekend during a visit to River Park Estate, a massive investment by Ghanaian entrepreneurs in Nigeria, as part of his official visit to Nigeria, Ablakwa said the 50th Anniversary of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should be used to reinvigorate the push to encourage more trading and investment by citizens of the subregion in the countries of the subregion.

He said the recent decision of American President Donald Trump to stop aids to Africa should be an eye opener for countries in West Africa and the rest Africa to encourage trading and investment among themselves and equally embrace Africa first before others.

On the River Park Estate in Abuja, the Minister said: “When Dr. Kwame Nkrumah proclaimed at our independence in March 1957 that we will show the world that the black man is capable of managing his own affairs. This is representative of that, and I am really inspired about what has been achieved here.

“It shows that when we come together, Ghana, Nigeria, ECOWAS, the rest of Africa and we bring down all of those artificial borders, those artificial borders which really do not mean anything because it cannot separate us. They were so haphazardly done, so hurriedly done during the scramble for Africa, just to share the continent and its resources amongst European colonialists, but over the years, we have just allowed those artificial boundaries to divide us, but today, what we see here is that those boundaries can no longer divide us, and that we transcend those artificial boundaries.

“So from that Berlin artificial division. We are here in Abuja to see what pan Africanism is about, that we can come together. We can unite. We can put our shoulders to the wheel, and we can achieve greatness.

“What this also represents is a new narrative that when we talk about investors, we should not always be looking outside the continent. That we can have African investors and we can open our countries to each other.

“Nigerians can come into Ghana, invest, create jobs, transform our countries. And it should be possible for Ghanaians to come into Nigeria and also create jobs and transform the landscape, transform the kaleidoscope of Nigeria, and that is what we see today. Interestingly, we are speaking at a time that we mark, 50 years of ECOWAS. And many have said that the ECOWAS dream, the dream of sub regional integration, has not yet been achieved as envisioned by our founding fathers, but what we see here today tells us that that dream is alive and that we can come together and transform our sub region, transform our continent, create real opportunities for our people,

“And those opportunities can lead to the progress that Africa needs. And speaking about the state of our continent, there is no other time to reflect on how we should come together and do it ourselves than this time, if we look at what is happening internationally? We are seeing a rise in nationalism. We are seeing the imposition of tariffs. We are seeing a rise in defense budgets. And where are they diverting those resources from? They are diverting resources meant for aid, resources meant for international cooperation, to strengthen their national defense. And many are crying that it turns out that Africa is not really a priority to some of our traditional partners. We have held in high esteem for many, many years that many have described as tragic, but some of us see it as a silver lining. We see it as an opportunity to look within, to build resilience, to come together and to forge our own path towards the progress and development of our continent.

“We can no longer rely on others. We must rely on ourselves and what is happening now should not bring despair. It should rather make us stronger. It should rather make us bolder, and it should make us more courageous, to look within, to dig deep and to come up with solutions that will help our continent progress. And so this is a story that the Foreign Ministry of Ghana is happy to project, and we are going to showcase this as a blueprint of what can be achieved, not only in Abuja, but I believe it can be achieved in Cotonou. It can be achieved in Ouagadougou. It can be achieved in Johannesburg. It can be achieved in many, many other places on the continent. We just have to come together. And once there is a will, there will always be away.”

He added that: “The time has come for Africans to do more business amongst ourselves, to trade more amongst ourselves. And that was the whole vision behind the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.”

He lamented that: “If you look at the statistics, we don’t do business amongst ourselves. We don’t trade amongst ourselves. It’s below 20%, if you look at intra European trade, there’s an excess of 60% same for intra Asia trade, but intra Africa trade, it’s very, very low, and we need to really collapse those artificial barriers and invest in the business ecosystem, creating opportunities venture capital funds, nurturing young entrepreneurs, and we need to also consciously promote made in Africa, So it doesn’t matter where the entrepreneur comes from, and that’s why I’m excited to be here seeing what Ghanaian entrepreneurs have done here, with the support of the government in Nigeria facilitating we also are proud to say that we host a lot of Nigerian businesses in Ghana. If you come to Ghana, the banking sector really is controlled by Nigerian entrepreneurs.”

Earlier, in his welcome address, the MD/CEO of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited; Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited and Mobus Property
Development, Kojo Mensah said as declared by President John Mahama and President Bola Tinubu in Accra that. “”The bond between Ghana and Nigeria is strong and cannot be broken,” those words resonate deeply here. For in River Park, we’ve turned that bond into action. Our collaboration is a rebuke to those who peddle division; it is a testament to the words of the Ashanti proverb: “When brothers unite, the walls of the city shake.””

He said “Africa’s future will not be written in Beijing, Washington, or Brussels— it will be written here, by us. While global partnerships are vital, the greatest catalyst for our growth lies within our subregion. River Park Estate stands as evidence: over 75% of our workforce is Nigerian, 20% Ghanaian, and 5% from other ECOWAS nations.”

He added: “Together, we’ve generated thousands of jobs, spurred ancillary industries, and contributed over $250 million to Nigeria’s GDP. This is the power of intra-African collaboration. Let River Park be a blueprint—a clarion call for Ghanaian and Nigerian businesses to invest boldly in one another’s markets. Let us dismantle barriers, not build them. Let us compete not for crumbs, but for continental supremacy.”

