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Lawmakers at ECOWAS Parliament Still in Fight Over Employment of Staff

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3 years ago

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Lawmakers at ECOWAS Parliament Still in Fight Over Employment of Staff

By Michael Mike

The controversy surrounding the recent employment by the Economic Committee of West African States (ECOWAS) is not over yet as lawmakers at it’s parliament have rejected a motion to present the outcome of the Ad-hoc committee setup to review allegations of nepotism in the exercise.

The lawmakers registered their protestation against the committee headed by Nigerian Senator Ali Ndume, at the plenary session of the 2nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, in Lome, Togo while alleging that the Speaker of Parliament, Sidie Mohamed Tunis constituted the review committee without recourse to parliament.

The lawmakers noted that it was against the rules of parliament for the recruitment exercise to have gone ahead after it was voted to be suspended in the last parliamentary session when allegations of favouritism were raised.

Hon Awaji-Inombek Abiante who moved a point of order said that the report of the Ad-hoc Committee as set up by the Bureau was given the mandate to work without recourse to its adoption by the Plenary as such was illegal in its entirety.

This position was supported by Nigeria’s Senator Smart Adeyemi, who drew the Speaker’s attention to the adverse implication of the exercise.

Adeyemi said, “when actions are taken that are not in conformity with the spirit and the content of the documents that are supposed to guide us I think Mr. Speaker let us accept that something was done wrong. We should be courageous to say that, but for you to say that you prefer the decision that was not in conformity with the law, as an infringement to the modalities of the Parliament, in fact, the contrary is the case, if we go ahead to accept what is not properly done then the integrity of Parliament itself will be questioned.

“It means that as we are here, somebody can take a decision on our behalf without consulting us. Mr. Speaker with due respect to your position, I personally like you, I respect you, but this decision is not in intent and spirit of the document before us.”

Another lawmaker, Hon. Samson Ahi from Ghana argued that the formation of the Ad-hoc Committee was against the rules of parliament.

He said. “I just want to find out from you Mr. Speaker, are you saying that with the consultation of the Bureau you constituted an Ad-hoc Committee and after that, you gave them a mandate to work without the approval of the entire house, is that what you are saying?

“My understanding is that you can constitute the committee, alright, but it is subject to the approval by the entire members before they can legally work. If you and your Bureau can constitute a committee and they start working without recourse to members before you present your report, then I think there is something wrong with what you have done.”

Also, Nigeria’s Hon. Abdullahi Kamba noted that the Bureau has no right or powers to take the decision and that they should have reverted back to Plenary to form an Ad-hoc committee.

He said: “Not them as the Bureau forming the Committee, it is wrong, and for that matter, I hope that whatever report the Ad-hoc committee has should not be read here, we should form the committee today so that they can start work.”

Responding to the backlash, the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Senator, Ali Ndume said “I am standing here because of the Ad-hoc committee that was formed and vested with powers to investigate on the matters raised by our high Commissioner from Nigeria and also the First Deputy Speaker on the purported irregularities in recruitment which was suspended.

“Our mandate as at that time and now did not lift the ban for the suspension that was the decision that was taken at the Plenary.

“On behalf of the other colleagues that undertook this Ad-hoc job, we didn’t look for the job. In fact in my own case I was in my local government because we were on recess and I was mourning my father; then the Speaker called me to say that there is an issue that came up that is eating the system which was true as at that time and that he needed some members as a committee to immediately look into the matter and report. “

He added that: “We have a mission but now I am embarrassed by the observation of abnormalities. I am not looking for this job and I am sure our other colleagues are not looking for this job. I am also sure that even if a new committee has to be formed it has to be members of this ECOWAS, and I don’t think they are looking for the job either and I don’t think any of us cannot do this job.

“I was thinking that members will hear me out or hear the committee or even adopt if there is abnormality because I know the situations where normally if the head of the institution takes a decision that decision is not questioned, but it looked into with the view of ratifying it.”

Ndume said: “Distinguish colleagues, I don’t want it to put my personal interest but because of the interest of the workers, if not I will not present the report, I will not continue with illegality, you have to decide.”

The Speaker of Parliament, Tunis moved that the recruitment process be suspended indefinitely, a decision which seems to have infuriated Senator Edwin Snowe from Liberia who walked out of the plenary in protest of the deferment.

Shortly after the session, at a press conference, the Speaker of ECOWAS parliament accused lawmakers in the parliament of mischief and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts in order to garner the sympathy of constituents.

He said: “You will recall that in the last session in Abuja, Honourable Members raised the issue of recruitment in the ECOWAS Parliament, in fact the impression at that time was that there were a lot of malpractices regarding the recruitment exercises.

“When I got the information, I decided to set up an independent Ad-hoc Committee, headed by a very senior senator from Nigeria, Ali Ndume, to look at the whole situation and to determine whether in fact Nigerians were marginalized, and whether the process was transparent in line with our Supplementary Act in the staff regulations, and any other issues that may arise from their investigations.”

