NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Ebonyi VC raises alarm on respiratory disease burden in Africa
Health

Ebonyi VC raises alarm on respiratory disease burden in Africa

116 total views today

By Christian Ogbonna

Prof. Jesse Uneke, Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Ebonyi, has highlighted the urgent health challenge posed by respiratory diseases across Africa, including Nigeria.

Speaking at the inauguration of a major project at the Institute of Child Health (ICH) in Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Prof. Uneke emphasised the urgent health challenge posed by respiratory illnesses.

He noted that diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, asthma, and lung cancer contributed significantly to both acute and chronic illness and mortality across the continent.

Uneke served as the principal investigator for the project titled “Improving Equity in Respiratory Disease Outcomes Using Data-Driven Tools”, which spans five African countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, and South Africa.

“Ebonyi and Lagos states are the only Nigerian sites selected for this critical initiative.

“Respiratory diseases impose a heavy burden on health systems, and there remain large inequities in disease outcomes, especially among the poor who lack access to affordable, quality care,” Uneke explained.

He noted the limited capacity of health systems for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the diseases in the region.

“The project aims to address these gaps by providing vital diagnostic equipment and offering free treatment to up to 1,000 patients over four years across six health facilities in Ebonyi State.

“The project will leverage advanced data-driven tools such as the Equitable Impact Sensitive Tool (EQUIST) and the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI).

“It will also pilot the innovative “Pathways to Survival” (PATHS) tool, designed to identify critical barriers in healthcare delivery.”

Prof. Thecla Ezeonu, Director of the Institute of Child Health, lauded the initiative, noting the provision of new spirometers to assess lung function.

She urged the hospital to provide free lung function tests, especially to children and adolescents showing symptoms of asthma and other respiratory diseases.

“This project represents a significant step forward in improving respiratory health outcomes in Ebonyi and beyond,” Ezeonu added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Biotechnology charting course of international trade, diplomacy – BSN
Science & Tech

Biotechnology charting course of international trade, diplomacy – BSN

140 total views today

By Sylvester Thompson

The Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN) says that biotechnology is not just about providing food security and revolutionalising healthcare, but also charting the course of international trade and diplomacy.

Prof. Sylvia Uzochukwu, President of the BSN, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

She warned that any country that ignored modern biotechnology does so at its peril.

She disclosed that the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) had the mandate of promoting the technology in Nigeria.

Uzochukwu added that the NBRDA was also required to midwife the deregulation of biotechnology products after twenty years of consistent work with various partners.

According to her, challenges of population growth and climate change will continue to require bioengineering of plants to improve attributes such as drought resistance at a much larger scale.

She said conscious of the fact that genetic engineering could be used both for good and for bad just like electricity and airplanes, the Federal Government set up the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).

The Professor of Food Science and Biotechnology noted that it was required by international treaty that a regulator should be set up, and the NBMA was to ensure safety of biotechnology products.

“I call on the NBMA that regulation of new products of biotechnology should become more and more product-based rather than process-based.

“What this means is that the agency should concentrate on the safety of the product, irrespective of how it was made,’’ Uzochukwu said.

She assured that since the NBMA has been mandated to ensure safety of genetically engineered food products before commercial release, there should, therefore, be no cause for alarm among the populace.

“The worry of some Nigerians is that apart from personnel costs, these agencies are largely left to fend for themselves and rely on donor funds for the actual execution of their mandates.

“Now that donors are withdrawing funds from projects, it is hoped that our governments will channel funds to science and technology,’’ she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Christiana Fadare

Innoson lauds Mbah on promotion of technical education
Education

Innoson lauds Mbah on promotion of technical education

158 total views today

By Alex Enebeli

The Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Kiara Consortium, Mr Endi Ezengwa, has lauded Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State for promoting technical education in the country.

He equally praised the governor for transforming and equipping Government Technical College (GTC), Enugu, aimed at equipping youths with Industry skills.

Ezengwa gave the commendation on behalf of the Chairman of Innoson Kiara Consortium, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

NAN reports that Mbah demolished the old GTC and built Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College, comprising twenty-four ultra-modern skill training centres and massive hostels for 1,000 resident students.

The college was among the projects inaugurated by Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday during her two-day visit to Enugu.

Ezengwa said the governor had done so well in infrastructure and other critical sectors, adding that the college would provide youths with the necessary skills that would ensure the sustainability of the governor’s investment.

“So, in furtherance of our commitment to technical and vocational education in Nigeria, especially in support of Mr President’s TVET agenda across the country, we are also very pleased to work with Enugu State.

