Politics

Police Announce Traffic Diversion over APC Primaries

By Web News 417

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has announced traffic diversion ahead of the APC presidential primaries slated for today, June 6 and 7 at the eagle square in Abuja.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, DSP Josephine Adeh, in a statement on Sunday said the command had also emplaced a security architecture to effectively police the territory within the period and beyond.

Adeh said the diversion and emplacement of other architecture to complement existing ones was in view of the high influx of visitors into the territory.

She said the traffic diversions were as follows, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan by Court of Appeal point, behind Court of Appeal, ECOWAS by Women Affairs and Finance.

Adeh said traffic would also be diverted behind Foreign Affairs, Kur Mohammed by National Mosque, Benue Plaza, Nitel junction, NNPC Tower and Ceddi Plaza bridge.

She said other points of diversion were Gana by Transcorp, DSS Headquarters, NASS Junction, Bullet and Bayelsa House.

According to her, the deployment would be characterised by heavy visibility policing at the various traffic control points to aid the free flow of traffic, stop and search, as well as vehicular and foot patrol.

She said the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Mr Babaji Sunday had registered the command’s unflinching commitment to sustain relative peace and tranquility in the territory.

She noted that the idea was to boost the onward march against crime and criminality in the territory.

She urged residents to shun all forms of violence in the period and beyond.

Daniel Adejo

News

President Buhari Delegates Osinbajo To ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit On Political Situation In Burkina Faso , Mali & Guinea

By Web News 710

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, departs Abuja this morning for Accra, Ghana to represent Nigeria at an Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government deliberating today on the political situation in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea.

The meeting which is coming as part of the resolutions reached at last week’s virtual meeting chaired by Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo, will review the report of the ECOWAS delegation despatched to Quagadougou to meet with the military junta who recently seized power in Burkina Faso.

The summit will be attended by regional leaders who will be considering imposing additional sanctions after the country was suspended from the regional body last week.

Last Monday, soldiers forced the removal of democratically elected President Roch March Kabore from office in a military coup. The military takeover of government in Burkina Faso follows the same occurrence in Mali and Guinea recently.

It would be recalled that the President has been delegating the Vice President to represent Nigeria at a series of ECOWAS leaders’ summits on the issues of undemocratic, military takeover of governments in the region.

The Vice President will be accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Presidential Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, himself also an Ambassador, and other top Nigerian diplomats. The VP is expected back in Abuja later today.

Adewumi Faniran /PR

Politics

Osinbajo to Represent Nigeria at ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit

By Web News 669

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, departs Abuja for Accra, Ghana this morning to represent President Muhammadu Buhari at an Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to discuss the political situation in the Republic of Mali. 

The meeting which is expected to be attended by leaders across the region, follows previous meetings and efforts by the leaders to resolve the situations in Mali and Guinea.

In 2021, Professor Osinbajo participated in meetings of leaders across the sub-region on the issues exploring solutions.

On September 8, the VP participated in a virtual summit of the regional body where sanctions were imposed on the military junta in Guinea, and on the 16th of the same month, attended another ECOWAS summit where further sanctions on individuals and groups fueling the crisis in Guinea and Mali were discussed.

Later in November 2021, Prof. Osinbajo again joined other leaders in Accra for the 3rd Extraordinary Summit of leaders across the sub-region to review decisions and the political situations in Mali and Guinea.

In compliance with the decisions of the leaders, ECOWAS mediator, former President Goodluck Jonathan travelled on January 5th, 2022 to Mali to meet with authorities in the country over the timetable for democratic transition. Indeed Dr. Jonathan briefed President Buhari on the matter recently.

Prof. Osinbajo who is accompanied by the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, is expected back in Abuja today.

Laolu Akande,

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,

Office of the Vice President.

January 9, 2022.

News

Governor Dapo Abiodun Expresses Shock, Mourns General Adetunji Olurin

By Web News 798

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed shock over the death of the former Military Governor of Oyo State, General Adetunji Olurin retired who died on Saturday at the age of 76.