“They submitted their report to me and I called a Bureau meeting. We looked at the report, we adopted it by law and based on the fact that the committee found out that there was nothing wrong in the recruitment exercises, we decided to go ahead to discuss it, to now consider the Advisory Committee Report. The Advisory Committee is provided for in our Staff Regulations, their responsibility is more or less to look at shortlisting and interviews for staff members. The composition of that particular committee is clearly indicated in our Staff Regulations and how to determine who will be a member is already stated in the Staff Regulations. So it’s just a question of looking at the positions, like if they said the Director of Finance is a member, you look at the Parliament who is the Director of Administration you put the person there. It’s all clear in the Staff Regulations.

“By law and in line with the Supplementary Act we have done our part, but of course because the issue of recruitment initially came up from the Plenary I decided that the Chairman should also report to the Plenary for information purposes only, because the Law does not in any way require Plenary to deal with recruitment issues.

“If you look at the recruitment issues, a reference is made to the head of the institution, which is me, I am the Speaker. I am wearing two hats, one as the Head of Institution and the other as Speaker. So as Head of Institutions I can take decisions with regards to that, but then, I can say because colleagues in the Plenary actually raised the issue I needed to be very clear in my mind and to the public, that in fact the process was transparent and it was all done in line with the Law.

“What I am about to tell you especially for our Colleagues in Nigeria, because this is were there was a huge publicity about malpractices in the ECOWAS Parliament, I want the public to know that the Senator Ali Ndume report which will be given to you clearly exonerated the Parliament that from G to P4 Recruitment as ongoing at the ECOWAS Parliament is transparent and in line with the Staff Regulations and the Supplementary Act, that is very important I want the public especially our Nigerian Public to know, that there we no malpractices. Number two, that Nigerians were not marginalized at all in the whole process.

“As a matter of fact, out of ten positions from the report now that has been submitted to us by the Advisory Committee, 5 of them went to Nigeria, 1 to Sierra Leone, 1 to Senegal, 1 to Guinea Bissau, 1 to Niger and 1 to Ghana, and it also important and very important to inform the general public that 70% of this new recruitment came from the internal staff, that means people who have already been serving the ECOWAS Parliament,” the Speaker explained.

The speaker equally alleged that another reason for the row in parliament was because lawmakers are protesting a new administrative rule that takes away the prerogative to buy air tickets from lawmakers themselves and vested it in administration.

He noted that: “When I came to Parliament in 2018, we used to buy our own tickets then the Parliament would refund. They gave us a threshold for a return ticket, then in 2019, that is before I took over as Speaker, that changed completely because of an audit report which I don’t know the details of because by then I was not the Speaker.

“From then, tickets for MPs were not going to be bought by the MPs. When I took over in 2020 that’s what I inherited, but then in the last two years I have been Speaker there has always been agitations from Honourable Members that we should go back to what was obtained in 2018, or before I joined Parliament that MPs should be buying their own tickets.

“I have been resisting it for some time and resisting because I am one person that always believes in what the rule says.

“The reason why I had decided to encourage the idea of MPs buying their own tickets is because I looked at the budget circular, but then from the figures I saw the Parliament was spending more on tickets for MPs, and we were talking about cutting down cost.

“It will only be proper for me to toe the line of MPs for me to say let us try again this idea of buying our own tickets and see what will come out of it. But I must make it very clear, these are not just proposals, the law as it stands right now, is that Parliament was supposed to buy it.

Lawmakers at ECOWAS Parliament Still in Fight Over Employment of Staff

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ActionAid Nigeria Demands Full Remittance of Fuel Subsidy Gains to Federation Account Amid Rising Poverty and Fiscal Crisis

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3 hours ago

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May 13, 2025

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ActionAid Nigeria Demands Full Remittance of Fuel Subsidy Gains to Federation Account Amid Rising Poverty and Fiscal Crisis

By: Michael Mike

ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has expressed deep concern over the delay and partial remittance of fuel subsidy removal gains by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

This followed revelations contained in the World Bank’s Nigeria Development Update (NDU) titled “Building Momentum for Inclusive Growth, AAN lamented that: “Despite the full removal of petrol subsidies as of October 2024, NNPCL only began transferring revenues to the Federation Account in January 2025 and has, since then, remitted only 50% of the gains.”

AAN in a statement by its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu decried that the withholding of critical national revenue amid worsening economic hardship is unacceptable, noting that the World Bank estimates that these gains should amount to roughly 2.6% of Nigeria’s GDP in 2024 – approximately ₦10 trillion.

AAN stated that withholding half of this revenue from the Federation Account directly undermines the constitutional revenue-sharing framework and denies both the federal and subnational governments vital resources needed to provide basic public services and reduce poverty.

