National News

Nigeria Threatens To Dump ECOWAS Over Discrepancies in Recruitment

Published

3 years ago

August 5, 2022

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Nigeria Threatens To Dump ECOWAS Over Discrepancies in Recruitment

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria has threatened to withdraw its membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over alleged discrepancies in ongoing recruitment exercises by the regional body.

The regional body was recently directed at the 2022 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja to suspend the ongoing recruitment, which some Nigerian representatives at the Parliament alleged was never stopped.

The Nigerian representatives on Thursday subsequently issued the threat of pulling their nation from the body should the directive to suspend the exercise is not immediately respected, they alleged that some principal officers in the regional bloc have defiled the directives and embarked on the illegal process of recruiting their relatives and cronies.

The lawmakers, while citing the huge financial commitments that Nigeria makes to the body while relegating funding to its internal security challenges, claimed there was no commensurate return on investment for Nigeria in ECOWAS for all the country has done and is doing for the region.

Leader of the Nigerian delegation and Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Ahmed Idris Wase said it has become imperative that Nigeria review its relevance and membership in the bloc.

He said: “If you are in a system, and you are not getting the right results, where you are investing your money, it pays best to walk out of the union.

“In a situation where we are having an infrastructural deficit and witnessing security challenges, why should we continue to invest our money where it will not benefit our country?

“Yes, we will pull out if we don’t get the desired result from this.”

He added that: “We are asking for justice not just for Nigerians alone, but for the entire ECOWAS community. That is what MPs are asking for. There are few countries that want to run ECOWAS like a cabal but we will not tolerate that.”

The Nigerian Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, Musa Nuhu, had also to have written to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Mohamed Tunis on the nepotistic employment scandal rocking ECOWAS.

The letter from Nuhu was dated July 20, 2022, and titled, “Formal complaint about unfair treatment and confirmation of staff at the ECOWAS parliament.”

He wrote in the letter that “I have the honour to refer to our verbal discussion on the above subject matter and formally inform you that the attention of the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the ECOWAS Commission has been drawn to a number of complaints by Nigerian staff working at the ECOWAS Parliament. The grievances border around stagnation and overlooking of staff already working in the parliament in favour of outsiders in the ongoing recruitment for divisional heads and professional staff.

“This action directly contravenes the recommendations of the 30th meeting of the ECOWAS Administrative and Finance Committee as well as the position of the Council of Ministers, which directed that internal candidates should be prioritised in filling existing vacancies in ECOWAS institutions, as recommended in the Staff Skills Audit Report.

“The Honourable Speaker may kindly wish to note that the mission has examined the complaints of the staff of the parliament based on existing staff regulations as well as the decisions and guidelines given by the AFC and Council of Ministers for ECOWAS institutions to carry out the recruitment and found that their grievances are genuine.

“Therefore, as you rightly observed during our discussions, recruiting individuals outside the system to place them above the existing staff would only lead to discontent, demoralisation and continued stagnation of the staff. This will inevitably affect the overall performance of the Parliament.”

The controversy, it was learnt came on the heels of the implementation of the provision of the staff regulation of the Commission. It is understood that each institution in ECOWAS gets permission (since there is a freeze on recruitment) to employ from the AFC/ Council of Ministers. Thus, Parliament needs to show that the permission was given.

The system, which allows that internal candidates are first considered for positions (internal advertisement of positions with the institutions of ECOWAS) before looking externally for candidates where internal candidates have not measured up to requirements, has been jettisoned because it allows the powers that hold sway to bring in their relatives to occupy those positions.

A source told journalists that those recruitment exercises are never fair because before they are even conducted, you will start hearing about preferred candidates already and about instructions to the so-called consultant in charge of bringing out the long list from the entire list of applicants, to ensure that some people are not on that list and also that those preferred candidates make it to the top of those lists.

Wase said the fact remains that as of today, Nigerian lawmakers are in receipt of certain misgivings, and protestations by people who are so affected.

He said: “I may not know if such protestations existed in the Fourth Assembly, as at today, these protestations are evident before us and we are duty bound to attend to them like we have indicated and in the cause of our engagement we are not restricting ourselves to what has happened today. If you listened to our intent on the floor, we said that for the past ten years, whatever it is that had happened in the past ten years, the one that has to be remedied, the one that requires sanctions, I am sure that at the end of the day, without preempting the resolve of the committee, we will get to that point.”

Wase reiterated that Nigeria has done so much for ECOWAS, explaining that over 60 per cent of ECOWAS funding comes from Nigeria.

He said: “We have staffers who are of Nigerian origin that may have done better or progressed rapidly in their career if they were within the bureaucracy of the Nigerian civil service. Their colleagues and contemporaries in the Nigerian civil service are now directors and even permanent secretaries and those of them in ECOWAS institutions have stagnated for years. They are not promoted because they are engaged as casual staff. We cannot subject these staff to remain at the same level for more than 10 years. ECOWAS employed them as casual staff and kept them as casual staff for that long.

