TIG Post

Tag: ECOWAS

  • Comply with decisions of Community Court of Justice – Akufo-Addo to ECOWAS leaders

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged the member States of ECOWAS to respect the decisions of the Community Court of Justice. 

    He said despite efforts by the ECOWAS Court to deliver on its mandate, it is constrained by the poor rate of enforcement of its judgement, which stands at 13%.

    Speaking at the Opening of the External Court Session of ECOWAS Community Court, President Akufo-Addo noted that unless Member States comply with the judgments of the Court, it will be difficult to build public confidence. 

    Bright Ntramah reports that this is the first time since its formation, more than 20 years ago, that over twenty years ago the External Court session of the ECOWAS Community Court was being held in Ghana. 

    The session, which is important in the annual work programme of the Court, is anchored on the Provision of Article 26(2) of the 1991 Protocol on the Court.

    It is aimed at bringing Justice to the average person at the grassroots of the Community. 

    The Programme also provides the opportunity for Judicial dialogue with the national Courts of host countries and exposes lawyers and community citizens in the country to the practice and procedure of a Regional International Court. 

    Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah noted that lawyers in the country will get the opportunity to witness international Court proceedings.

    President Akufo-Addo called for amendments of the existing protocols to allow litigants use all local proceedings before being heard at the ECOWAS Court. He called on Member States to accept rulings of the Court to enable it to gain the confidence of the Public.

    About 60 cases would be heard and 21 judgements delivered in its two- weeks of sitting.

    Source: gbcghanaonline.com

  • ECOWAS proposes January 1, 2022 for reopening of land borders

    Member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have proposed January 1, 2022, for the reopening of all land borders.

    For over a year, land borders of ECOWAS countries have been closed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. A move which was affected trade facilitation and the movement of people.

    But the ECOWAS Sectoral Ministers with advice from the West African Health Organization have decided to reopen land borders during a virtual meeting held on December 7 in Abuja, Nigeria.

    A communique issued by ECOWAS explained the Ministers took into consideration several factors which include a US$50 billion loss in value of economies which amounts to 6.7 percent of their cumulative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2020 and 2021.

    It added that report and recommendations of the meeting will be forwarded to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers at a meeting scheduled for December 9-10 2021.

    Member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have proposed January 1, 2022, for the reopening of all land borders.

    For over a year, land borders of ECOWAS countries have been closed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. A move which was affected trade facilitation and the movement of people.

    But the ECOWAS Sectoral Ministers with advice from the West African Health Organization have decided to reopen land borders during a virtual meeting held on December 7 in Abuja, Nigeria.

    A communique issued by ECOWAS explained the Ministers took into consideration several factors which include a US$50 billion loss in value of economies which amounts to 6.7 percent of their cumulative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2020 and 2021.

    It added that report and recommendations of the meeting will be forwarded to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers at a meeting scheduled for December 9-10 2021.

    Also, the recommendations and report will subsequently be submitted to the Heads of State and Government for adoption.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Akufo-Addo commits to ECOWAS protocols on democracy

    President Akufo-Addo has given the assurance that he will continue to abide by ECOWAS Protocols on Democracy and Good governance.

    As current Chairman of ECOWAS, the President has promised to respect the Two Term limit and not make any modifications in Electoral Laws, six months to elections.

    Speaking at the Second Edition of the Kofi Annan Peace Forum, the President said, he will not be an impediment to the conduct of free and credible elections in Ghana. He, therefore, charged his colleague West African leaders to do same to promote democracy and peace in the Sub-Region.

    “I will not be an impediment to the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections; and I will hand over power to the next elected President on 7th January 2025.”

    President Akufo-Addo assured participants at he will rally his fellow ECOWAS Heads of States to take the pledge, “and support them as they continue to work towards democracy and good governance in their respective countries”.

    Delivering his speech, the President stated that Ghana is often touted as a beacon of democracy in Africa, and has won plaudits for her democratic credentials.

    Though still fraught with challenges, he indicated that Ghanaian democracy has been consolidated with the conduct of eight (8) elections, five (5) presidential transitions, three (3) of which resulted in the peaceful transfer from one political party to another.

    President Akufo-Addo has given the assurance that he will continue to abide by ECOWAS Protocols on Democracy and Good governance.

    As current Chairman of ECOWAS, the President has promised to respect the Two Term limit and not make any modifications in Electoral Laws, six months to elections.

    Speaking at the Second Edition of the Kofi Annan Peace Forum, the President said, he will not be an impediment to the conduct of free and credible elections in Ghana. He, therefore, charged his colleague West African leaders to do same to promote democracy and peace in the Sub-Region.

    “I will not be an impediment to the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections; and I will hand over power to the next elected President on 7th January 2025.”

    President Akufo-Addo assured participants at he will rally his fellow ECOWAS Heads of States to take the pledge, “and support them as they continue to work towards democracy and good governance in their respective countries”.

    Delivering his speech, the President stated that Ghana is often touted as a beacon of democracy in Africa, and has won plaudits for her democratic credentials.

    Though still fraught with challenges, he indicated that Ghanaian democracy has been consolidated with the conduct of eight (8) elections, five (5) presidential transitions, three (3) of which resulted in the peaceful transfer from one political party to another.

    “We want to be seen as a positive influence in other African countries who continue to face challenges with democratic consolidation,” he added.

    Source: gbcghanaonline.com

  • ECOWAS slaps sanctions on Mali leaders over stalled elections

    Heads of State from the West African regional bloc Ecowas met over the weekend to discuss political developments in suspended Mali and Guinea.

    At the end of the extraordinary summit, they imposed travel bans and financial assets freeze on specific leaders of Mali’s transitional government and members of their families.

    The reason for the sanction is the failure of the government to abide by a timetable to return the country to constitutional rule by February 2022.

    The government led by Colonel Assimi Goita had informed ECOWAS that the early 2022 date was not feasible for elections to be held.

    Goita led two coup in the space of a year, first overthrowing Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s government amid widespread protests. He subsequently took the role of vice-president of a transitional government led by former defense minister Bah Ndaw.

    Heads of State from the West African regional bloc Ecowas met over the weekend to discuss political developments in suspended Mali and Guinea.

    At the end of the extraordinary summit, they imposed travel bans and financial assets freeze on specific leaders of Mali’s transitional government and members of their families.

    The reason for the sanction is the failure of the government to abide by a timetable to return the country to constitutional rule by February 2022.

