By Lizzy Okoji

Justice Amoako Asante, President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, says the regional court is set for improved and effective performance with its relocation to its new office complex.

Asante made this known on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the Court’s new building, located Plot 1164, Joseph Gomwalk Street, Gudu District Abuja, which will serve as a temporary facility until the completion of the ECOWAS Complex.

Asante said that the Court’s previous building it occupied since 2002 had become inadequate to cope with its operations, operating from two separate buildings, the increasing staff population and needs.

“The relocation into the building opens a new dawn in the life of the Court.

“Beyond the improved physical environment that it provides for the staff, it also offers the court an opportunity for improved efficiency and productivity in the performance of its role as an international court.

“Moreover, it should encourage the court to expand its staff profile through additional recruitment to fill the vacancies in its organogram,” he said.

According to him, this is to leverage the additional skills for increased productivity in meeting the yearnings of the community citizens and the fulfilment of its mandate.

“The provision of this edifice will not only resolve the present accommodation challenge of the court but should challenge the Court to aspire to increased performance that is reflective of the more congenial working environment.

“I wish to use this opportunity to reassure the Community of the determination of the Court to live up to this expectation.

“In order to strengthen its role as an important institution in the ECOWAS integration architecture with the primary responsibility for the promotion of Community laws through the interpretation of community texts.

“Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the Court has been circumscribed by the poor enforcement of its decisions, which stands at about 30 per cent.

“In spite of the Court’s impressive record of decisions and courage attributable to the independence and character of the judges,” Asante said.

Asante thanked Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello for giving the Court the Property to operate.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray said that the new building represent a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to strengthen the rule of law and promote human rights in West Africa.

Touray, however, lamented the poor implementation rate of the Court’s judgement and decisions, a situation he called for urgent remedy.

“I am confident that the new office will provide the Court with the necessary resources and facilities to function efficiently and effectively.

“It is disheartening to hear Justice Asante to lament the slow implementation rate of the decisions of the court. That is a situation that we need to remedy.

“Our citizens must have hope in the rule of law and they should see rule of law being applied.

“The low rate of implementation of the Court of justice decision does not tell well and we should be in a position to remedy that.

“We thank the government once again, the people and his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari for the trust and confidence he continues to repose in ECOWAS institutions,” Touray said.

Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, said that “Nigeria is always ready to ensure that it provides the necessary support and encouragements to all ECOWAS Institutions.

Dada also urged Member States to ensure the total implementation of the Community Court’s decisions to show that the rule of law prevails and to gain the trust and confidence of community citizens.

“As a matter of honor and duty, we are committed to ensuring that our sub-regional organization remain the best in Africa and indeed one of the best in the world.

“The President of the Commission has lamented the poor implementation of the Court’s decisions and this is where we must remind ourselves to the commitment to this court by ensuring that its judgments are not only adhered to but implemented to the later,” Dada said.

The Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello, who was represented by Mr Umar Musa from the FCT Administration pledged its continuous support to the effective operation of all ECOWAS institutions including the Community Court of Justice.

The minister also assured the regional Court of renewing the rent of the complex upon its expiration.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Dignitaries at the  the commemoration of the International Year of Millet  2023 organised by the Indian High Commission, Abuja.

By Lizzy Okoji

Nigeria and India have unveiled an advanced millet producing strategy and advocacy to increase millet production to tackle the looming global food insecurity and improving nutritional values.

Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gangadharan Balasubramanian and Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Abubakar, made this known during the commemoration of the International Year of Millet (IYM 2023) organised by the Indian High Commission, Abuja.

The duo said that knowing the health and nutritional benefit of millet, both countries had keyed into the UN declaration of the IYM 2023 to increase production of the grain and create more awareness on the benefits.

Balasubramanian said that India had already taken innovative steps to increasing millet production and with close partnership with Nigeria. 

“The International year of Millet was proposed by the government of India at the United Nations and I am very happy to say that Nigeria was one of the eight countries which have co-sponsored this resolution.

“Supported by seventy other people and subsequently was unanimously agreed by the united Nations to announce 2023 as the international year of millet.

“The government of India is very keen, is very conscious. We have a separate millet imitative that has started, various research programmes are going on, various support systems are being put in place.