Wase said: “It offends the International Labour Organization (ILO), Convention on Forced Labour. I was an activist and a unionist, before joining politics. We cannot keep an employee for more than six months on a casual basis, it is against international law. But here we have kept them for a number of years, up to nine years, it is inhuman.

“What the Parliament is talking about is transparency, and doing the right thing in the right manner. I heard them saying that the audit report was inconclusive, it then meant that there were issues. Whether inconclusive or not, in Parliament, there is what we call an interim report. So, there was an interim report, and that is what some members were relying upon, it does not mean that because they were unable to conclude, then there was nothing. There was something on the table, and I will refer to that inconclusive report that the Secretary General mentioned as an interim report before the Parliament, which of course should be used, and considered because it raised issues regarding the imbalance in the composition of the staff.”

According to Wase, the Nigerian constitution in Section 14 (4) provides that, the composition of government shall be in a manner that reflects the federal character. “Now, we have people who possibly have one opportunity and they want to bring in their relatives, and their siblings against the larger interest of our community. Common judgment teaches us that when you have nations coming together, we should do the distribution in such a way that justice and fairness takes the centre stage”

He said that if Nigeria had not asked for 60 per cent benefit in ECOWAS before now, it must have been a mistake “because our dividend should be equivalent to our contribution and investment. And if that is not done and the little that we have in the system is being humiliated, we will not take it.

“From the National Assembly of Nigeria, we are also going to probe our Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Finance Minister who is giving the money and the Commissioner who is representing us at the Commission. What are they doing there, are they part of this nonsense going on, possibly because they have one interest to protect or the other? We will not allow that to happen. We will expose everybody from the Nigerian Parliament and sanctions will follow. We will sanction anybody found wanting in the process,” he added

Last month, at the 2022 First Ordinary Session of the Parliament, the lawmakers passed a resolution to suspend the recruitment exercise after Nigerian representatives at the parliament alleged discrimination and lopsidedness in the recruitment of workers at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja.

The motion to suspend the recruitment and promotion in the ECOWAS Parliament was moved by Hon. Awajim Abiante, a Nigerian lawmaker at the ECOWAS Parliament.

The motion was seconded by Sen. Abiodun Olujimi, a Nigerian Lawmaker at the Parliament, supported by Hon. Yousoufa Bida and concurrently agreed by the house.

Abiante, who represents the Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency in the House of Representatives said “The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament is duty bound to respect the resolutions of Parliament.

“If he does not respect the resolution of Parliament, I wonder which Parliament he is heading.

“So, it is left for him to answer where he stands.

“You know, probably some of us are not well experienced, relative to Parliamentary requirements and procedures.

“Therefore, if one is not experienced, we could expect this kind of action. But the Speaker is duty bound to obey the resolution of Parliament.”

“He is first amongst equals, but we are all members of Parliament, by certain requirements, somebody has to lead.

“So, if he is the Speaker today, it does not make him senior or superior to any Member of Parliament.

“And who is he speaking for? He is speaking for the entirety of all of us and if we have come and raised issues, and resolutions taken, saying stop this, he is duty bound to obey.

“So, whatever they had done, we the parliamentarians see it as an effort in complete futility.”

When contacted, the Secretary General of the Parliament John Azumah from Ghana said he was unaware of any audit report that talked about employment and promotion. “I don’t know where they got that information from that they were talking, but you know that on the floor of the Parliament, you cannot stop them.”

“For me, I don’t have any information about this, but let me tell you this, the First Deputy Speaker would have done himself good if he had called me to explain what is happening in ECOWAS to him. I don’t know where they got that information from. There is no audit report like that. It is true that ECOWAS did a skill audit some time ago, but it was inconclusive. The skill audit that was done for the whole ECOWAS institution was inconclusive.

“So, if you went and were extracting information and you got something from staff, you are looking for your interest, sometimes they will give you half information, because of their interest. They would not give you the full information, then you just pick it as an MP and you start talking.

“The staff will tell you that this is happening at the Commission, this is happening at the court and this is happening at the Parliament, it is not true, just because of their interest. For me, if you have that, you have to rely on some credible officers to validate the veracity or otherwise of the information before you come to the floor. When they were talking, I was just laughing in my heart, I am telling you the truth because they were just ridiculing themselves,” he added.

National News

NIMC Trains Corps Members for Nationwide NIN Ward Enrollment

Published

17 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NIMC Trains Corps Members for Nationwide NIN Ward Enrollment

By: Michael Mike

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in partnership with the
Ministry of Youth Development and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),
has commenced the training of selected Youth Corps members to drive the
National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment to all the wards in the country.