    The government led by Colonel Assimi Goita had informed ECOWAS that the early 2022 date was not feasible for elections to be held.

    Goita led two coup in the space of a year, first overthrowing Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s government amid widespread protests. He subsequently took the role of vice-president of a transitional government led by former defense minister Bah Ndaw.

    He staged a second coup by removing Ndaw after disagreements.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • ECOWAS Speaker advocates for improvement in Africa security

    The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis for called for better methods to help stop all manner of insecurity in all Africa countries indicating violent conflict are always characterized by lack of development and shortage of economic opportunities.

    He made this call while speaking at the de-localised meeting of the Joint Committee on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Legal Affairs and Human Rights and Telecommunications and Information Technology of the ECOWAS Parliament, holding in Winneba, from July 27 to 30, 2021.

    “Permit me to state the obvious that a lot of the challenges bedeviling our region already have their solutions in Telecommunications and Information Technology (TIT). Therefore, the deliberations of Members of the Joint Committee over the next few days should lead to sound recommendations for our community in this regard. As the region is currently being affected by waves of violent extremism and terrorism, humanitarian crisis and global pandemics, Members must consider the merits of the latest technological advancements, innovations, and intelligence as viable tools to curb insecurity”.

    He added, “After all, evidence shows that societies mired in violent conflict are often characterized by lack of development and shortage of economic opportunities. So, we must strive for the return of peace in our region as it remains the key competent to sustainable development.”

    Through the rapid development of telecommunications and information technology, he argued, administration of justice can be improved and made effective for the smooth running of the society.

    He said the digitization of legal systems is a development that has come to stay and he has no doubt that if improved upon, life will be made easier for the people. This, he said, is because it stands to reason that peace can only prevail in a society that has justice and equity.

    “As the world continues to witness innovations and changes in the ICT architecture, the judicial system and its policy makers now have the opportunity to bring justice, law and order closer to the people.”

    Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for the Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin in his opening remarks emphasised the crucial importance on ICT in the development and advancement of every economy.

    He said the world now lives in the age of revolutionary Telecommunication and Information Technology.

    “This is the age where doctors perform invasive but critical life-saving surgeries remotely with the aid of high-speed internet, computers and advanced medical tools, equipment and gadgets. This is the period where advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have made it possible for some countries to deploy Robots, instead of human judges, to make accurate and binding judicial decisions in the Courtroom”, Afenyo-Markin added.

    He continued: “Indeed, this is the age where Telecommunication and Information Technology is making it possible for billionaires to travel to space for holiday. Ridiculous as this might sound, it is still valid. In the parts of the world where the true potential of telecommunications and Information Technology is being harnessed, citizens have easy access to computers and the internet. For example, in the U.S, 87 percent of individuals have access to a computer in their households. The figure in Finland is 93 percent. In these two countries, over 85 percent and more than 89 percent of people have access to the internet.

    “Yet, the story across Africa is troubling. For example, in 2019, only 7.7 percent of households on the continent of Africa were estimated to have a computer at home. The figure tallied with the result for 2018. In many ways, the evidence is around us in our respective countries. Our school children rarely use computers, and in many schools, pupils learn about computers without the benefit of neither seeing nor operating them.”

    Source: Justice Walker Junior, Contributor

  • 59th ECOWAS Ordinary Summit comes off today in Accra

    Ghana will host the 59th Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government from Tuesday, June 15 to Saturday, June 19, in Accra.

    The meeting would deliberate on pertinent issues threatening the peace and stability of the West African sub-region and find solutions to them.

    It would be attended by 15 Heads of State in West Africa, except Mali, which has been suspended from the regional bloc following the recent political upheavals there.

    Other dignitaries expected include the ECOWAS President and Vice, Commissioners and supporting staff and former Nigeria President, Mr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who is the ECOWAS Special Envoy, mediating the Mali political crisis.

    He would present a report on his recent visit to the West African country after the Emergency ECOWAS Summit held in Accra on May 30, 2021.

    A communique would be issued at the end of the Summit to highlight key decisions reached during the deliberations.

    Ms Shirley Ayorko Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, announced this at the Minister’s media briefing in Accra on Monday.

    The Summit would be preceded by the 46th Ordinary Meeting of ECOWAS Mediation and Security Ministerial Council on Tuesday, June 15 and 86th Ordinary Meeting of ECOWAS Council of Ministers on June 16 and 17 at the Movenpic Hotel in Accra.

    Other equally important issues on the agenda include ECOWAS Vision 2050, ECOWAS Information and Research Forum; humanitarian issues in the sub-region, report on ECOWAS Trade and Industry Ministerial Meeting, Ministerial Report on ECOWAS Single Currency and New Convergence Path, Regional Flood Risk Initiative and Management Strategy as well as the ECOWAS Gender Strategy and Action Plan.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, ECOWAS Chair, is expected to open the 59th Ordinary Summit at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra on Saturday.

    Source: GNA

  • Ibrahim Mahama commended by Alan Kyerematen over Dzata Cement

    Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, has commended Ibrahim Mahama, Founder of Dzata Cement Limited, for investing heavily in the cement industry.

    The over US$100 million investment is located on a 10-acre land near the Tema Port.

    Mr Kyerematen made the commendation when he paid a working visit to the plant of Dzata Cement Limited on Monday.

    The visit was to enable him to have first-hand information on the cement-producing plant and the progress of work so far.

    The technology deployed for producing the cement is from Germany and was developed by Haver and Boecker.

    The cement grade produced by the plant is ordinary Portland cement, which is imported for the plant and then bagged.

    The plant, which is wholly managed by Ghanaians, can produce an average of 120 bags per minute from the two production lines.

    The Minister said the industry had been solely dominated by global foreign companies and that Dzata Cement Limited was the first wholly Ghanaian investment in the cement industry and that alone was remarkable.

    He said the government very much appreciated the importance of foreign investment capital but there was no evidence of any country anywhere in the world that had been able to achieve quality growth without supporting their indigenous entrepreneurs.

    “That is why l think this particular investment should pave the way for investments in industries which otherwise have been dominated only by foreign companies,” he added.

    Mr. Kyerematen also lauded Mr. Mahama for the investment in state-of-the-art technology, which also was important as a developing country.

    He said as a safeguard measure to protect the domestic cement industry against import surges of Portland cement, the Export and Import (Restrictions on Importation of Portland Cement) Regulations, 2016 (L.I 2240) was passed.

    The regulation requires every commercial importation of Portland cement from outside the ECOWAS region to be covered by permit or license from the Ministry.