In a statement in Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun said the death of General Olurin occurred when the country and Ogun State needed his security expertise in tackling various security challenges confronting the nation.

The governor who pointed out that General Olurin served Nigeria and ECOWAS in many capacities, said the deceased had put the state and Nigeria on the global map with his exploits when he served as the ECOMOG Commander in Liberia.

He described General Olurin as a gallant military officer and astute administrator, adding that the late general was an illustrious son of Ogun State.

While commiserating with the entire family of the deceased, Governor Abiodun said the death of the general was a painful loss to the state and the country in general.

Bolanle Adesida

Politics

OGHA Seeks Urgent Release of Nigerian Activist By Beninnoise Govt.

By Web News 922

The Ogun State House of Assembly, OGHA, has called on the State Attorney General to explore all necessary legal mechanisms including international treaties and protocol of the ECOWAS Court to secure the immediate release of a Nigerian activist, Dr. Kunle Garb, who was reportedly arrested by security operatives from Benin Republic. 

Dr Garb, is a resident of Igbokofi, a Nigerian border town with the Republic of Benin in Yewa-North Local Government Area of the state. 

He was alleged to have been arrested over boundary-related disputes between the two countries and had been reportedly arraigned before a court in Benin Republic. 

Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Mr Olakunle Oluomo while reacting to the issue, called on the relevant authorities to rise to the responsibility of securing the release of Dr. Garb. 

The lawmaker representing Yewa North II State Constituency, Mr. Wahab Haruna had told the House during plenary that the Nigerian Activist, Dr. Garb was at the forefront of efforts to resist plans by the Beninnoise government to further encroach on the Nigerian territory before his arrest on accusations of building on a piece of land acclaimed by Benin Republic within Ogun State. 

He maintained that the authorities of Benin Republic had repeatedly encroached on Nigerian land and the moves were being resisted by villagers in the area, led by the activist. Oluwatoyin Adegoke 

Foreign Politics

ECOWAS Suspends Mali Over Coup

By Web News 733

West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Sunday suspended Mali’s membership in response to last week’s coup and urged authorities to adhere to a timetable for a return to democracy.

This was the decision after the Leaders of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States held an emergency summit in Ghana, the capital of Accra due to the military’s ouster of a president and prime minister for the second time in nine months.

In a communique after the summit, ECOWAS said Mali’s membership in the bloc was suspended with immediate effect.

Ghana’s Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway said Mali’s suspension from ECOWAS takes immediate effect until the deadline of the end of February 2022”, when the country’s interim leaders are supposed to hand over to a democratically elected government.

ECOWAS said a new civilian prime minister should be nominated and a new inclusive government formed to proceed with the transition programme.

According to the communique, ” The leaders announced 27th February 2022 for the presidential election and should be absolutely maintained”.

There was no immediate response from Coloniel Goita, who was present at the summit.

Goita, a 38-year-old special forces commander, was one of several colonels who overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, last year.

He ordered the arrests of the interim President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane last Monday before they resigned on Wednesday and eventually released.

FRCN

Economy

ECOWAS Establishes Partnership To Address Plights Of Street Children

By Web News 907

The Clerk, ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association, Mrs. Blessing Samuel-Atiri says the Economic Community of West African States has established a regional partnership to address the phenomenon of Street Children in the sub-region.

Speaking on “Street Children”, a Radio Nigeria, network programme, Mrs. Samuel-Atiri who relayed her experience on the streets as a child, said the partnership would include civil society organisations, religious and traditional rulers across the region to squarely identify core issues and create awareness on the plights of street children.
“We are talking about the insurgency in the country, the sub-region, and street children is the breeding ground for all of these”, she said.

Mrs Samuel-Atiri further stressed the need for technical and vocational education in the region to meet the current demand for creativity and innovation.

Another guest on the programme and the Chief Security Officer (CSO), ECOWAS Parliament Mr Kamba Aliyu who also shared his experience as a street child with the quest for education, advised the government to create a conducive and favourable atmosphere for education and equally intensify sensitisation on the importance of education.