“Farmers are being taught, there are a lot of activities that are taking place in terms of improving and providing the millets to the general populations.

“Nigeria is one of the major five millets producing countries and it is pertinent to note that India and Nigeria will come together in celebrating this.

“This cooking and food festival is only to showcase that it will be possible for us to have all the kinds of items that we consume on a daily basis which can be replaced by millets also.

“This is just the beginning, we will be having a conclave of meetings between Indian and Nigerian stakeholders in millet production, whether it is the agro-tech, the farmers, or the extension services that will be provided,” Balasubramanian said. 

Abubakar said that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been promoting millet production and value addition towards self-sufficiency and meeting industrial requirements in the country.

Abubakar who was represented by Engr. Abdullahi Abubakar, a Director in the Ministry said that all hands must be on deck in other for Nigeria to achieve the set goal.

“Presently, millet in Nigeria has not met the national demand and it is attributed to low productivity of the crop. 

“Our national demand for millet as at 2022 was 6.4 million metric tons, while our national production is only two million metric tonnes.

“This low productivity can be caused by local potential of the crop’s variety, application of poor agronomic practices, depleted soil, climate change or aggrégation of these factors.

“The ministry is in deer need to increase the productivity of the crop so as to enhance farmers income and attract more youths into millet cultivation and meet our national demand and industrial demand and contribute to the growth of the GDP.

“This event is as well to reawaken the consciousness of Nigerian millet farmers to adopt good agronomic practices to improve the livelihood of farmers and the GDP of Nigeria

“I want to assure you that the Ministry will cooperate with you to ensure that no stone is lefty unturned until Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in millet production in the nearest future,” Abubakar said.

Also speaking, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar said that the event is the beginning of a great journey between both countries to producing a crop which will be of immense benefit to humanity.

“I am sure this is just the beginning of our journey towards achieving our desired food security,” he said

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was marked with the Millet Food Festival and Cooking Competition was organised by the High Commission in collaboration with the Niger State government. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

=====

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Taiye Olayemi

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Friday called on Africans, corporate organisations and others, to intervene in the humanitarian problem ,currently faced by women and girls in Somalia.

Mr Niyi Ojuolape, Country Representative of the UNFPA in Somalia, made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

“At UNFPA, we look at things from the lens of women and girls,so the humanitarian problem we have in Somalia right now is such that we have 7.8 million people that are displaced and most of these people are women and girls.

” So ,what we are doing is to make everybody to understand that it is not just an issue of hunger, but there is a way it affects women and girls specifically.

” We call on Africans to look into this problem ,and in no small measure ,support the women. We are going to be launching a donation drive for the people and high network individuals to donate to the cause,” he said.

Also, Ifrad Ahmed, a Somali-Irish social activist,who described situation in Somalia as ugly ,said that the people could only gain access to bad water as the children continue to suffer from malnutrition.

She said the lingering humanitarian crisis in the war-torn African country had become worrisome,adding urgent help must be provided.

Ahmed called on African artistes to lend their support by donating to the cause.

Similarly, Mr Omar Osman, Secretary- General, National Union of Somali Journalists, said African solutions must be developed to solve African problems.
” What is happening in Somalia now is seen as twin crisis which are climate- induced crisis and humanitarian crisis.
” Women are facing sexual and gender-based violence, while they are running from other crises, so we are now seeking African solutions to African problems
” We want to raise the consciousness of our African brothers and sisters to the crisis being experienced in Somalia,  we want to generate political solutions and mobilise resources,” he said.
NAN reports that the UNFPA engaged the recently- concluded 8th All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), to sensitise African artistes on the hardships experienced in Somalia, to generate donations which can be used resolve some of the problems in the country. (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Buhari Bolaji

Authorities on Friday reported that five dismissed Memphis police officers have been charged with second-degree murder in the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop.

Ex-Officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith, who are Black, were charged with second-degree murder, two counts of official misconduct, one count of official oppression.

According to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee, the offenders were also charged with aggravated assault-act in concert and two counts of aggravated kidnapping in the death of Nichols.

The encounter occurred on January 7 and was captured on police body cameras.