    Section (4.0) (a-d) of the Second Schedule of LI 2240 provides that an applicant for a permit to import Portland cement for re-bagging must provide evidence of elaborate plans to undertake Cement production in Ghana, including the state of the factory being constructed.

    The Minister said the facility was going to create high skills jobs for Ghanaians and contribute to job creation.

    He encouraged the management of the Company to as much as possible use local raw materials to create sustainable job opportunities for Ghanaians.

    He urged the management to take advantage of opportunities the ECOWAS and AfCFTA markets offered to develop and grow the company while contributing to the Ghanaian economy.

    Nana Philip Archer, Managing Director of Dzata Cement Limited, said the working environment was an eco-friendly one though it was a cement production factory.

    He said phase I was a two-line re-bagging installed capacity of 1.2 million tonnes per annum using jumbo bags of imported bulk cement.

    He said the production of Silos could hold 40, 000 metric tonnes of cement.

    Phase II will have a plant capacity of 2.4 million tonnes per annum using imported bulk Portland cement, while Phase III will involve actual manufacturing and bagging, using two vertical grinding mills of 3 million tones capacity each.

    The Managing Director expressed gratitude to the Minister for the visit, even though they were yet to commence full operations.

    The commencement of production by Dzata Cement will make it the 2nd bagging plant and the 12th plant in the industry and provide consumers with the additional choice of cement on the market.

    Currently, there are eleven cement plants in production in the industry, excluding Dzata Cement.

    They are nine grinding plants, one integrated plant (Savanah Diamonds), and one bagging plant (Dangote).

    Source: Goldstreet Business

  • Election 2020: International communities call for calm ahead of results declaration

    The Heads of ECOWAS and African Union Election Observation Missions, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of UNOWAS has urged all political stakeholders and the Ghanaian citizenry to exercise patience and remain calm as the Electoral Commission (EC) prepares to officially declare the presidential election results.

    A joint statement of ECOWAS, African Union and UNOWAS issued on 8 December 2020 entreated all political parties, especially the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to abide by their commitments to peace throughout the electioneering period.

    Part of the statement read: “In recognition of the important role of political leaders, especially the two major parties, the NPP and NDC, in preserving the peace in line with their commitments, including the signing of the Peace Pact on 4 December 2020, we urge all political parties and their leadership to respect the spirit and letter of these commitments.

    “Furthermore, we appeal to political parties and their followers to refrain from any conduct that may undermine the successful conclusion of the electoral process. We also call on state institutions to continue to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism and transparency”.

    The international communities also commended “the people of Ghana for the peaceful conduct of the 7 December 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.”

    Source: Class FM

  • ECOWAS, AU, UNOWAS commend Ghana for peaceful election

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commended Ghana for the conduct of a peaceful election on Monday, December 7.

    A joint statement issued by ECOWAS, African Union and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) also urged political stakeholders and citizens to exercise patience and remain calm even as the Electoral Commission was yet to announce the final official results.

    The statement also urged the two leading political parties; NPP and NDC, to respect the spirit and letter of the Peace Pact they signed on December 4 and ensure that the peace of the country was preserved.

    “Furthermore, we appeal to political parties and their followers to refrain from any conduct that may undermine the successful conclusion of the electoral process. We also call on state institutions to continue to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism and transparency,” it added.

    Below is the full statement

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • KAIPTC holds an induction course for ECOWAS states

    The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has held a five-day Induction Course for Directors and Analysts of National Centres for the coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanism in ECOWAS member states.

    The workshop, organised in partnership with ECOWAS and the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), sought to support the capacity of African Regional Institutions such as the AU and their relevant structures to effectively perform their mandates in ensuring peace and security in Africa.

    In all, 45 participants from ECOWAS member states were expected to take part in the course to facilitate early detection, monitoring, and analyse conflict indicators through open data sources.

    Air Commodore George Kweku Arko-Dadzie, the Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC, speaking at the opening ceremony, said this had become necessary as the changing security challenges that confronted Africa today were symptomatic of the transformation that had taken place over the past six decades.

    “Despite the existence of regional security mechanisms and increasing roles of Regional Training Centres of Excellence such as the KAIPTC in building capacity and research, West Africa is still faced with security challenges,” he stated.

    He noted there was a change in narratives from terrorism to violent extremism and their preventive counter measures.

    Air Commodore Arko-Dazie said violent extremism in West Africa had taken deep roots in the Lake Chad basin and the Sahel region as extremist groups emerged out of local grievances.

    He said the fight against these would continue as frontline personnel and peacekeepers adhere to necessary legislative conventions and precautionary measures.

    He said the need for a functional and dynamic national early warning and early response mechanism remained critical in the region.

    “Without adequate capacity in conflict analysis and early response, we will not reach far in our quest for sustainable peace and stable democratic governance.”

    “It is my fervent hope that this induction course will provide the needed skills to enable participants to deliver their tasks of ensuring conflict prevention and transformation in their respective countries,” the Deputy Commandant stated.

    Ms Finda E.M Koroma, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission in charge of early warnings system, noted that despite the operationalization of the ECOWAS early warning and response system and the collective security framework, individual member states were faced with various challenges that derailed development, peace, and security.

    She said the goal of ECOWAS was to deploy the NCCRM to all 15 member states within a reasonable timeframe while mobilizing resources to improve and sustain their performance.

    Ms Koroma said a proactive approach to conflict prevention was the surest way to deal with the persistent challenges that threaten peace and security in member countries.

    “Our early warning mechanism and the envisaged gains must not be seen as merely an ECOWAS Commission affair”.

    “Rather, it must be seen as a regional commitment and a collective effort by our member states to maintain sustainable peace and security in the region,” she noted.

    She said to achieve these, there must be a strong political commitment by our member states and the people in our region must identify themselves with this commitment.

    “Going forward our goal is to put in place an Early Warning System, with credible tools and cadres, as well as reliable products that could be shared with relevant government agencies in the region, especially national security agencies, dealing with various aspects of human security challenges and state security,” she stated.

    The Vice President in expressing her gratitude to the organizers of the induction course pledged their continuous collaboration with the African Union, European Union, GIZ, and other partners to achieve the desired results.

    Dr Chukwuemeka B. Eze, the Executive Director of WANEP, bemoaned the spectre of election-related violence, growing inequalities, violent extremism, piracy, unsafe migration, and persistent ethno-national conflicts that countries in the ECOWAS region continue to face.