Some Nigerians who called into the programme want government and civil society organisations to collaborate to take children off the streets and provide social welfare services for them.

FRCN ABUJA

News

The Implication Of Sit Tight Syndrome Of Africa Leaders.

By Web News 7948

Wilful, deliberate or suspension of constitution or laid down set of rules and regulations by an individual to stay long in power outside a specific tenure of office either as president or head of state of a country is referred to as sit-tight syndrome. 

The trend is illegal and unconstitutional, but ironically, it is attractive, fanciful and too tempting to ignore by some people who finds themselves in positions of authority.

It is instructive to note that some leaders nowadays tinker with constitutions that brought them to power for selfish gains

Notably, African leaders past and present who indulged in this self-serving and ungodly adventure include Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Mobutu Seseseko of Zaire, Kamuzu Banda of Malawi, Samuel Doe of Liberia, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Ben Ali of Tunisia, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Joseph Kabila of Democratic Republic of Congo.

Others are Matthew Kerekou of Benin Republic Omar Bongo of Gabon, Yahyah Jahmeh of Gambia, Gadafi of Libya, Nguema of Equitorial Guinea, Paul Biya of Cameroon and Gnasingbe Eyadema of Togo among others.

And perhaps, worried by the negative impact of sit tight syndrome on governance in Africa, President Muhammadu Buhari recently warned his colleagues at an ECOWAS extra- ordinary summit in Niamey, Niger Republic against spending more than their constitutional terms in office. 

Apart from this long overdue advise, African leaders must be ready and willing at all times to subject and surrender themselves to the dictates of the constitution they swore to uphold upon assumption of power and office.

A continent in a hurry to develop and carve a niche for itself among developed and civilized people can definitely not afford to continue in a perilous way.

The recent military coup and takeover of power from Ibrahim Keita of Mali is a pointer to this assertion.

Major driving force behind this subversion of the will of the people by these leaders is lust for power, greed, selfishness, ethnicity, religion and fear of the unknown after leaving power.

The obvious implication of their sit tight syndrome is instability usually brought about by civil wars, retarded socio-economic growth absence of peaceful transfer of power from one government to another, lack of democratic culture, authoritarianism, endemic corruption, isolation by world powers due to poor image, human rights abuses, restiveness, extra judicial killings and dictatorship. 

The cumulative impact of this dangerous trend of sit tight syndrome is the unending underdevelopment of Africa by Africans.

Concerted efforts must be made to strengthen democratic institutions, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, promotion of civil and human rights advocacy as well as citizens and civic obligations and duties to the state.

Above all, there must be a change of orientation and attitude to leadership in Africa, bearing in mind the age long dictum that, “no condition is permanent.

Tayo Sanni

Politics

President Buhari Departs for Niger Republic

By Web News 600

President Muhammadu Buhari departs Abuja on Monday for Niamey, Niger Republic to participate in the 57th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Presidential aide, Femi Adesina, said in a statement that the one-day summit will deliberate on the Special Report on coronavirus to be presented by President Buhari who was appointed the ECOWAS Champion on the Fight against COVID-19 during the Extraordinary Virtual Summit of ECOWAS on April 23, 2020.

President Buhari is expected to coordinate the sub-regional response against the pandemic.

The Summit will also receive a Special Report on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme to be presented by President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), and President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast, who is Chair of the West African Economic Monetary Union (WAEMU/UEMOA).

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean Claude Kassi Brou will present to the West African leaders, the 2020 Interim Report on activities of the sub-regional body including ECOWAS Vision 2050.

The alarming rise in incidents of terrorism, insurgency, banditry and piracy will also come under focus, while the disruption of the democratic process by the military in Mali, will receive further attention.

Similarly, in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea and Niger where Parliamentary and Presidential elections are scheduled for this year, the imperative to strengthen democracy in the sub-region by respecting constitutional provisions, rule of law and outcomes of free and fair polls, will be emphasised.   