Memphis police and other law enforcement agencies across the country were bracing for reaction to the release of the video showing the beating of Nichols, who died January 10, three days after the encounter with police.

The city of Memphis announced it would release video of the police encounter on Friday after 6 pm Central time (0000 GMT Saturday).

Police departments across the country were on notice as they braced for demonstrations.

Memphis police Chief Cerelyn Davis in a video statement on Wednesday said “this is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual.

This incident was heinous, reckless and inhumane. When the video is released in the coming days, you will see this for yourselves.”

Davis, taking an apologetic tone in her address, urged citizens to peacefully express their First Amendment rights but added that the disturbing video must not be a “calling card for inciting violence.”

Lawyer Benjamin Crump, who represents Nichols’ family, said the charging of the officers “gives us hope as we continue to push for justice for Tyre.

“This young man lost his life in a particularly disgusting manner that points to the desperate need for change and reform to ensure this violence stops occurring during low-threat procedures, like, in this case, a traffic stop.”

Shelby County District Attorney Steven Mulroy announced the charges Thursday afternoon along with David Rausch, the director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Rausch said “frankly, I’m shocked. I’m sickened by what I saw. In a word, it’s absolutely appalling. We should not be here. Simply put: This shouldn’t have happened.”

Nichols, a California native who grew up in Sacramento and recently moved to Memphis to work for FedEx was pulled over January 7 and arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, according to Memphis police.

When officers approached Nichols’ car, a confrontation occurred, and Nichols fled the scene on foot, police said.

The police officers pursued Nichols, and another confrontation took place, which led to Nichols’ arrest and subsequent hospitalization, police said.

According to Jennifer McGuffin, the chief spokesperson of Romanucci & Blandon, the law firm representing Nichols’ family said the officers and Nichols were just 100 yards [90 meters] from the home of Nichols’ parents during the encounter.

McGuffin said the video yet to be released shows Nichols being tased, pepper-sprayed, beaten and restrained for three minutes, then he called for his mother and told officers he wished to go home.

A day later, while Nichols was hospitalized, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation launched a use-of-force inquiry at the request of the local district attorney.

The Reverend Al Sharpton, a New York-based civil rights activist, said he would be traveling to Memphis and that he had spoken with the Nichols family.

“The fact that these officers are Black makes it more egregious to those of us in the civil rights movement.

These officers should not be allowed to hide their deeds behind their Blackness,” Sharpton said in a statement. “We are against all police brutality not just white police brutality.”

Less than two weeks after Nichols’ death, the Police Department announced the firing of the five police officers who were involved in the confrontation.

William Massey, an attorney representing Martin, said his client surrendered on Thursday morning and was “resolved to put this behind him.”

“What police do is dangerous and difficult. And I think this is every policeman’s fear, that something like this would happen on their watch,” Massey said.

A lawyer for Mills said his client was “shocked to have found himself in this position.

“He dedicated his whole life to serving his community,” attorney Blake Ballin said.

The Memphis Police Association, the union representing police officers in the city, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Nichols’ death reignited public scrutiny of police brutality nearly three years after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer set off nationwide protests and launched the #DefundThePolice movement.

Police departments across the country were put on high alert on Thursday with the announcement of charges against the officers, prepping for potential demonstrations, especially after the Nichols video is released publicly. (dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

================
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed/Sadiya Hamza

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Savannah Centre for Diplomacy and Democracy has advocated enhanced regional and continental cooperation to curtail security challenges in the Sahel region and the African continent.

The centre’s Director of Diplomacy and Democracy, Amb. Felix Pwol, stated this during a meeting with delegation of Experts of the United Nations on the high-level Independent Panel on Security and Development in Sahel, held in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that theme of the meeting was ” Security, Governance and Development in the Sahel”.

Pwol said that cooperation was very important regardless of whatever national interest a country was pursuing, adding that the issue of insecurity in the Sahel region needed a regional and continental cooperation.

According to him, all countries have a national interest but when they come together they need to play done some of those national interest If not the overall objective of the members will be totally defeated.

Pwol said that it was a difficult thing to strike a balance between a national interest and regional interest.