    He said now more than ever, National Centres for Coordination Response Mechanism in member countries were crucial and critical to find solutions to all challenges that threaten peace.

    Source: GNA

  • KAIPTC lauds ECOWAS for continuous support

    Major General Francis Ofori, the Commandant of the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), has lauded the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the continuous support for the Centre.

    He said the KAIPTC, one of the three training centres of excellence, designated by ECOWAS in the sub-region, would continue to deliver on its mandate.

    “We look forward to continue strengthening this fruitful partnership between KAIPTC and ECOWAS,” Major General Ofori remarked at the opening of the Integrated Middle Management Course (IMMC) at the KAIPTC in Accra.

    The course, which is the second in series, is being organised by the KAIPTC with funding support from the Commission and the European Union.

    It seeks to fill gaps identified by ECOWAS, with the objective to support the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF).

    The Course aims at enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of participants to perform tasks at the middle management level of any ECOWAS mandated Peace Support Operation.

    The 17 participants attending the two-week course were drawn from eight African countries, namely Ghana, Serra Leone, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Nigeria and Zambia.

    Major General Ofori urged the participants to engage with each other and actively participate in the discussions so that they could derive the maximum benefit from the course.

    He also urged them to make the best use of their two-week stay at the Centre to enable them all to achieve the objectives of this course.

    “You are all aware that the Coronavirus is still with us, and the only way to prevent getting infected is to stick religiously to the safety protocols; so during your two-week training, please wear your masks, wash your hands or sanitize them frequently, and maintain a 2-metre distance between yourself and others.”

    Mr Baba Gana Wakil, Special Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, said, the IMMC in Peace Support Operations under the sponsorship of the EU was the second in the series.

    Participants are at the end of the course, are expected to perform the role of middle managers to support and achieve a common standard for integrated procedures in Peace Support Operations.

    Mr Wakil said the ECOWAS Standby Force was a multidimensional and integrated force comprising elements from the military, police and civilian components of the ECOWAS Member States.

    This, he said was what accounted for the mixture of military, police and civilian participants to go through the Course.

    He said ECOWAS had enormous experience in planning, deploying and managing Peace Support Operations within the Region as exemplified by the recent deployments of ECOWAS Peace Missions in Guinea Bissau and The Gambia.

    He said the need to train a bulk of personnel to adequately manage PSOS could not, therefore, be overemphasized, adding, this training also provides an opportunity for the sharing of ideas between the participants and the facilitators.

    He urged the participants to find one or two new lessons that would enhance their experience in management, as they were already experienced in their own right.

    He encouraged them to also make good use of the resources that had been placed at their disposal by KAIPTC.

    Source: GNA

  • ‘You have the right to protest but not in a violent manner’ ECOWAS to Nigerians

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has said it has noted with concern that demonstrations by Nigerian youth calling for police reform, particularly the abolition of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police, accused of misconduct by those demonstrating, have turned violent.

    Scores of Nigerians and some security officers have been killed during the violent protests in the oil-producing West African nation.

    The Commission in a statement on Wednesday, October 21 expressed its condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives during the protests and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.

    “While ECOWAS Commission recognizes the right of citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and protests, it also wishes to stress that those rights should be exercised in a non-violent manner.

    “In this regard, ECOWAS Commission calls on all protesters to remain peaceful in the conduct of their demonstrations. It also urges the Nigerian security operatives to exercise restraint in the handling of the protests and act professionally,” the statement said.

    It added that “ECOWAS Commission further notes that, in an effort to address the demands of the protesting youth, the Federal Government of Nigeria took important decisions regarding disbandment of SARS, comprehensive police reforms and investigation of cases of police brutality. It encourages the Nigerian Authorities to conduct the investigation rapidly.”

    Source: 3 News

  • Ecowas lifts Mali sanctions

    The West African regional group – Ecowas – has lifted sanctions imposed on Mali following a coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August.

    This comes after military authorities formed a transitional government comprising of army officials and civilians.

    “Taking into account the notable progress made towards a constitutional normalisation, and the support the process, the heads of states have decided to lift the sanctions on Mali, and called on partners to support Mali,” Ecowas said in a statement.

    Mali’s transitional leaders announced a new government on Monday, with some of the top posts going to military officials.

    Col Bah Ndaw was named as interim president, and Moctar Ouane as prime minister.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Ecowas hopes for civilian rule in Mali ‘within days’

    Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo- Addo, says West African leaders hope to see a civilian-led government installed in Mali within days.

    He spoke after talks between regional leaders and the military junta that seized power in Mali last month.

    Mr Akufo- Addo said the regional bloc, Ecowas, would lift sanctions “the minute” civilians were in place to take over in Mali.

    Ecowas leaders met in Ghanaian capital, Accra, for the talks on Mali’s political crisis.

    The leader of Mali’s junta, Col Assimi Goita, as well as representatives from the United Nations and African Union also attended.

    West African leaders fear that the security situation in Mali could deteriorate and undermine efforts made in defeating Islamist insurgents in the north.

    On Saturday, the opposition M5-RFP rejected a proposal by the military for an 18-month transition process.

    Source: bbc.com

  • ECOWAS stands by civilian-led transition team in Mali – Akufo-Addo

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday said ECOWAS has reaffirmed its position that a civilian leadership should be in charge of the transition in Mali.

    He said that once the required leadership was put in place through the processes that the Military rulers had agreed on in Mali, the sanctions that had placed on that country would be lifted.

    Speaking to journalists after the consultative meeting convened by him to resolve the political crisis in the West African nation, President Akufo-Addo said though an agreement had not reached, the military leadership agreed with the decisions taken at the meeting.

    However, the military leadership said they would have to go back to consult with those who were responsible for decisions to get them to buy into it.

    “The view point of ECOWAS is that matters that have been put out should be dealt with in terms of days and not weeks so that we begin the process of normalizing the situation in Mali,” he said.

    In that direction, President Akufo-Addo who was undertaking his first major assignment after being made the regional bloc’s chairman, said the mediator in the crisis, Nigeria’s former leader Goodluck Jonathan would return to Bamako in a week’s time to continue with talks with the military Junta.

    “The situation in Mali calls for a quick resolution, we have to have a government in place that can begin the process of normalising things, and more than anything else organising the resistance to the Tuareg menace.

    “The issue is now in the hands of the Malians,” he stated, hopeful that by the time the mediator returns to Mali, things would have been sorted out so that the sanctions can be lifted.