“We are very impressed with performance of the State Technical Vocational Schools Management Board (STVSMB) and look forward to working with them” Ezengwa added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Buhari Bolaji

Save oceans from dangers of plastic waste, French Govt. urges global community
Water Resources

Save oceans from dangers of plastic waste, French Govt. urges global community

156 total views today
By Aderogba George
The French Government has called for global synergy among the countries in Africa and western world to save the oceans from the dangers of plastic waste.
Jean-François Hasperue, the Deputy Ambassador, French Embassy in Nigeria, made the call during a plastic waste awareness programme at the French Institute in Abuja.
Hasperue said the call for a united front become necessary as plastic waste had become one of the most pressing environmental crises facing the globe, with oceans bearing the brunt of the escalating threat.
“So, there is need for Nigeria, the rest of Africa and the global community to mobilise resources, policies and collaboration to save the oceans from the dangers of plastic waste.”
The envoy explained that from floating debris to microplastics embedded in marine organisms, the evidence of damage on the oceans has been overwhelming.
“Our panellists were explaining that the microplastics that are eaten by fish in the lagoon of Lagos might be eaten by people in Asia because fish have been taken by foreign boats and sold everywhere in the world.
So, it’s a global issue that we need to address. One specific issue of course we decided to address within the UN conference in Nice, is the one of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ)
This is because it has been for too many years, a gap in which we have not been able to raise cooperation among countries to save these biggest parts of the oceans.
“And I expect that we will announce that we have reached the 60 signatories for ratification by the end of this week. So, the BBNJ will be able to be implemented starting from January 1, 2026.’’
According to Hasperue, the French Government is raising awareness in Nigeria particularly in Nigerian universities as part of global strategy to build capacity of students and also to rally support for empowering global local communities.
‘’We are part of a global strategy of France, because of course we would like to act at different level. We act first globally, and that’s why we decided to welcome the UN Conference on Ocean, which is actually happening in Nice from the June 9 to 13 this very week.
“And that’s why in the wake of this global conference, we wanted here in Nigeria and in Abuja to organise at our level a debate, but not only a debate here, but activities all over the month of June.”
The envoy said the French Government had not less than 11 activities happening in six different states in Nigeria.
According to him, the first of all the activities is to raise awareness in Nigeria, and also rally support for empowering global local communities.
Hasperue underscored the importance of the UN Ocean Conference to addressing the dangers of plastic waste on oceans, noting that awareness creation remains very critical to ending the menace.
‘’We have to take into consideration that plastic, although it has been a solution at some point of history, that it has been now so massive, so huge, that it has become a problem.
“So, now we have to better think how to better produce plastic, how to make sure that plastic is better recycled, and how we make sure that it will less affect all life all over the world.
“They are part of a global strategy by France to not only act at the global level, but also at the level of the communities.
“So, we have a double approach, top down, but also a bottom up, to make sure that we create the link between what we are doing on the global stage to raise awareness.”
According to him, this has a translation down to the local communities. In every country, we are working with the governments and civil society organisations.
The envoy added, “The French Government is helping Nigerian universities with recycling plastic and micro plants as well as funding of projects in the universities.
“We have a fund of 750,000, 100,000 euros now, which is about helping universities in recycling plastic. So, within this project, we have two micro plants that will be given to Nile University and UNILAG to recycle plastic within the universities.
“We are also funding a project in five different universities.’’
Also speaking, Sebastien Bede, the Attaché for Scientific and Higher Education Cooperation at the French Embassy, pointed out that the French Government has been cooperating with Nigerian partners to develop projects and implement solutions to plastic waste.
“So, we have this project we call the French Embassy Fund to actually develop and implement solutions to tackle plastic pollution in Nigerian university campuses. And the idea is threefold.”
According to him, the two universities: UNILAG, Nile University in Abuja, will be equipped with micro-plants to recycle plastic. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab
Edo Government reaffirms commitment to safeguard children’s rights, future
Metro

Edo Government reaffirms commitment to safeguard children’s rights, future

169 total views today

By Imelda Osayande

As Nigeria observes the 2025 International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, the Edo Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children’s rights and enforcing relevant labour laws.

Mr Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin.

Itua noted that the Edo Government had implemented various initiatives to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for children in the state.

“Some of the initiatives include the domestication of the Child Rights Act, to provide a legal framework for protecting children’s rights,” he said.

He also mentioned the inauguration of a Family Court in 2017 to handle all matters pertaining to children, ensuring speedy trials and protection from undue exposure and exploitation.