According to a statement by the Head, Corporate Communications of NIMC, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, the initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope
Agenda of enrolling and issuing the NIN to all Nigerians and legal residents
within the shortest time possible.

Adegoke said NIMC has enrolled and issued the NIN to over 120 million Nigerians and legal residents and, therefore, intends to cover hitherto unreachable areas through
the Ward Enrolment initiative.

He disclosed that the Corps members selected are currently undergoing intensive training in preparation for the kick-off of the ward enrollment.

He said: “Consequently, Nigerians, most especially children below the age of 16 years are by this initiative encouraged to enrol for the NIN in their respective wards.
This initiative aims to take NIN enrolment closer to the people.”

The NIMC DG/CEO, Engr (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote lauded the
immeasurable support of President Tinubu towards the achievements of the
NIMC mandate.

She also appreciated the commendable efforts of the Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, and the DG, NYSC, Brigade-General, Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu.
End

National News

FG, German Government Collaborate on Waste Management in Nigeria

Published

17 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

FG, German Government Collaborate on Waste Management in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government and its German counterpart are collaborating in management of waste in Nigeria with the building of capacity on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

In order to sell the message of waste management, a day workshop on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), was organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA)
in collaboration with technical partner, Adelphi, with funding from the Government of Germany, and supported by various stakeholders committed to advancing sustainable production and waste management in Nigeria.

Delivering a keynote address at the workshop in Abuja, the Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Lawal said:
“A particularly noteworthy aspect of Nigeria’s EPR framework is our explicit commitment to the inclusion of the informal sector. We recognize the invaluable role played by our waste pickers, aggregators, and small-scale collectors. They are the unsung heroes who have for long been the backbone of waste recovery in our communities.

“Our policy actively seeks to integrate them, organizing them into cooperatives, providing incentives, and formally recognizing their contributions. This is not just about efficiency; it is about social equity, job creation, innovation, and entrepreneurship development as well as ensuring a just transition towards a sustainable future for all.”

The Minister, who was represented by Director General – National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Abubakar Saleh, noted that: “This workshop is designed to empower you, our policymakers, industry leaders, environmental professionals, and civil society representatives, with the knowledge and tools needed to implement EPR effectively in Nigeria. You will delve into the intricacies of EPR system design, explore complementary measures, understand the institutional frameworks, and learn from compelling case studies from around the world. We will collectively identify challenges, such as infrastructure gaps, data management, and financing models, and collaboratively devise practical, “Made-in-Nigeria” solutions.”

He insisted that: “The path ahead will require dedication, collaboration, and a willingness to adapt. But I am profoundly optimistic. With the strong legal and regulatory foundation laid by NESREA, the unwavering support from our international partners like Adelphi, and the collective expertise and commitment present in this room, we can transform our waste management landscape. We can create new industries, generate green jobs, protect our natural environment, and ensure a sustainable future for our children.

“Let this workshop be a springboard for concerted action. Let it be a testament to our resolve to turn the tide on plastic pollution and to usher in an era of circularity and environmental prosperity for Nigeria,” he charged, while commending the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea) project (PROTEGO) team as well as the team at NESREA for jointly conceptualizing and organizing the workshop, equally praising every participant, on-site or online, for their interest and presence.

On his part, the Director General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor said: “Today’s workshop is not only timely but strategic. As the Regulatory Agency charged with enforcing environmental standards in Nigeria, NESREA recognizes that marine pollution and plastic waste remain pressing challenges—posing significant threats to our ecosystems, public health, and economic sustainability.”

He explained that: “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has emerged globally as a proven and proactive policy instrument to address such challenges. It places the responsibility of post-consumer waste squarely where it belongs—on the producers. This model incentivizes sustainable product design, fosters accountability, and ultimately reduces the burden on public waste management systems.

“This workshop is designed with a clear focus: to deepen our collective understanding of EPR systems and equip stakeholders with practical tools to design, refine, and implement EPR programmes effectively. The sessions will feature interactive modules, global case studies, group exercises, and toolkits that will be shared for continuous self-paced learning.”
He assured that: “At NESREA, we remain committed to strengthening and implementing nationalpolicy, building capacity, and forging partnerships that support the transition to sustainable, circular, and low-carbon environmental systems. We believe that with your collaboration, Nigeria can become a regional leader in producer responsibility systems.”

FG, German Government Collaborate on Waste Management in Nigeria

National News

VP Shettima: We’re Undergoing Quiet But Bold Transformation Under President Tinubu

Published

17 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima: We’re Undergoing Quiet But Bold Transformation Under President Tinubu

** Nigeria, Brazil rejig strategic alliance to boost trade, clean energy, agric, others at business forum

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said Nigeria is currently witnessing a silent but resolute transformation under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This is coming just as Nigeria and the Federative Republic of Brazil have tweaked their strategic alliance to advance economic development in key sectors, including agriculture, food security infrastructure, clean energy, trade and industry, among others.