    ECOWAS had imposed sanctions on Mali and asked neighbouring states to close their land and air borders with the country after the military deposed the 75 year old Malian President Ibrahim Keita on August 15, 2020.

    The Bloc also suspended all financial flows between the 14 other member states and Mali, suspended the country from international decision making bodies and gave the military junta a deadline of September 15 2020 to appoint a new civilian president and prime minister.

    Tuesday’s meeting was attended by at least eight Presidents, Mali’s political junta and other stakeholders.

    Guinea’s Alpha Conde, Togo’s Faure Gnassingbe, Nigerien leader, Mahamadou Issoufou, who is the immediate past ECOWAS Chair, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Burkinanabe head of state Roch Marc Christian Kabore, Ivorian President Alassani Ouattara and the Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo took part in the consultative meeting.

    They have since left for their respective countries.

    Source: GNA

  • President Akufo-Addo wants an end to the Malian political crises

    Presidemt Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Chairman of ECOWAS, says there was need to bring finality to the upheaval in Mali.

    “That country can no longer afford any delay in putting a responsible government in place following the events of 18th of August. The circumstances in Malii today require that closure be brought to the matter now,” he said.

    The President was addressing a meeting convened by him at the Peduase Presidential Lodge to resolve the political stalemate in Mali.

    He said it was his belief that a face to face meeting with between the representatives of the ECOWAS Community and the military leaders in Bamako provided the best opportunity to find a resolution to the situation.

    He said terrorist were taking advantage of the situation in Mali to flex their muscles even more and thanked the military leader for responding positively to his invitation to the meeting.

    The ECOWAS Chair reminded the meeting that today was the day for the military rulers to put in place a government which should respond to the criteria set in August by the bloc.

    He said it was unfortunate that the deadline had not been met, but thanked the Malian military rulers for allowing Mr Keita to leave the country to seek medical attention in the United Arab Emirates.

    Mali, a country of 20 million people, has been unstable politically since 2012 when soldiers opposed to the response by the government to the separatist insurgency by Tuareg rebels in the country’s north, staged a coup d’etat.

    Since then, the political unrest in that country has served as a magnet for al-Qaeda and ISIL-linked groups, who have launched attacks on other West African nations from there, drawing concerns from the 15-member regional bloc.

    The recent unrest in the country follows the worsening security situation created by extremist Islamic groups who have leveraged the Tuareg insurgency and local militia that have banded to quell the chaos.

    Mali’s leader, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita whose reelection in 2018 was marred by low turnout and allegations of fraud further ignited deep resentment for his government.

    He has also been accused of mismanaging the economy and the ongoing insurgency in the north coupled with allegations of corruption.

    Since June 2020, numerous protests have been staged for Keita’s resignation, leading to elements of the Malian Armed Forces staging a coup on August 18 2020, forcing the 75 year old leader to resign and dissolve his government, with the Junta promising new elections within a reasonable timeline.

    The situation was strongly condemned by the international community including the United Nations, the African Union, as well as ECOWAS, who urged the soldier to return to barracks, release immediately Keita who had been held since his deposition.

    ECOWAS further imposed sanctions on Mali and asked neighbouring states to close their land and air borders with that country.

    It also gave the military Junta a deadline of September 15 to appoint a new civilian President and Prime Minister.

    The Peduase meeting, the first official assigment of President Akufo-Addo after assuming the position as Chairman of the Commission, will consolidate all the mediation efforts by the bloc to return Mali to constitutional rule and prevent further deterioration of the political situation there.

    Source: GNA

  • ECOWAS to hold a meeting in Ghana towards resolving Malian political crisis

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will on Tuesday, September 15, hold a crunch meeting involving key stakeholders in the Malian political crisis at the Peduase Lodge, Aburi of the Eastern Region.

    The extraordinary meeting is expected to dialogue on ways of returning Mali to constitutional rule.

    It forms part of the mediation efforts to prevent further deterioration of the Malian political situation.

    The meeting will bring together delegation from nine African countries including; Key stakeholders from the Malian military junta, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and relevant stakeholders who spearheaded the demonstrations prior to the coup d’etat on August 18, 2020, that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s government.

    Addressing a news conference in Accra on Sunday, ahead of the consultative meeting, Mrs Shirley Oyorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said at the 57th ECOWAS ordinary meeting held in Niamey, capital of Niger, on September 7, 2020, the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State demanded that the Malian National Council for the People’s Salvation present a roadmap for holding an election within 12 months in Mali.

    Therefore, the meeting in Ghana will demand the roadmap towards organising an election in Mali.

    The ECOWAS Authority also demanded that the Heads of Transitional Government and Prime Minister, both civilians should be appointed not later than September 15, 2020.

    The meeting will be the first assignment for President Akufo-Addo since his election as ECOWAS Chair.

    President Akufo-Addo’s election as ECOWAS Chair placed him in the same shoes as his predecessors towards resolving the enormous task of ensuring peace and harmony in Mali.

    Meanwhile, Mali has been suspended from ECOWAS following the political uprising in that country, therefore no representative from Malian government would be in Ghana for the meeting.

    Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah noted that the Malian political crisis posed a serious security threat to the sub region, especially as the continent was about to operationalize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) agreement, and it was imperative to find an amicable solution to the crisis.

    In view of the upcoming ECOWAS extraordinary meeting in Ghana, traffic situation from Accra to Peduase Lodge in Aburi would be affected.

    The Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service would deploy traffic wardens to direct movements of vehicles.

    Superintendent Dr Samuel Sasu Mensah in charge of Operations at the MTTD told the media that vehicular traffic on the N4 road to Peduase would be affected, therefore motorists are supposed to use alternative routes.

    Some other principal roads that would be affected include; Airport By-pass road, VVIP Lounge road to Liberation Road, Independence Avenue road to Arko Adjei Interchange, Kempinski Hotel road to Independence Avenue, and National Theatre road to Independence Avenue.

    Source: GNA

  • President Akufo-Addo attends 57th ECOWAS Summit in Niger

    The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, left Ghana on Monday, 7th September 2020, to lead the Ghanaian delegation to the 57th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, which is being held in Niamey, capital of the Republic of Niger.

    The meeting of the Heads of State will discuss matters the COVID-19 situation in West Africa, the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme, and the political impasse in Mali. Additionally, they will also consider reports form the 44th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the Ministerial Level, and the 84th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, which preceded the Summit.

    President Akufo-Addo was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway MP; Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta; Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Ernest Addison, and officials of the Presidency and the Foreign Ministry.