According to Itua, the state government prosecutes parents and guardians of out-of-school children found begging on the streets during school hours, aligning with the “every child in Edo must be in school” directive.

The CPS, who could not immediately provide the accurate number of those prosecuted, noted that the Ministry of Education, under the current administration of Gov. Monday Okpebholo, had embarked on a campaign aimed at combating sexual abuse.

He said the campaign also aimed at combating other vices against young girls, including creating counselling departments in schools to educate students on gender-based violence and facilitate timely reporting of abuse.

Itua highlighted efforts to promote youth development and create job opportunities through initiatives like EdoJobs, designed to reduce the vulnerability of young people to illegal migration, human trafficking, and child/forced labour.

On her part, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in Edo, Chief Olabisi Idaomi, said the ministry had launched a comprehensive initiative to address the issue of street children in the Benin metropolis.

According to her, “Recognising the vulnerability of these children, the ministry has identified two main categories: Children Living on the Street and Street Children Beggars.”

She said that the ministry, in collaboration with NGOs, had conducted sensitisation programmes in strategic locations to reach out to these children.

Idaomi emphasised the ministry’s commitment to developing and protecting women, children, and vulnerable persons, providing psychosocial support, trauma healing, and monitoring of registered orphanages and crèches.

She also noted that the Edo Government was working with national and international bodies like NAPTIP and IOM to combat human trafficking and child labour.

She said that the ministry had also collaborated with NGOs like Girls’ Power Initiative to strengthen grassroots action against child trafficking and abuse.

Mr Pius Oiwoh, the former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Benin Branch, highlighted the progress made in combating child trafficking in the state.

He, however, emphasized the need for improved enforcement and government intervention to address child exploitation.

Oiwoh praised the state government’s improvements in combating child trafficking for slave labour, particularly the strictness of family courts regarding adoptions.

He expressed concern about the lack of enforcement regarding street children used for begging, street vending and other exploitative labour.

Oiwoh called for government intervention, including providing shelters, education and prosecuting those involved in exploiting children, citing the area around Holy Cross Cathedral in Benin City as an example of widespread child exploitation.

“From my observation, the Edo State Government remains committed to safeguarding children’s rights and future,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Augusta Uchediunor/Joe Idika

We’re making sports sector attractive for investment – Dikko
Sports

We’re making sports sector attractive for investment – Dikko

150 total views today

By Emmanuel Afonne

Malam Shehu Dikko, Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), says efforts are being made to rebrand the Nigerian sports sector to make it attractive for investors.

Dikko spoke on Wednesday in Abuja during the executive board meeting of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) consisting of all the heads of sports federations in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised to draw a framework and clean the system, which in turn will attract investors.

“We see the sports federation presidents as our operational officers; they are the ones on the field, and are the ones driving the individual sports, as well as the ones driving the vision that we are working on.

“So, we have to align our thoughts and our vision to align with what we are trying to do in line with the mandate President Bola Tinubu has given us; so, we have to explain that to them so that they can understand it.

“You have to clean the system up; put it in the right perspective and make sure that it is attractive to the big supporters, investors and everybody to get there.

“So, we have to put that framework together; that is why we said we are resetting, refocusing and relaunching.

“As the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, myself and the Director General are invited to be part of it.”

According to Dikko, Tinubu is keen on seeing sports contribute to the economy.

“Tinubu is very intentional sports development; he believes sports should be a key driver of the economy; it should be a platform that will create opportunities, create jobs, create social impact and increase our security.

“If sports is working, security will improve because the young ones will get something to do; so, he is very intentional about it and therefore, he feels that the best way to do it is to go in this direction.

“We have a clear plan of how to do it but it is not about bringing the money; it is about bringing the right money.

“We will focus on making things better, reset our thinking to be more domestic, and relaunch our sports to make it more positive.

“When we do that, then you can see part of our key pillars to get the private sector involved.”

Dikko said that the president had his target for instituting the NSC, as he was keen on removing obstacles to sports development in the country.

“The president is very bold and very deliberate in whatever he does and has technically removed sports from all the bureaucratic complaints and issues, and put it directly on his table.

“You can see the drive going forward; everybody is appreciating that process; everybody is seeing the direction he is going, and that is why you can see the whole industry is calm; everybody is focusing on their assignment.

“The last Sports Festival is a testament to what can be achieved if everybody is working together; everybody is happy about it because it is a huge success.

“That is how we want to see our sports being week in week out; we should be having a weekly sports festival; of course, all sports happening across the country and creating jobs.