Senator Shettima who spoke on Wednesday during the Nigeria–Brazil Business Forum tagged, “Roots to Revenue: The Nigeria–Brazil Corridor”, on day three of the Nigeria–Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM), in Abuja, said the renewed strategic alliance with Brazil is grounded in intent, and rich in the potential for mutual growth.

According to him, Brazil’s journey, especially the strides in agriculture, energy, infrastructure and industrial development, speaks to ongoing transformation in Nigeria, and reflects “what is possible when technical capacity is matched with national determination.

“These are the same areas where Nigeria is making bold moves. Under the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Nigeria is undergoing a quiet but resolute transformation. Markets are being opened. Institutions are being rebuilt. Policies are being refocused.

“And what drives these changes is a seriousness of purpose that goes beyond reform for reform’s sake. What we seek are partners who see our direction, who respect our ambition, and who are prepared to walk the path with us,” he stated.

Underscoring the need for the strategic alliance with Brazil, VP Shettima noted that Nigeria is embarking on a journey similar to that of the South American country, particularly in agriculture, as well as the transformation through sustained investment in research, modernisation and support for farmers.

His words: “Our Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones are taking form. Our farmers are ready to operate at scale. But we know the difference between going alone and going far. Brazil can stand with us in this effort, not as a donor, but as a partner in innovation, in training and in investment.

“We are equally attentive to your leadership in clean energy. Nigeria’s energy transition is rooted in what we can control. We are harnessing our gas reserves to power our industries and transportation, while also advancing our renewable energy ambitions. Brazil’s example provides guidance that is real and tested.

“We are eager to learn from your experience in building an energy economy that creates jobs, supports industries and expands access to rural communities. Our teams are ready to engage on how to move from policy to practice, from ideas to infrastructure.”

The Nigerian Vice President further disclosed that Nigeria is encouraged by Brazil’s interest in skills development and human capital, saying it aligns perfectly with one of the most pressing national goals, which is to ensure that the youthful country is prepared for future demands.

“We welcome the opportunity for institutional partnerships that promote training, research and the exchange of knowledge in sectors where Brazil has built strength, and in areas where Nigeria is gaining ground,” he added.

Earlier, the Vice President of Brazil, H.E. Geraldo Alckmin, reaffirmed Brazil’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Nigeria through long-term cooperation, shared innovation, and mutual economic growth.

VP Alckmin described the moment as “one of the most promising” in the history of Nigeria-Brazil diplomatic and commercial relations.

“This is a necessary complement to deepen our relationship. We want this moment to correspond to the production of sustainable partnerships for our people,” he declared.

Highlighting the potential in key sectors such as agriculture, defence, innovation, and energy, Alckmin acknowledged that despite the strong historic and cultural ties, trade volumes between both countries are still much lower than the potential.

“Our trade is growing, but it can increase tremendously. Brazil is ready to work with Nigeria to build a commercially successful South-South corridor,” he stated.

He also spoke on the Green Imperative Initiative (GPI), a $1.1 billion programme to transfer Brazilian agricultural technology to Nigeria, as a model of transformative South-South cooperation.

“Brazil does not just export products, but solutions and ideas,” Alckmin said, adding that under President Lula’s administration, Brazil has simplified its tax regime and is exploring a direct flight route to Nigeria to ease business travel and trade.

On Nigeria’s side, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, called for a reset in the bilateral trade dynamic, lamenting the current $2 billion trade volume, down from $9 billion a decade ago.

“The Nigeria-Brazil corridor is not a nostalgic idea; it is realistic and achievable. Let us walk the talk and ensure our deliberations yield results,” she urged.

Dr Oduwole outlined Nigeria’s priority sectors for investment, including agro-industrial value chains, digital trade, the creative economy, and pharmaceuticals. She also revealed efforts by the Nigerian government to streamline investor engagement through a digital portal tracking live project pipelines.

“We are serious about institutional delivery. Our agencies—NEPC, NIPC, PEBEC, NASENI—are working as one team,” she noted.

Also speaking, Director General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Princess Zarah Mustapha, emphasised state-level reforms as critical to unlocking sub-national investments. At the same time, NIPC’s representative, Mrs Victoria Aigbedion, reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to creating a regulatory climate attractive to investors, especially in mining, infrastructure, creative industries, and logistics.

Members of the Brazilian business delegation who spoke at the forum expressed enthusiasm about Nigeria’s investment landscape and long-term investment possibilities.

VP Shettima: We’re Undergoing Quiet But Bold Transformation Under President Tinubu