    The President will return to Ghana on Monday, 7th September 2020, and, in his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, shall, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead.

    Source: presidency.gov.gh

  • 15 irregular ECOWAS migrants busted at Hamile

    The Tactical Night Patrol Team of the Ghana Immigration Service, acting upon intelligence, on Wednesday busted fifteen (15) irregular ECOWAS NATIONALS on board a passenger bus with registration number GN-2357-10 at the Hamile District Assembly Barrier.

    The migrants were destined for Techiman and Kumasi respectively for farming and business purposes.

    They comprised twelve (12) Burkina Faso nationals and three (03) Niger nationals. Their ages ranged between 02 and 53 years.

    A statement signed by the Upper West Regional Public Affairs Officer of the Immigration Service, Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul-Mumin Seidou said preliminary investigations revealed that the migrants sneaked into Ghana through unapproved routes.

    They were screened by the Port Health Personnel before being handed over to the Burkina Faso authorities on the other side of the border at about 0720HRS on 20th August, 2020.

    Source: Kasapa FM

  • Ecowas condemns ‘mutiny’ in Mali

    The West Africa regional body, Ecowas, has condemned what it called a mutiny in Mali and has called on soldiers to return to their barracks.

    This comes after gunfire erupted inside a military base near the capital Bamako.

    Ecowas reiterated its opposition to any unconstitutional change of power.

    It is not yet clear how many soldiers took part in the incident which according to some reports was fuelled by a pay dispute.

    The unrest coincides with opposition calls for more protests demanding the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita.

    There is widespread anger at the worsening security situation with jihadist and communal violence on the increase, corruption and the mismanagement of the economy.

    Source: bbc.com

  • ECOWAS Bank invests US$2.9 billion in economies of member states

    The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has invested US$2.9 billion into the economies of member states.

    Dr George Nana Agyekum Donkor, the President of the Bank, who announced this, said the investments were in line with the mandate of the bank to promote the development agenda of the sub-region.

    He was speaking at the construction site of the Garden City Mall in Kumasi after leading a delegation of the bank to inspect the progress of work as one of the financiers of the project.

    The project, which is being funded by EBID and the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), is a partnership between the Kumasi Traditional Council, the Methodist Church of Ghana and the Retail and Realty Company Limited.

    The ECOWAS regional bank has so far invested US$20 million into the project, which is 85 per cent complete and expected to be opened in April 2021.

    Dr Donkor said EBID was committed to the economic development of member states, adding that the Garden City Mall project had a huge prospect of enhancing the local economy of Kumasi as well as job creation.

    He said the partners involved in the execution of the project were reputable institutions worth supporting for the benefit of the thousands of people who would be given direct and indirect jobs.

    He disclosed that EBID also funded the Kempinski and Marriott Hotels, expansion of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and the extension of electricity to 114 communities in Ashanti, Bono and Ahafo Regions.

    Other countries in the sub-region, according to him, also had the fair share of investments and gave the assurance that EBID would continue to drive the economy of the sub-region.

    He commended the project contractors for the remarkable progress made so far and urged them to work hard to complete the work on time.

    The delegation later paid a courtesy call on the King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace.

    The Asante Monarch commended the bank for supporting the project which, he said, would have a significant impact on the livelihoods of those who would be employed to work at the mall.

    He encouraged the bank to extend their support to all member countries to address the infrastructural deficit in the sub-region.

    The EBID is the financial arm of ECOWAS, comprising 15 member states with headquarters in Lome, the Republic of Togo.

    It is committed to financing development projects and programmes in the areas of infrastructure, transport, energy, agriculture, telecommunication, rural development and industry.

    The bank intervenes through short, medium and long term loans, equity participation, granting of lines of credit and putting in place framework agreements for refinancing, financial engineering operations and services.

    Source: GNA

  • Mali crisis mediation falters amid opposition defiance

    Mali’s opposition on Wednesday reiterated calls for President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign, again spurning a compromise floated by West African leaders seeking to resolve a weeks-old political crisis.

    Using the acronym by which the president is known, prominent opposition leader Choguel Maiga told a news conference that “the only watchword remains the resignation of IBK”.

    He said a “second phase of civil disobedience” would occur three days after the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, which the faithful will celebrate this week.

    Mahmoud Dicko, a Saudi-trained imam who is considered the figurehead of the opposition June 5 Movement, also told reporters that he had asked Prime Minister Boubou Cisse to step down.

    The announcements mark an entrenchment for the movement, which has not budged from urging Keita’s resignation despite several high-profile efforts to mediate the political impasse.

    The loose alliance of opposition groups and religious leaders has since last month has been channelling deep anger in Mali over a dire economy, perceived corruption and a brutal jihadist conflict.

    The disparate alliance of opposition groups and religious leaders had already on Tuesday dismissed a plan to break the impasse with Keita, which the 15-nation regional bloc ECOWAS had put forward the previous day.

    West African leaders had suggested forming a new unity government to resolve an election dispute that has sparked outrage.

    By Monday evening, Keita had already appointed a stripped-down government with the intention to recruit opposition members.

    Cisse also visited Dicko on Tuesday evening to invite him to bring his June 5 Movement into a unity government, at which point the imam asked him to step down.

    “Mali is not a submissive or resigned people,” Dicko said on Wednesday. “The Malian nation must be restored by Malians for Malians and for Malians.”

    ‘Not going to resign

    Keita, in power since 2013, has come under increasing pressure to resolve Mali’s brutal eight-year-old jihadist revolt, and kickstart the slumping economy.

    But much of the Sahel nation’s current tension was sparked in April, when the Constitutional Court tossed out 30 results from long-delayed parliamentary elections – a move that benefited Keita’s party.

    Protests ratcheted up into a crisis on July 10 when an anti-Keita rally organised by the June 5 Movement turned violent.

    Eleven people died in clashes with security forces over several days, marking the bloodiest political unrest the former French colony has seen in years.

    But the June 5 Movement has continued to insist on Keita’s departure, despite two ECOWAS mediation missions which suggested a new unity government, and a resolution to the election quarrel.

    ECOWAS leaders confirmed that plan via video link on Monday – sticking by Keita – and backed a new vote for the 30 disputed seats in the election.

    But 29 of the 30 MPs whose election victories are in question refused to step down on Wednesday.

    “We’ve come together and we’re not going to resign. Our constitution is being violated by the ECOWAS declaration,” opposition MP Gougnon Coulibaly told reporters.