Ghana’s Minister Calls for Breakdown of Barriers Impeding Trading Among West African Countries

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KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

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KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

By: Michael Mike

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has commended Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, for what it described as visionary leadership that has significantly improved job creation, food security, and overall wellbeing of citizens in the state.

In a statement signed by its National President, Khalil Mohammed Bello, the association said the desire of any society is to have a leader who prioritizes the welfare, security, and long-term prosperity of the people, noting that Governor Buni embodies such qualities.

KACRAN praised the governor’s humility and accessibility, describing him as a leader who maintains close contact with citizens to better understand their needs and challenges. According to the association, this people-oriented approach has contributed to sustained peace and unity in Yobe State.

Highlighting key achievements, the group noted that Buni’s administration has consistently invested heavily in agriculture by procuring and distributing farm inputs to farmers at subsidized rates. This, it said, has boosted food production and strengthened food security not only in Yobe but across neighboring states.

The association also lauded the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock, which it said has reinforced Yobe’s position as a leading livestock hub in Nigeria. It added that the construction of modern markets across major towns has further enhanced commercial activities within the state.

On human capital development, KACRAN pointed to the award of scholarships to thousands of students for studies within and outside Nigeria, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure to improve connectivity between rural and urban areas.

The group further commended the governor for creating employment opportunities through recruitment into the civil service and various empowerment programmes targeting youths and women.

KACRAN also acknowledged the efforts of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), led by Mohammed Goje, in providing relief materials to internally displaced persons and vulnerable populations affected by insurgency, floods, and other disasters.

It noted that during the ongoing Ramadan, the state government has intensified food distribution initiatives, ensuring that thousands of households receive daily support as part of broader measures to cushion economic hardship.

While stressing the importance of proactive governance, KACRAN urged other state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to emulate Yobe’s approach to investing in agriculture, human development, and security in order to avert potential food crises and improve living standards nationwide.

The association concluded that sustained commitment to these priorities would promote peace, unity, and long-term stability across the country.

KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

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CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

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CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

By: Zagazola Makama

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has raised fresh concerns over internal complicity in the protracted insurgency in the North-East, urging residents of Borno and Yobe to take ownership of the fight against terrorism.

Oluyede’s position, articulated after a high-level security meeting in Maiduguri, signals a strategic shift in emphasis from purely kinetic military operations to community-driven counterinsurgency, as Nigeria battles the enduring threat posed by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

The meeting, which lasted about four hours, brought together top military commanders, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and other top military officials.

At the heart of the CDS’s message is a troubling reality: the insurgency is being sustained, in part, by individuals that sometimes embedded within affected communities.

According to Oluyede, intelligence reports indicate that many of those responsible for attacks over the past 15 years originate from the same communities bearing the brunt of the violence.

This assertion reinforces long-standing concerns within security circles that local knowledge terrain familiarity, social networks, and community cover has continued to provide operational advantages to insurgents.

He cited a recent example in Kukawa, where troops discovered wounded terrorists hiding within the community during post-attack clearance operations, pointing to the challenge of distinguishing between civilians and collaborators.

The dynamics complicate military efforts, as insurgents exploit familial and social ties to evade detection, making intelligence gathering more difficult despite sustained offensives.

The CDS’s call for residents to “take ownership” reflects a recognition that military القوة alone cannot decisively end the insurgency without active civilian cooperation.

Oluyede’s remarks suggest a push to recalibrate this dynamic by encouraging residents to see the fight as a collective responsibility rather than solely a government burden.

The CDS also acknowledged the evolving tactics of insurgents, particularly the increasing use of drones and other technological in attacks.

Oluyede disclosed that the Nigerian military is adapting, including the deployment of advanced drone systems to enhance surveillance, targeting, and battlefield coordination.

CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

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FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

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Dr Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of Interior, (center), CG Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOS) Sylvester Nwakuche, Mni. (R) and Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, Funke Adeoye (L).

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s correctional system into a hub of rehabilitation, skills development, and national productivity through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The pledge was highlighted at a stakeholders’ engagement on optimizing correctional farm centres, industries, and PPP opportunities, organized by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with civil society and development partners.

Representing the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Permanent Secretary Dr. Magdalene Ajani stated that modern correctional facilities must focus not only on confinement but also on equipping inmates with practical skills for reintegration into society. “Correctional centres must evolve into institutions of transformation—where inmates are prepared to become productive members of society upon release,” she said.

Ajani emphasized the importance of PPPs in achieving this vision, describing them as critical tools for combining government oversight with private sector expertise, innovation, and investment. She added that correctional farm centres and industries could become centres of excellence in agriculture, agro-processing, and value-chain development, contributing to both inmate rehabilitation and national food security.

The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries nationwide, spanning crop production, livestock, fisheries, and poultry.

He noted that collaboration with the private sector would boost productivity, introduce modern techniques, and create sustainable value chains.

Stakeholders, including representatives from government, civil society, development organisations, and the private sector, agreed on the need for actionable and scalable models to drive tangible impact.

On his part, the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions Hon. Chinedu Ogah, called for greater accountability, innovation, and commitment in optimizing correctional farms, noting that agriculture remains a critical driver of economic growth and national security.

The engagement aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s broader reform agenda, which prioritizes institutional strengthening, economic productivity, and sustainable development. Participants were urged to leverage partnerships that transform correctional facilities into engines of productivity, reduce recidivism, and enhance community safety.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated that the success of correctional reform depends on collective action, sustained investment, and a shared commitment to building a humane and development-oriented correctional system.

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

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