He said: “However, we have seen the issue of insecurity if we don’t come together and we keep on emphasising only on national interest you will not go far.

” There is need for collaboration. You can see that a lot of the terrorists are causing mayhem across borders.

“So, you need to corporate and in that sense, you have to play down some of these national interests and work towards a regional interest like we have in ECOWAS.

” ECOWAS is trying it best in addressing challenges of security in the region, but I think there will be more improvement at that level.

“Cooperation is very important regardless of whatever national interest a country is pursuing you should know that the issue of insecurity need a regional and continental cooperation.”

Pwol stated that the meeting was an attractive session with the panel set up by the Secretary General of the United Nations in junction with the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they always worked in partnership.

He said: ” What they have come to do is to address the issue of security in the Sahel region, you know they hae been going on for quite some time but they intensified efforts most seriously in recent years.

” So, what they are here is that there have been so many strategies and initiatives on how to address the security challenges, but it appears the desire has not been achieve.

” So, they are meeting stakeholders to see how best can we work out strategy to achieve better results.

“They met with government officials, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Adviser, ECOWAS Commission, the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff.

” But they want to hear the perspective of the Civil Society Organisations.”

Earlier, Dr Issaka Souare, said that the delegation was a team of experts for high-level independent panel on the Sahel established in 2022 by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the African Union Commission President together with ECOWAS.

He said: ” We are directed to undertake a thorough assessment of the governance security and development situation in the Sahel

“We are going around different countries to engage with authorities and the Civil Society Organisations to get their assessment and appreciations of the situation.

” This will help us to prepare a report that is objective, realistic and actionable, then the chair of the panel with his other collaborators will then use to prepare their final reports.

“This will be validated by the mandated organisations, which they hope to contribute to the amelioration of the security, governance and the security sector in the Sahel which include Nigeria.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Lizzy Okoji

 Prof. Jonathan Aremu, a don, said on Wednesday that the use of multiple currencies by ECOWAS member could hamper economic integration in the sub-region. 

Aremu, a professor of International Economic Relations at Covenant University, Nigeria, expressed the thought on Wednesday, while delivering a paper titled, “Conceptual Issues in ECOWAS Integration” at the First 2023 Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Bissau, Guinea Bissau.

The university teacher, who is also a Consultant on ECOWAS Common Investment Market, said that the implementation of the ECO was a key vision on the ECOWAS integration agenda.

The seminar with the theme “ECOWAS Common Currency and the Inter-bank Payment System as Promoters of Regional Trade” was organised to provide a forum for discussions on ways to actualise the implementation of the region’s single currency, the “ECO”.

Aremu said the use of a common currency by ECOWAS countries would pave way towards achieving the Economic/Monetary Union.

“Economic/Monetary Union is the last step in an economic integration process; where in addition to a common market, it also requires integration of economic policies in both monetary and fiscal including common currency,” he said.

Aremu said that to harmonising the monetary policies of each member state is also key to actualizing the ECOWAS economic integration to break trade barriers and the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).

 He explained that the ETLS was successfully implemented will make ECOWAS economically stronger and more attractive.

“As ETLS makes West Africa a more integrated market, that is attractive to investors both within and outside the region, the initiative indirectly creates a platform that increases Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises visibility. 

“And, bargaining power when negotiating further agreements like on trade and investment across the continent into the global trading arrangements under the World Trade Organisation.

“Effective implementation of ETLS will not only enhance trade between ECOWAS member states but create a web of positive interactions and interdependency that would build trust and reduce the risk of conflict between them,” Aremu added.

Aremu urged the bloc to learn from the experiences of other regions that have successfully integrated their regional economies.

The 15 members of ECOWAS are, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

===========

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Eight school children in Ghana’s Bono East Region were killed after the boat taking them to school capsized on the Volta Lake, officials confirmed.

National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) told newsmen that the eight, five boys and three girls aged five to 12, were among 20 pupils who were on their way to school in Wayokope, a community across the lake.

Ibrahim Wudonyim, the coordinator of NADMO, said the Marine Police Unit of Ghana Police Service, assisted by some locals, have recovered the bodies of the deceased.