    Storm clouds

    Wednesday’s rejection marks at least the fourth time that Mali’s opposition has rebuffed efforts at compromise, raising the spectre of further unrest.

    The standoff with Keita has alarmed Mali’s international allies and neighbours, who are keen to avoid the country sliding into chaos.

    Far from the capital, much of the vast West African state lies outside government control and is overrun by jihadists and ethnic militias.

    Mali has been struggling to quell a Islamist revolt that first emerged in the country in 2012, then spread to the centre, and to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

    Thousands of civilians and soldiers have died in the conflict to date, and hundreds of thousands have had to flee their homes.

    Source: Pulse Ghana

  • ECOWAS demands release of Mali opposition leader

    West African presidents have demanded the release of one of Mali’s opposition leaders, Soumaila Cissé.

    He was kidnapped by an unknown group just days before the now-disputed parliamentary elections on 25 March.

    The demand was made as part of a plan by the West African regional bloc Ecowas to resolve Mali’s ongoing political crisis.

    Tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests since June, with at least 11 protesters dying.

    The protests started after the Constitutional Court threw out 31 results from parliamentary elections in April, benefiting President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s party.

    On 5 June, thousands of people went out onto the streets in the first of a series of demonstrations. The protests turned deadly on the second weekend of July, when at least 11 people were killed.

    On Monday, after meeting up by video conference, the West African heads of state made a series of recommendations, hoping to bring the unrest to a close.

    They insisted that the Malian authorities “intensify efforts” for Mr Cissé’s release, while also asking for an inquiry into the protesters’ deaths on 10-12 July.

    They further asked that 31 MPs whose results are contested should resign and allow for new elections, and recommended a unity government, which includes the opposition, be formed.

    They said their plan should be implemented within 10 days and recommended sanctions against people who get in the way.

    They did not, however, recommend the protestors’ main demand – that President Keïta resign.

    The proposals are similar to previous plans, which the opposition coalition – a group called M5-RFP – has rejected.

    The BBC’s Ishaq Khalid says it is not clear if they will reject these resolutions as well.

    Mali’s neighbours are afraid that the crisis could slide into chaos as many are concerned that the situation could play into the hands of armed groups if not properly managed.

    Source: BBC

  • ECOWAS Commission to develop Integrated Human Capital Strategy

    The ECOWAS Commission, in its quest to improve human capital outcomes across the region, is developing an Integrated Human Capital Strategy.

    As part of the development process, partnering consultants are visiting the Member States, including Ghana, to conduct a situational assessment of the challenges on ground limiting the impact of HCD interventions, and to gather stakeholder insights on how ECOWAS can provide regional support moving forward.

    The objective of the Integrated Human Capital Strategy is not to create new country strategies for each Member State, but to define how ECOWAS supports countries in realizing their HCD objectives through interventions at the regional level. The development of the strategy is focused on three thematic areas, including:

    • Health and Nutrition;
    • Education, Skills and Labour Participation; and
    • Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion and Digital Payments

    The team of consultants supporting ECOWAS arrived in Ghana on 27th January 2020 to engage key stakeholders, including Ministers and their Directors from selected Ministries and Departments.

    Other stakeholders engaged over the two-week period of the in-country visit included Donors, Civic Society Organizations and Private Sector Players.

    To conclude the country visit to Ghana, a workshop was held to:

    • Share insights from the regional and Ghana baseline analysis which sheds light on our starting point;

    • Share the findings from the stakeholder interviews during the country visit around challenges hindering progress and key success factors for tackling those challenges.

    • Work with all previously engaged parties to prioritize the focus areas for ECOWAS interventions moving forward.

    Following the workshop, preliminary findings were made available to stakeholders to ensure accuracy of the information collected during the visit of the consultants. Comments from on the preliminary findings from stakeholders have since been made available to the ECOWAS Commission.

    Preparations are ongoing to facilitate a validation workshop for the strategy.
    Similar country visits and workshops will be held in the other Member States, before the Integrated Human Capital Strategy is developed.

    Source: Ministry Of Foreign Affairs

  • ECOWAS court begins virtual session Monday

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice will resume court proceedings on Monday, June 22, 2020, about three months after suspending sessions due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

    The court, however, said the proceedings would be conducted virtually. When it resumed, the ECOWAS Court said it would deliver two judgments.

    The President of the ECOWAS Court, Edward Amoako Asante, on May 13,2020 issued a practice direction on Electronic Case Management and virtual court session to enable it resume its judicial functions and deliver timely justice in line with its mandate.

    Source: punchng.com

  • Ghana repatriates 122 ECOWAS nationals over virus restrictions

    A total of 122 ECOWAS nationals were arrested in the Upper West Region in April this year, officials of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has said.

    The foreigners, according to the GIS, have since been repatriated. They were intercepted at various border posts, especially at Babile in the Lawra Municipality.

    Ghana has tightened border restrictions after the country recorded the deadly Coronavirus in March. The border closure has been extended to the end of May following a surge of the virus.

    Public Affairs Director of the Upper West Region sect of the Ghana Immigration Service told Dailymailgh.com that security has been beefed up across border towns to ward off such migrants.

    “Within our operational duty or function, we are responsible to fish out people who enter the country without documents. In April, for instance, we rounded up 122 foreigners and all of them were screened and have since been repatriated”, said ICO Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul-Mumin Seidu, the Public Affairs Director of the Upper West Immigration Service.

    Meanwhile, five persons believed to be Burkina Faso nationals had been arrested by the service at the time of filing this report.

    They were picked up on Wednesday, May 12 while using an unapproved route near their native country, Burkina Faso.

    The all-male ECOWAS nationals whose ages ranged between 15 and 34 were intercepted on two motorbikes with Burkina Faso registration numbers.

    “Our investigations revealed that they were destined for Kumasi and Techiman for farming and trading activities,” said the Public Affairs Director in an interview with Dailymailgh.com.

    They have since been screened by the Port health personnel and have been handed over Burkina Faso authorities on the other side of the border at about 1630hrs local time.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • Police and GIS intercept Burkinabe migrants at Nadowli

    Six Burkina Faso nationals who entered Ghana through unapproved routes have been arrested by the Upper West Regional Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at the Nadowli Police checkpoint.

    The migrants, who comprised four men and two women and aged from 2 to 55, were arrested with support from the Police Service at the checkpoint on Thursday, May 7, 2020.

    Mr Ibn Yussif Duranah Abdul-Mumin Seidu, the Upper West Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the GIS made this known to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa on Thursday.