Mamedu said: “At a time when inflation remains high, the cost-of-living crisis has intensified, and over 104 million Nigerians are already living in multidimensional poverty, it is unconscionable that the full benefits of subsidy reform have not been transparently and equitably applied for national development,” warning that unless this fiscal opacity is urgently addressed, the reforms intended to stabilise the economy will only deepen inequality and exclusion.

He said: “We note the World Bank’s commendation of Nigeria’s macroeconomic reforms – including exchange rate unification and tighter monetary policies – but assert that economic stability without inclusive governance and justice for the poor is unsustainable.”

Mamedu said: “Today, ActionAid Nigeria calls for the following urgent actions:

“The President, in his capacity as Minister of Petroleum Resources, must direct the NNPCL to immediately remit the full revenue gains from fuel subsidy removal into the Federation Account, in compliance with the 1999 Constitution and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. Partial remittance is a violation of constitutional principles and endangers public finance transparency.

“The Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General must ensure full transparency in the management and distribution of subsidy savings.A publicly accessible breakdown of allocations and expenditure must be published quarterly to ensure accountability and prevent fiscal leakages.

“The National Assembly must exercise its oversight function by summoning NNPCL leadership for a public hearing and conducting a comprehensive review of arrears, subsidy payments, and remittances.This must be followed by legislative action to prevent recurrence.

“The government must prioritise channelling these revenues toward pro-poor investments – including expanding the national social protection register, improving access to affordable public transport, and supporting local food systems. Without deliberate intervention, the poorest Nigerians will continue to shoulder the cost of reforms they cannot afford.

“The forensic audit of NNPCL, as announced by the Minister of Finance, must be independent, time-bound, and made public upon completion. Nigerians have a right to know how public resources are being managed.

“The Fiscal Responsibility Commission must assert its role in monitoring and reporting breaches of fiscal transparency and revenue remittance. Fuel subsidy savings cannot become another opaque stream of public wealth lost to institutional inefficiency.

“State governments must demand their fair share of the subsidy savings and demonstrate corresponding increases in public investment in education, health, infrastructure, and social welfare. They must also be prepared to sue NNPCL, if full remittances are not made. Furthermore, states must uphold transparency and be accountable in the use of their allocations, ensuring that every naira is directed towards pro-poor programming that delivers tangible benefits to citizens.

“Citizens must actively monitor and track the use of these resources. We urge the public, civil society organisations, community leaders, and the media to hold both federal and state governments accountable. Collective vigilance and civic engagement are essential to prevent corruption and ensure that the gains from subsidy removal translate into improved living conditions for all Nigerians.”

Mamedu reminded all stakeholders that inclusive economic growth cannot be achieved through macroeconomic reforms alone. Nigeria’s aspiration for a $1 trillion economy by 2030 will remain out of reach if fiscal governance continues to neglect the poorest and most vulnerable, insisting that:
“The full and timely transfer of subsidy removal gains is not just a matter of economic reform – it is a test of political will, public trust, and national accountability.”

ActionAid Nigeria Demands Full Remittance of Fuel Subsidy Gains to Federation Account Amid Rising Poverty and Fiscal Crisis

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VP Shettima: We’re Building Bridges To Take MSMEs Across Borders Of African Market

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1 day ago

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May 12, 2025

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VP Shettima: We’re Building Bridges To Take MSMEs Across Borders Of African Market

  • Inaugurates committee on hosting of 4th AU MSME Forum in Abuja

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already taken bold steps to construct digital highways and bridges that would carry Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across borders into the heart of the African market.

According to him, while over 83 per cent of employment in Africa lies in the informal economy, the continent is not short on ideas and digital innovation that offer an unprecedented window to compete with the rest of the world.

Senator Shettima stated this in Abuja on Monday when he inaugurated the oversight committee recently approved by President Tinubu to organise Nigeria’s hosting of the 4th African Union (AU) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Forum, scheduled to hold between June 23 and 27 in Abuja.

Listing some of the administration’s policies and programmes in this direction, the Vice President recalled that Nigeria chaired and spearheaded the AfCFTA Negotiating Forum, and has aligned its investment, digital trade, and competition policies with the agreement.

He noted that it is for this reason that Nigeria also established a Technology Export and Digital Trade Desk to support the nation’s entrepreneurs in exporting services and digital goods across Africa.

This, VP Shettima said, the i-DICE Programme, a 617.7 million dollar investment in digital and creative enterprises, and the 3 Million Tech Talent Programme, is set out to achieve by training Nigerian youths in coding, data science, and digital fluency to power the nation’s transformation.

The VP conveyed the assurance of President Bola Tinubu that Nigeria is ready to lead in shaping Africa’s digital trade future, even as the nation is harmonising its laws to make cross-border commerce seamless, secure, and scalable.