Investigations are underway to find out the cause of the accident. (Xinhua/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

==============
Edited by Ummul Idris/Maharazu Ahmed

President Muhammadu Buhari and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa

More Nigerians in South Africa on Tuesday continued to express outrage over the reported invasion of the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg and the disconnection of electricity supply to the premises.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Johannesburg City Power officials in company with personnel of the Metro Police Department had stormed the consulate to effect the disconnection of power supply over alleged unpaid bills.

But the Nigerian Citizen Association South Africa (NICASA) condemned the action of the South African officials, describing it as ” very retrogressive, xenophobic and avoidable. ”

The association said this in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Kazeem Tunde, and made available to NAN in Abuja on Tuesday.

” We condemn the unwarranted action by City Power and their police cohort on the property of the consulate of Nigeria.

” It is clear that City Power was out to embarass and humiliate Nigeria and Nigerian citizens in the republic.

” There cannot be any plausible excuse to warrant the invasion of the Nigerian Consulate.

” The action is very retrogressive, xenophobic and avoidable.

” If City Power can invade the consulate of any country without consequence, then the police can as well go into any consulate to make an arrest without respecting the Vienna Convention on consular relations,” the statement said in part.

It expressed the hope that both countries will take a strong action against those responsible for the ” reprehensible action ” to prevent recurrence.

The statement urged Nigerians in that country to remain calm, saying the matter was being handled by the Consul General through diplomatic channels and would be resolved satisfactorily.

Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students South Africa has expressed displeasure over the incident.

The students’ body made its position known in a statement made available to NAN.

The statement was signed by Abdulrazak Abubakar and Olusegun Ajayi, President and Secretary General respectively.

The group said it was unhappy with what it called the embarrassing treatment of the Nigerian Consulate.

” For the record, the new Consul General, who got into the office in August 2022, has been doing his best to clear the said outstanding electricity bill in a mutual agreement process with City Power and he has never failed in honouring that agreement.

” It became very baffling how the payment agreement process was thrown to the winds and the men of City Power would have to go and invade the Nigerian Consulate without appropriate notice.

” This is a clear deviation from the diplomatic respect that is due the Nigerian Consulate and absolute attempt to humiliate the consulate.

” Note that the Nigerian Consulate has among many other things doubled its efforts to make sure that Nigerians in South Africa are promoting peace, legality and productivity and the City Power should not be a distraction at this critical time,” it said.

According to the body, the consulate is committed to quality representation of Nigeria in South Africa and would not do anything to jeopardise any indigenous or foreign organisation and business in South Africa and will so request that in return.

It urged the South African authorities to respect the Nigerian Consulate and notify it on matters the public, organisations and individuals would want the Nigerian Consulate to act upon.(NAN)

Edited by Ismail AbdulAziz

By Lizzy Okoji

The Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Ms Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, has called for the support of more women in political positions, saying women are critical decision makers and peace building advocates.

Hassan-Nahoum made the appeal while fielding  questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jerusalem on women participation in Nigeria’s upcoming general elections.

This is also as she harped on the need for women to support each other, be good mentors to younger girls, the change of certain cultures and legislations to encourage more women vie for political offices.

“We should be a sisterhood, we can achieve a lot if we work together, we can change the dynamics, for everyone.

“I believe that we do not have a balanced world because women are not 50 per cent of decision makers and the problems that keep perpetuating themselves are because of that.

“Decisions are better when women are sitting on the table, not just for women but for everyone.

“What we have to make sure is that people should understand that it makes zero sense for half the population to be women and we do not have half the decision-making tables as women,” she said.

“And until women realise that and create solidarity groups, we are not going to move out of it.

“I myself have co-founded a number of women initiatives because I believe that if women are allowed to take the reigns in peace building in the middle east, we would have already had peace by now.

“So, I created two years ago with a woman friend who is very supportive, and we co-founded this women forum and we have a hundred and fifty women from around the world.

“From countries like Saudi Arabia who have not even made peace with Israel yet but this women have understood the importance of building bridges with other women leaders,” Hassan-Nahoum said.

The deputy mayor also urged men to support women, lauding the Mayor of Jerusalem who had been very supportive by giving her the opportunity to deputise him. (NAN) (www.nanews.ng)

======================

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola