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Ouattara Tasks ECOWAS On Developmenta
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should focus on its development objectives instead of managing political crises, its chairman, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, has said.
Speaking after Thursday’s extraordinary summit of the 15-member bloc in Dakar, he called to discuss the situation in Guinea-Bissau and Mali, Ouattara said “political crisis management must be replaced by the achievement of objectives
assigned to ECOWAS’’.
He said the regional grouping should be engaged in building roads and schools, and improving the living conditions of the people in the region.
“We want an ECOWAS of peoples. There can be no development without peace and stability. If the political situation in Mali is not resolved, it will threaten the whole Sahel-Saharan Africa,” he warned.
Garba made the call in Faskari while disbursing the interest-free credit to 300 women from Faskari, Sabuwa and Dandume Local Government Areas of the state.
She said the scheme was aimed at improving the social and economic wellbeing of women in rural areas and called on organisations and wealthy individuals to support the initiative.
Lubabatu said that the administration of Gov. Ibrahim Shema had invested much on youth and women empowerment in its effort to reduce poverty.
The deputy governor’s wife said the scheme had facilitated the growth of small scale businesses and called on the beneficiaries to sustain the trend through wise investments.
Speaking at the occasion, Alhaji Isiyaku Ahmad, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Faskari Local Government, expressed appreciation for the scheme, saying it would impact positively on the lives of rural women.
Ahmed urged the beneficiaries to ensure proper use of the loan so as to repay on time for others to benefit.
He advised the women to form cooperative societies to further boost their businesses.