Africa
Coup: Falana urges ECOWAS to approve 2-term tenure for presidents
Coup: Falana urges ECOWAS to approve 2-term tenure for presidents
Human rights activist Femi Falana (SAN) has urged leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to approve a tenure of two terms for presidents without further delay.
He said this had become imperative in this era of military coup d’etat across West Africa.
Speaking at the opening of the maiden West Africa Civil Society Week (WACSW23) in Lagos, he said:” A tenure of two terms should be approved by ECOWAS for presidents in the region. In 2015, it was opposed by Togo while in 2022 Senegal, and Cote D’Ivoire did the same.”
The WACSW23 is a 3-day conference, which ends August 31, was organised by the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) in collaboration with the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), aims to delve into the pivotal role of civil society in safeguarding democratic values, consolidating regional development and navigating the complex contemporary landscape.
He also urged the ECOWAS to take advantage of the political crisis in the region to launch the “ECO” currency.
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He said:”The 30 years struggle by ECOWAS, to establish a regional currency, ECO to promote trade and development in the region have been hijacked with the collaboration of some leaders, particularly President Emmanuel Macron of France who has taken over the responsibility of establishing and even printing the new currency. This still shows colonial influence. We must take advantage of the political crisis in West Africa to launch the ECO as the currency for the region.”
Frowning at military intervention in West Africa,he said: We don’t want military rule, our development will be constrained. There is urgent need to address tenure elongation in West Africa.What we call rule of law has become rule of the rich; rule of the few,” he added.
The human rights lawyer urged the regional body to end the reckless exploration of mineral resources of African countries by colonialists.
Executive director of WACSI, Nana Afadzinu, said civil societies want democracy and good governance. She said they oppose coup d’états and prefer constitutional rule and good electoral governance for peace, security, prosperity and collective well-being.
“Civil Society and the enhanced and strengthened civic space that we advocate for to ensure sustainable development through good governance; transparency and accountability; social, economic, and political development; inclusivity and participation; social justice, social accountability and social protection; gender equality and non-discrimination- all to ensure peace and prosperity in West Africa, is under a major threat- and we are in a dilemma.
“We still face resourcing issues- COVID exposed the weakness of our institutions, structural patriarchy continues to be an obstacle and the inequitable power in international development strangles our growth and facilitates civic space constraints.
“ECOWAS, once our beacon of hope among regional economic bodies on the continent– a pace-setter and norm setter – seems to have lost the trust of its citizens and waned considerably in moral authority. We want our ECOWAS back- back to what it promised to be- that ECOWAS that wanted to be one of peoples and not states.,” she said.
Coup: Falana urges ECOWAS to approve 2-term tenure for presidents
Africa
ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states
ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the ECOWAS region, under the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC), have called for the establishment of a railway corridor linking all member countries, alongside the existing road network.
The proposal was made at the end of their inaugural exhibition and workshop, which took place from November 21 to November 23 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the event, organized by the ESBC in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission and Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, brought together small business operators from across the region.
The coalition highlighted the challenges faced by SMEs in transporting goods and services within the ECOWAS subregion.
They emphasized the need for better communication and a clearer understanding of cross-border trade obligations, as well as improvements in the movement of goods and people.
While ECOWAS has confirmed the free movement of goods and people under existing protocols, it clarified that such movements still require compliance with formalities and customs duties.
Addressing transportation and trade barriers
NAN reports that during the workshop, members of the ESBC presented a range of proposals to address transportation challenges.
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They called for an end to cross-border harassment and corruption, which they attributed to the imposition of unnecessary taxes.
They also suggested that local Small Business Coalitions (SBCs) should be empowered to issue certificates of origin to entrepreneurs to streamline trade processes.
Additionally, the coalition proposed the establishment of online training platforms for SBCs to enhance their capacity to support SMEs.
Proposals for improving access to information and financing
- The coalition also noted the importance of access to information for the success of SMEs and urged them to take advantage of policies such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ECOWAS frameworks.
- They called for greater awareness of these initiatives to help SMEs navigate trade barriers.
- Furthermore, reports inform that the coalition underscored the need for the harmonization of fiscal policies across the ECOWAS region and advised SMEs to choose suitable business models and consult advisory firms for better guidance.
Innovation and sustainable development for SMEs
- The coalition also discussed the need for greater innovation and sustainability in the region’s SMEs to enhance their competitiveness.
- They proposed training programs focused on certification, efficient technology transfer, and increased research to help businesses expand across borders.
- Despite the availability of financing mechanisms for SMEs, the coalition pointed out that many small businesses struggle to access these funds due to inadequate resources and poor absorption capacity.
- In response, they suggested focusing on promoting new business models suited to African realities and learning from the BRICS nations’ approach to economic development.
Future initiatives for strengthening SMEs
- ESBC proposed several initiatives to further support SMEs in the region.
- These included the creation of an ESBC television network to raise awareness, the establishment of a dedicated bank for SME financing, and the development of strategies to encourage a common currency within ECOWAS.
- They also called for the removal of customs and monetary barriers and the establishment of international shipping lines to improve logistics. To address the needs of landlocked countries, the coalition proposed facilitating better access to ports for these nations.
- The ESBC concluded that substantial work remains to be done to enhance the competitiveness and growth of SMEs in the ECOWAS region, particularly in the areas of innovation, financing, and cross-border trade facilitation.
ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states
Africa
Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested
Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested
Africa
Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal
Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal
Cristel Nchama, one of the women appearing in viral explicit videos allegedly involving Baltasar Engonga, the former director-general of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), has filed a formal complaint with the National Gendarmerie in Malabo.
Engonga has been the focus of intense public scrutiny after investigators, probing allegations of fraud, searched his home and office and reportedly uncovered approximately 400 explicit videos featuring him with multiple women.
The tapes allegedly show Baltasar Engonga with his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the country’s president, the wife of the director-general of police, and around 20 wives of ministers, among others.
The recordings, which have since gone viral, are said to have taken place in Engonga’s office, hotels, and bathrooms, purportedly with the consent of those involved.
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In her complaint, Nchama disclosed that she had been in a four-year relationship with Engonga and expressed profound distress over the public leak of the videos, which she says has harmed her reputation.
Nchama claimed that Engonga “misled” her into trusting him and that she had initially resisted being filmed, under the impression that any recordings would be deleted.
She also claimed to have been “betrayed” by Bello for publishing the videos.
“I am humiliated,” she stated. “It is my reputation, my honour. I want to know where these images came from and why he kept the images.”
In addition to filing her complaint, Nchama has demanded reparations from Engonga for the damage caused to her reputation and personal dignity.
Following the scandal, the government dismissed Engonga from his position at ANIF on Thursday.
Officials also announced the suspension of various public officials allegedly involved in sexual activities within government offices.
Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal
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