“We have reformed. We have invested. And we are resolved to see this transformation through. But none of us can achieve this in isolation. That is why this forum is not just important. It is indispensable. It provides the blueprint, the platform, and the partnerships that will empower African MSMEs to become the heartbeat of our economic renewal,” he said.

Earlier, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, who is chairman of the organising committee, said the forum will provide a veritable platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas on MSME development and facilitate collaboration across the continent.

He said the theme of the summit, which is on “building resilient MSMEs through digital innovation, market access and affordable financing for Africa”, aligns with the efforts of the Tinubu administration in supporting development and growth in the sector.

On his part, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, who is a member of the organising committee, said hosting the 4th edition of the forum by Nigeria underscores growing confidence in Nigeria in the comity of nations.

The forum, he pointed out, reflects the efforts made by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in providing a conducive environment for small businesses in the country.

In the same vein, the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, also a committee member, commended the leadership of President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for prioritising the well-being and growth of small businesses, in acknowledgement of their contributions to the GDP and economic transformation.

He assured that efforts would be put in place to ensure that Nigeria successfully hosts the forum, while small businesses in Nigeria leverage the platform to improve in areas of access to affordable finance and markets, among other benefits.

On his part, the Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation and MSME, Mr Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, who is secretary of the committee, said the team would work collaboratively to deliver a world-class event that reflects the efforts of the Tinubu administration, assuring that the country would be ready ahead of the opening ceremony on June 23 in Abuja.

Also, Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade & Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, said the state hosts the largest number of MSMEs in the country, close to 70 per cent, adding that the government has taken steps to ease access to funds for these businesses through a N10 billion fund, the Lagos State – Bank of Industry MSME Access to Finance Scheme (LASMECO).

Apart from Lagos State, Benue, Imo, Enugu, Katsina and Ekiti States are all involved in the sub-committees of the project.

In separate remarks, the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry, Dr Olasupo Olusi; the Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr Zacch Adedeji and the Director General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr Charles Odii, who are members of the committee, pledged their commitment and support for the hosting of the meeting, noting that the benefits would positively impact local MSMEs and the overall national economy.

Other members of the committee include Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musawa; Executive Director of NEPC, Mrs Nonye Ayeni; Executive Secretary, NIPC, Mrs Aisha Rimi; CEO, NEXIM Bank, Mr Abba Bello, and President of NACCIMA, Mr Dele Oye.
End

VP Shettima: We’re Building Bridges To Take MSMEs Across Borders Of African Market

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Fire Service Apologises To Families, Nigerians After Fatal Rescue Truck Accident Left Three Dead, One Other in Critical Condition

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2 days ago

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May 12, 2025

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Fire Service Apologises To Families, Nigerians After Fatal Rescue Truck Accident Left Three Dead, One Other in Critical Condition

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Fire Service has sent apologies to the families of the three killed in a headlong collision of a car with its rescue truck.

A statement on Sunday by the Controller of the FFS, FCT Command, Momodu Ganiyu read: “The management of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) has expressed profound regret over the tragic incident that occurred around 11:00 pm on Friday at the ECWA Church Junction around Nitel Junction, Wuse 2, Abuja, following a collision between one of its rescue trucks and a Toyota Camry that resulted in the loss of three young lives and left one survivor critically injured

The statement conveyed the FFS heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and expressed profound sorrow over the incident.

The Service acknowledged the immense pain and loss experienced by the families, emphasising that the victims’ promising futures were tragically cut short.

The FFS also extended prayers for the swift recovery of the survivor, who is currently receiving medical treatment in an undisclosed hospital..

The statement read: “As a service, we are sorry over the unfortunate incident that claimed the lives of three teenagers. We know that it is a difficult time for their family to cope, considering the age range of the children involved in this fatal accident.

“The Federal Fire Service is aware that losing one’s children is a deeply painful experience that marks the radical change of the family’s life and involves a wide range of sad emotions.”

The statement further explained that the accident occurred during a firefighting operation at Avenue Plaza, Banex, when one of the fire trucks, having exhausted its water supply, was en route to refill. Operating at high speed with its siren blaring, the truck collided with the Toyota Camry, which was emerging from a connecting street at the junction.

The statement said: “We want to categorically state that at the time of the incident, the Controller-General (CG) was out of town and could not be immediately reached due to network issues. Upon being informed, the CG promptly returned to Abuja to meet with the affected families.

“He has since ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident and will personally lead a delegation to convey condolences to the bereaved families.

“While a dedicated team has been set up to investigate the tragic incident, the driver has since been detained by the police , while those at the FCT rescue center have also been suspended until the investigation is concluded.”

The Federal Fire Service reiterated its unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property and expresses its deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking event.
End

Fire Service Apologises To Families, Nigerians After Fatal Rescue Truck Accident Left Three Dead, One Other in Critical Condition

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