“That is the kind of support the President has given to us; that is the kind of vision he wants us to do, and we have to do it,”Dikko said.

President of the NOC, Habu Gumel, in his remarks, tasked the sports federations to take up the challenge and ensure that Nigeria became one of countries to be reckoned with in sports.

“I am so glad that it is a joint meeting between the Nigerian Olympic Committee, all the national federations, Olympic sports and the Chairman and the DG of the National Sports Commission.

“So, we met to rub our minds, to discuss issues of mutual understanding, because we have to collaborate with one another; we have to work together in the interest of our country.

” I am happy that a lot of the national federations asked questions, clarification were made, advice was given, and the chairman and the DG were able to answer all the questions to the happiness of everybody.

“We also discussed issues about the upcoming games like the Islamic Games in Riyadh, the Youth Games in Angola, the School Games in Algeria, the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, and even the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

“We are ready to make sure that Nigeria shines in all the games that we are going to attend.”

Gumel said that funding had always been a serious challenge to the country’s participations at international events but that the new era of sports might be different from previous administrations.

“Yeah, funding issue is a challenge, but the National Sports Commission and the government is doing their best, and we are going to the private sector again, to ensure that the private sector give us their support.

“This will enable us to go for the qualifications, and then, we can attend the games proper, so that we can make our country proud,” Gumel said.

No fewer than 28 sports federations including Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Nigeria Aquatics Federation, Nigeria Archery Federation, Nigeria Wresting Federation, Badminton Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Basketball Federation attended the meeting. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

NAICOM moves to safeguard retiree life annuity funds
General News

NAICOM moves to safeguard retiree life annuity funds

161 total views today

 

 

 

 

By Taiye Olayemi

 

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) says it will soon release supplementary guidelines aimed at further securing Retiree Life Annuity (RLA) funds, to provide greater protection for annuitants.

 

Mr Moruf Apampa, a member of the Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Sub-Committee of the Insurers’ Committee, made this known on Wednesday at a news conference held after the June 2025 Insurers’ Committee meeting in Lagos.

 

Apampa, who is also the Managing Director of NSIA Insurance Ltd., said the forthcoming guidelines were part of NAICOM’s broader efforts to enhance the regulatory environment and ensure that funds dedicated to retirees were properly safeguarded.

 

He added that the supplementary regulations would further reinforce public trust in the insurance sector and demonstrate NAICOM’s resolve to uphold the rights of retirees and policyholders.

 

“NAICOM has brought out a supplementary guideline on the business of annuity to build further confidence in the market.

 

“NAICOM is coming up with additional guidelines to ensure that annuitants are actually protected.

 

“The commission is taking proactive measures to ensure that no company goes under or annuitants are not paid their normal monthly allowance.

 

“This is to ensure no failure recurs. These guidelines will be released soon,” he said.

 

Apampa noted that NAICOM was also looking into simplifying claims documentation and payment processes to enhance customer experience.

 

According to him, the commission is also working on repositioning the insurance industry, which includes developing guidelines on cyber risk.

 

He said, “NAICOM is coming up with new guidelines that will support the initiative of the government in improving the economy, one of which is the market guidelines.

 

“The commission has seen significant improvement in claims payments and has commended the industry, advising on further improvement.

 

“On solvency compliance, NAICOM also commended insurers who are observed to be in tune with the regulations, and hopefully, there will be significant improvement in the industry’s second quarter report.”

 

Explaining further on the supplementary guidelines, Mr Abba Halil, Head of Corporate Affairs at NAICOM, said, “This is a revised guideline that is being put in place in view of the fact that regulation is dynamic.

 

“As situations within the industry change, there is need to make certain decisions. So, NAICOM is not bringing up new guidelines but a set of revised guidelines in which improvements have been made.”

 

The committee comprises insurance industry executives and NAICOM officials, and serves as a platform for collaboration and policy dialogue aimed at sectoral growth.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

 

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa

Aviation: NCAA urges journalists to prioritise accurate reporting
Aviation

Aviation: NCAA urges journalists to prioritise accurate reporting

165 total views today

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Wednesday in Abuja urged Nigerian journalists to intensify efforts toward accurate reportage of any developments in the aviation industry.

Mrs Uju Mbamadu, NCAA Assistant General Manager of the Public Relations Department, gave the advice during her remarks at a workshop titled “The Role of Media on Initiatives and Innovation to Improve Aviation Safety and Regulation.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was the second edition organised by the NCAA for the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents’ Association (ATACA).