Bello Wakili

News

Fire Outbreak: Minister of Foreign Affairs Visits ECOWAS Headquarters

By Web News 785

The Minister of State Foreign Affairs Ambassador Zubairu Dada has visited the Headquarters of ECOWAS Commission, Abuja to sympathize with the regional body over the outbreak of fire in the second floor of the five storey building housing the Commission.

Received by the ECOWAS Commission President, Jean Claude Kassi-Brou, Ambassador Dada was taken  round the areas affected by the fire.

In an interview with newsmen, the Minister expressed concern over the incident and called for an investigation to ascertain the cause of the outbreak and ways to avoid future occurance.

He commended the efforts of fire fighters whose intervation minimized the demages caused by the fire outbreak. 

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Kassi-Brou who also spoke with the newsmen said the cause of the fire outbreak was yet to be ascertained.

He however promised that a team of experts would carry out an investigation to know the actual cause of the incident.

Mr Kassi-Brou said the out break only affected second floor of the building and has not in anyway slow down the activities of the Commission.

Pr-Hamza 

Health

ECOWAS Parliament Calls for Measures to Cushion Effects of Covid-19

By Web News 703

As the effect of COVID-19 bites harder, Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Hon. Sadie Tunis has called on both the Regional and National Legislatures to propose ways of cushioning its effects on the people.

He stated this at the closing of the 2nd Extra Ordinary Session of the Fifth Legislature held virtually.

The Speaker said the downward trend in economic activities which is occasioned by the Corona Virus Pandemic, has further worsen the rate of poverty faced by the people in the region.

He therefore stressed the need for the legislators in the region to collaborate with their various governments to ease its effects.

“The world, especially our sub-region, is under the threat of
hunger. Even though we are in the rainy season, restrictions occasioned by
the pandemic have made farming activities difficult. As Parliamentarians,
we must fashion out a way of proposing cushioning effects. There is no
doubt that the remaining part of 2020 and early 2021 would be highly
challenging, both economically and socially. Ours is to collaborate with our
Governments, both at national and regional levels, to ensure that we
protect the interest of our people and work towards easing their effects
during this anticipated difficult period.”

Tunis also called the attention of government in the region to improve access to health care for those who are suffering from other ailments apart from Covid 19, to reduce the rate of mortality.

” Admittedly, Covid 19 is highly contagious and everybody wants to
do all within his/her power to avoid being infected. But we are aware
that several patients with other ailments are being turned back, especially
where symptoms are similar to that of the corona virus. Patients on the
other hand, have resulted to self-medication due to the general reluctance
to visit hospitals and consult medical personnel, again for fear of getting
infected. I am afraid that at the end of the pandemic, we may be faced
with two sets of fatalities; those whose deaths are a result of the virus and
those who, for fear of the virus, succumb to other ailments.”

The Speaker equally appealed to Governments, donor organisations
and wealthy individuals to assist in the provision of Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) to health workers to enable them discharge their duties efficiently.

While expressing optimism that solutions to controlling the pandemic would soon be evolved, Tunis gave an assurance that the Parliament would device their own internal protective mechanism, in addition to the existing health protocol, should the situation permits them to resume their activities.

ldara Ukpanyang

Health

WAHO Calls on ECOWAS Leaders to Mobilize Resources to Fight Covid-19

By Web News 765

…as only Ghana and Cape Verde are able to test at least 1% of its population 

The West African Health Organisation, WAHO, has called on leaders of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to mobilize resources for research to be able to fight against the scourge of Covid-19. 

The Director General of the Organization, Professor Stanley Okolo gave the charge during a presentation at the opening of the 2nd Extra Ordinary Session of the fourth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, held virtually. 

He said due to the high cost of conducting Covid-19 test, only Ghana and Cape Verde are able to test at least one percent of their population. 

“We have put ourselves, both us and the African CDC, that the whole continent should by the end of June tested about 1% of our population. Only Ghana has done that so far. The rest, we have not been able to test one percent of our population, although Ghana and Cape Verde because Cape Verde have tested over 7% of their population. This is the reality of where we are, that because of the cost of test, because of having to ramp up laboratories, because of having to get people to go and test, it is difficult for us even to meet a tenth of what is happening in developed world.”

