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UN Seeks ECOWAS Partnership On Security

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12 years ago

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The United Nations has called on Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to strengthen its partnership with it in enhancing early warning mechanisms to address security challenges in the region.

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa, Ambassador Said Djinnit, made the call at the 9th ECOWAS Development Partners Annual Conference in Abuja on Monday.

Djinnit expressed the readiness of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA) to undertake joint missions with ECOWAS.

He said this is in order to develop joint analysis and assessments in line with the respective mandates of both parties on conflict prevention and early warning.

“Another area where the ECOWAS-UNOWA partnership should be firmed up is in the early response mechanism.

“The cross-border threat to peace and security in West Africa exposing the region to threats such as drug trafficking, organised crime, including piracy and terrorism constitutes areas where the coordination between the UN and ECOWAS will continue to expand in the end.”

The special representative also commended the efforts of the regional bloc in its decision to extend the Regional Action Plan on drug trafficking, abuse and organised crime.

In his address, Head of Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Amb David MacRae, called on the commission to strengthen “long term capacities in conflict prevention and resolution”.

MacRae said the EU was committed to supporting the process of addressing conflict prevention and resolution in West Africa.

“The EU and its member states are contributing substantially to this objective by supporting the ECOWAS Peace and Security mandate.

“The EU is also supporting the fight against human and drug trafficking in support of the ECOWAS declaration on drugs and crime and migration management,” MacRae said.

He also reiterated its determination to support the peace process in Mali “at all levels, including political, military and developmental while maintaining humanitarian aid and demanding respect for human rights.”

He commended the efforts of ECOWAS in it economic integration agenda toward the adoption of a Common External Tariff (CET) which would support the transition to a common market in West Africa.

He also said that the adoption of a CET would facilitate the conclusion of the ECOWAS Economic partnership Agreement with the EU.

He also urged ECOWAS to play a decisive role in the implementation of the economic integration protocols.

The EU envoy said that mechanisms should be put in place to monitor, evaluate and report the implementation of regional policies at national levels.

“ECOWAS commission is in need of strengthening. There is a recruitment process that has to be gone through for positions to be filled and an audit of activities required.

“What we have called for is a greater transparency in the budget as a whole because we need a report to show the results being made with the funds being put in by the EU,” he said.

 

Corlins Walter

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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6 days ago

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June 27, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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6 days ago

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June 27, 2025

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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6 days ago

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June 27, 2025

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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