According to Mbamadu, accurate reporting is essential for maintaining the highest levels of safety, efficiency, and compliance in aviation.

“As media professionals, your ability to accurately report on aviation matters begins with a solid grasp of the NCAA’s mandate.

“From the first edition, we have observed positive changes in news reporting from the aviation sector. Yes, we have.

“That’s why we are motivated to continue this advocacy for accuracy in news writing this year. We commend your relationship with us,” she said.

Ms. Chioma Ubibi, the workshop facilitator, explained that NCAA operated through several directorates, each playing a unique and critical role in aviation regulation.

She listed NCAA’s core responsibilities to include safety oversight, economic regulation, consumer protection, and security collaboration.

Ubibi said the NCAA organisational structure comprised all the directorates known as the internal structure.

“The NCAA is empowered by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Act, 2022, and operates in line with the Chicago Convention of 1944 and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

“The NCAA is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Aviation but maintains functional and administrative autonomy in carrying out its regulatory responsibilities.

“Its directorates include Airworthiness Standards; Operations, Licensing and Training; Aerodrome and Airspace Standards; Air Transport Regulation; and Aviation Security.

“Other directorates are Public Affairs and Consumer Protection; Finance and Accounts; Human Resources and Administration; Corporate Services; Legal Services/Company Secretary; and Special Duties.”

She also urged journalists to be careful in their choice of headlines when writing any aviation story.

“This will help journalists avoid sensationalism and foster intelligent engagement with NCAA’s regulatory actions,” she added.

Speaking at the workshop, the NCAA Media Consultant, Mr Toni Ukachukwu, said the event was organised to boost journalists’ knowledge of aviation to improve reportage.

According to him, understanding the NCAA structure will help prevent misreporting or panic narratives.

He emphasised that understanding the structure would help prevent misreporting or panic narratives.

Ukachukwu encouraged participants to reflect on their role as partners in accurate public communication.

“I want to reiterate that the NCAA’s authority is multi-dimensional, safety, economic regulation, and consumer rights,” he said.(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Calls for lowering voting age dominate NILDS-Democracy Radio’ school debate
Politics

Calls for lowering voting age dominate NILDS-Democracy Radio’ school debate

181 total views today

By EricJames Ochigbo

Calls for lowering voter age and rejecting e-voting on Wednesday in Abuja dominated the maiden edition of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS)-Democracy Radio secondary school debate.

Students from Africa Community School, Asokoro and Intelligence Quotient Academy, who emerged winners, made the call at the debate, organised to mark Nigeria’s 26th anniversary of unbroken democracy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the topic of the debate was “Is E-Voting the Future of Nigeria’s Democracy/Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16 years.”

Miss Khadijah Matawale, a student of Intelligence Quotient Academy, said that every citizen had the right to life, freedom of speech and movement, and should be given the right to vote.

Matawale described voting as a process of electing leaders in a democratic setting by citizens, arguing that teenagers at the age of 16 are equally citizens.

According to her, if the aged have the right mindset to vote and have a say in what is going in government, teenagers at age 16 should also be allowed to vote.

“If everybody, irrespective of age or experience, is affected by bad governance, why can’t voting age be reduced to accommodate those of 16 years of age?

“In countries like Australia, Cuba and Brazil, they allow teenagers, 16 and 17 years of age to vote; why can’t that be implemented in Nigeria?” she queried.

On her part, Miss Oluwadamilola Wright of Africa Community School, argued that though technology looked like the way forward, there were lots of constraints.

Wright said that transparency could not be assured, as operators of the system were those appointed by people in power, thus making it difficult to be sure if the output was the will of the people or government officials.

She also stated that electronic systems could be very expensive to acquire and operate.

In his own contribution, Master Ogbodo Kelvin, of Government Secondary School, Area 10, Garki, argued that e-voting was the future of Nigeria’s electoral system and across the world.

Kelvin noted that the world was changing in terms of technological advancement and that e-voting would ensure empowerment, transparency and reduction in electoral fraud.

“We’re in a world where climate change is affecting us a lot. We will consume a lot of parts with manual voting but with e-voting, it will reduce the use of paper; we are conscious of our plight; it is democracy with a conscience,” he said.

However, Miss Oluwapamilerinayo Abobarin, an SS II student of Treasure Homes International Schools, argued that voting should be done by adult citizens alone.

Abobarin said that it was risky to allow younger teenagers to vote in deciding t fate of a complex nation like Nigeria.