He however commended the region for setting up more Covid-19 test laboratories, which has increased from 2 to 107.

Professor Okolo said WAHO would provide support to research institutions in the region and called for support instead of depending on foreign donors. 

“We think that we should pull financial resources in order to compete favourably in acquiring Covid-19 Vaccines”.

“We are supporting some of the industries in terms of COVID-19, we think that parliament should also help us support them through Private-Public Partnership (PPP)”.

“At the moment, the one industry that is definitely looking at diagnostic tests is the Institute Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal and we have signed a MoU with them and we have put some seed funding aside which we will invest in them”.

“We think that this institute, if the tests are available from the end of this month or early next month, West Africa can buy it at very cheap cost”.

“We are looking at about two dollars or three dollars, whereas you find that the similar test kit in the open market is about 9 dollars or 10 dollars”.

Speaking on opening of borders, the WAHO DG noted that free movement of people is the bedrock of the ECOWAS therefore the parliament must do all it can to sustain it.

“We understand the need to close borders because of lockdowns, but lockdowns do not flatten the curve of the pandemic. So we must consider the balance between lockdowns and destroying our economy”.

According to Professor Okolo, WAHO and the three ministerial coordinating committees (Health, Finance and Transport on Trade) have agreed on certain specific guidelines for opening up of borders and called on the Parliament to support the initiatives.

Idara Ukpanyang

Foreign

Mali Crisis: President Buhari to Consult Key ECOWAS Leaders

By Web News 670

President Muhammadu Buhari will consult with key leaders of ECOWAS countries in order to find a solution to the crisis rocking Republic of Mali.

The President made the pledge while receiving reports from ECOWAS Special Envoy to Mali, former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The former President was at State House, Abuja, in company of President of ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Kassi Brou.

President Buhari said they ask the President of Niger, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS to brief them as a group, and they will then know the way forward.

He thanked Dr Jonathan for his comprehensive brief on the situation in Mali

 Former president Jonathan had filled in President Buhari on his activities as Special Envoy to restore amity to Mali, rocked by protests against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who has spent two out of the five years second term in office.

A resistance group, M5, is insisting that the Constitutional Court must be dissolved, and the President resign, before peace can return to the country.

Crisis had erupted after the court nullified results of 31 parliamentary seats in the polls held recently, awarding victory to some other contenders, which the resistance group said was at the instigation of President Keita.

Riots on July 10 had led to the killing of some protesters by security agents, causing the crisis to spiral out of control, hence the intervention by ECOWAS.

The former President thanked President Buhari for providing a Presidential jet for the mission, “thus making their trips convenient and comfortable,” and he equally expressed appreciation for the Itakpe-Warri railway complex named after him last weekend.

Bello Wakili

Health

COVID19: WAHO, Germany Donate 8m Dollars PPEs to Nigeria

By Web News 758

The West African Health Organization, WAHO has donated assorted Personal Protective Equipment, PPE’s, worth Eight million dollars to Nigeria for COVID19 response.

 Presenting the items, in Abuja, the Director General of WAHO, Professor Stanley Okolo said the goods which are the first batch of the consignment were procured in collaboration with the Government of Germany.  

He said the organization was mindful of the need for a regional  response to the pandemic which has affected thousands.

The ECOWAS cluster coordinator and German representative, Mr Ludwig Kirchner highlighted the items to include over twelve thousand goggles, two hundred and Ninety four thousand gloves, over twenty three thousand Gowns, eight thousand one hundred and Ninety coveralls.

Other items included one thousand six hundred face shields, twelve thousand N95 masks, ten thousand surgical masks, five thousand hand sanitizers, two ventilators and over Forty thousand Diagnostics test kits. 

 Receiving the items the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who thanked WAHO and the German Government for the donation, described the products as critical supplies for COVID-19 response.

He also promised to ensure that the commodities are put into proper use.

Emmanuel Kutara