“A 16-year old is not emotionally stable. Science shows that the part of the brain responsible for decision-making is not yet developed until mid-twenties.

“This is enough reason for us to see that a 16-year-old is not mature enough for such decision for the whole nation.

“They are still very dependent on their parents; they are easily influenced and manipulated by social media influencers, easy prey for cyber bullies and can be forced by someone in their neighbourhood to vote for a particular candidate.

“Imagine a 16-year-old becoming president of Nigeria, because the right to vote comes with the right to be voted for,” she said.

In an interview with NAN, the General-Manager of NILDS-Democracy Radio, Mrs Uju Nwachukwu, said that the initiative was centered around questions of interest to young people.

Nwachukwu said that following social media comments of young people after the 2023 elections, the debate was designed to propel new thinking among young people.

“What we are trying to do is more of awareness on governance and politics for younger people.

“At NILDS-Democracy Radio, our mandate is to bridge information gap between the governed and the government, and we are not leaving the younger generation.

“We want to get the younger generation talking; they are the younger demography that is most often over-looked; they will turn 18 in two years.

“At some point in time, they are going to be part of the system; so getting them involved now is a better strategy than waiting until that time where they express their discontent by other means like riots and protests.

“Getting them intellectually involved now, getting them to do research and understand things for themselves is the essence of this conversation,” she said.

Nwachukwu said that young people were very impressionable, as they could easily convince their peers to run with such ideas.

The general manager said that the debate would not be a one-off event but would be expanded to include university students. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

ECOWAS Court inaugurates moot court competition for W/African law students
Foreign

ECOWAS Court inaugurates moot court competition for W/African law students

161 total views today

By Mark Longyen

The ECOWAS Court of Justice on Wednesday inaugurated a moot court competition for W/African law students aimed at fostering legal interaction and empowering the youth in the subregion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event had as its theme: “Promoting Regional Integration and Human Rights Through Judicial Processes in West Africa.”

The competition brought together West African law students to simulate proceedings before the court, offer them first hand exposure to an international tribunal’s working, and the opportunity to refine their advocacy skills.

The Community Court’s President, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, while declaring the event opened, described it as a landmark initiative in advancing legal education and regional integration in West Africa.

He emphasised that the event was an embodiment academic exercise, and a strategic platform for building a more engaged, informed, and cohesive legal community across the subregion.

According to him, the ECOWAS Court is the principal judicial organ of ECOWAS, which is tasked with delivering justice and fostering judicial understanding and accessibility.

“This moot court competition reflects our enduring commitment to public engagement and nurturing the next generation of legal minds.

“Regional integration is not solely an economic or political pursuit, it is also a legal one. It is built on institutions that are transparent, fair, and accessible to all,” Gonçalves said.

The President highlighted the initiative’s aims, which, he said, included deepening participants’ knowledge of the ECOWAS Court’s mandate and its contributions to regional peace, human rights, and integration.

He noted that the competition was also designed to sharpen the advocacy, research, and legal writing skills of aspiring lawyers, and tools that were critical both in the courtroom and in public service.

The court’s president explained that the competition also aimed at raising awareness about the court’s work throughout the region and to build public trust in regional justice mechanisms.

Gonçalves added that the event also served as a unique opportunity to foster meaningful connections among students, academics, legal practitioners, and ECOWAS institutions.

“This event is both timely and transformative, this is your moment. Be bold in legal reasoning, rigorous in your arguments, and be always guided by ethics.

“This contest is not just about winning; it is about shaping jurists who are critical thinkers and champions of justice.

“May this competition inspire a new generation to uphold the ideals of justice, solidarity, and integration in West Africa, and may the best team win,” he said.

He said the maiden edition of the competition, which featured eight Nigerian universities, would be an annual event, eventually expanding to all West African universities’ law faculties.

Speaking earlier, the court’s Chief Registrar, Dr Yaouza Ouro-Sama, described the event as a “historic moment” that would enrich legal education, promote youth engagement, regional integration, and justice advancement.

He said that the competition was also a practical learning platform that reflected real courtroom procedures.

“This moot court is more than a competition. It is a vital educational tool that cultivates critical thinking, advocacy, and a deep respect for due process.

“To our participants, may this experience inspire you, challenge you, and deepen your commitment to justice,” he said.

NAN reports that the participating universities were selected from thirteen institutions which had earlier applied and chosen based on their outstanding performances in the memorial submission stage.

The highpoint of the event, which was attended by judges, academics, legal professionals, university representatives, among others, was the official opening of the moot court competition among the participating universities. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email