    “Upon a tip-off, the patrol team chased the minibus and intercepted it with the ECOWAS nationals at a police checkpoint”, he said.

    According to Mr Seidu, the irregular migrants attempted using alternative routes in order to swerve the GIS inland checkpoint at Babile in the Lawra Municipality.

    “They hired a minibus with registration number BA 2761-14 with the intent of using alternative routes to Wa in order to swerve the immigration Officials on duty at the Babile inland checkpoint”, he said.

    He said the arrested Burkinabe migrants had been screened by the health personnel, sent to the Hamile Sector Command of the GIS and handed over to the Burkina Faso authorities for the necessary action to be taken.

    The GIS had arrested several Burkina Faso nationals in the region for violating President Akuffo-Addo’s order on the closure of the national borders in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

    Mr Seidu said the GIS would not relent on its efforts to secure the borders and to enforce the president’s order to the letter.

    He called for support from the public, especially the border communities, to police the borders.

    He warned that any person or group of persons found aiding any foreigner to enter the country illegally would be made to face the full rigours of the law.

    Source: GNA

  • Ghanaian gets nod to represent ECOWAS at UN

    A Ghanaian energy icon, Mr Mahama Kappiah has been appointed the Permanent Representative Ambassador of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to the United-Nations, in New York, USA, a statement from the Regional entity says.

    The release, copied to the Ghana News Agency said his appointment takes effect from May 1st, 2020.

    He was the Executive Director of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE).

    Mr. Kappiah in his position as Executive Director, created and led ECREEE from inception in 2010 to become a full-fledged institution whose annual budget currently exceeds USD 15 million, from a modest USD 2 million, and this led to its replication in other regions of the world as a model for sustainable energy development.

    The release said as Executive Director, he cultivated key partnerships to optimise fund mobilisation and sustained national and international partnerships to make its programmes and services a reference for African energy initiatives.

    It said Mr Kappiah influenced policies and implemented major energy projects supported by governments and private sector investments and actively participated in the creation of the West African Power Pool (WAPP).

    The release also created the Regional Electricity Regulation Authority (ERERA) and regularly facilitated high-level collaborations with executive decision-makers, policymakers and government officials.

    He received the African Energy Leader of the Year Award for outstanding performance and innovation in the energy industry, and the Green Future Leadership Award for leading positive social change in 2017 for his exemplary contributions to the renewable and energy efficiency sector.

    The release said Mr Kappiah is a board member for key international renewable energy organisations, including the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), the Clean Energy Solutions Centre, and member of the Africa-Europe High-Level Platform for Sustainable Energy Investments (SEI Platform).

    It said he would be succeeded by Mr. Bah Saho who would act as the Executive Director of ECREEE.

    The release said Mr. Saho comes to the position with a wealth of experience spanning a period of over 25 years in the energy sector.

    Source: GNA

  • Akufo-Addo to join ECOWAS leaders in virtual meeting on COVID-19 today

    West African leaders including President Nana Akufo-Addo will later today [Thursday], hold an extraordinary session via video conferencing to discuss the Coronavirus situation as well as its impact on the ECOWAS sub-region.

    Before this extraordinary summit, the Ministers in charge of finance and the governors of central banks from the region held a virtual extraordinary session on Tuesday to discuss ways of addressing the Economic effects of COVID-19.

    Already, ECOWAS has made available financial support, in addition to assistance from international partners, for the purchase of medical supplies and equipment essential to the fight against the pandemic.

    As of April 21, 2020, available data suggest that the 15 Member States have recorded 5,774 confirmed cases, 1,616 recoveries, 147 deaths, and 4,011 active cases.

    The West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) has been leading and coordinating efforts by West African countries to deal with COVID-19.

    On 14 February 2020, a few days after the declaration by WHO of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, WAHO convened an emergency meeting of the Ministers of Health of ECOWAS on preparedness and response to the outbreak of COVID-19, the first region in Africa to do so.
    The meeting agreed on a unified regional approach to COVID-19, and media briefings were held on this in Bamako, Mali on 14 February 2020, and in Abuja, Nigeria on 17 February 2020.

    WAHO has distributed over 30,000 diagnostic test kits to the 15 ECOWAS Member States has been distributing 50,000 specimen transportation kits as well as 10,000 personal protective equipment (PPEs), and some medications to Member States since the pandemic broke out.

    Source: citinewsroom.com

  • COVID-19: ECOWAS provides financial, logistical support to member states

    The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS in the light of the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease, has reaffirmed its solidarity with member states and continues to support them in the fight against the pandemic.

    In a statement signed by the president of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, he said that the community in a bid to assist its member states in monitoring and preventing the spread of the coronavirus has made some financial support available from its funds, in addition, to support from other international partners, for the procurement of medical supplies and equipment needed for the fight against the pandemic.

    He says the West African Health Organization, WAHO has also purchased and dispatched to the 15 Member States, some 30, 500 diagnostic test kits, 10, 000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) comprising overalls, aprons, gowns, gloves, goggles, boots and 740, 000 prescription tablets (Chloroquine and Azithromycin).

    He also revealed that orders have been placed to acquire for the Member States, some 240,000 diagnostic kits, 240,000 extraction kits, 250,000 viral sample transport equipment, 285,100 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), 268,1000 masks for medical personnel (facemasks, surgical masks, full facemasks), 120 ventilators, several thousand litres of alcohol gel and disinfectants.

    WAHO says it is also working in close collaboration with the specialised services in Member states, to deploy personnel and epidemiological surveillance and data collection tools, strengthen the capacity of reference laboratories and train technical personnel.

    He assured continued support to all member states in the fight against the deadly viral disease.

    Source: ABCNewsgh.com

  • ECOWAS calls for concerted efforts to address challenges of pastoralism

    Sékou Sangaré, ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, has called for concerted efforts to address the challenges of transhumance and pastoralism in the West Africa sub-region.

    Transhumance is the action or practice of moving livestock from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle, typically to lowlands in winter and highlands in summer.

    He said with regard to pastoralism and transhumance, there is the need for member states to work together to create in rural areas the conditions for a sustainable valorization of this mode of livestock farming.

    This, he said, excludes all violence and all man-made deaths, with decentralized regulatory mechanisms co-managed by local populations and actors, and benefiting from adequate investments.

    Mr Sangaré said this at the ongoing official week-long Regional High Level Meeting for a Peaceful Cross Border Transhumance between Sahelian and Coastal countries in West Africa.

    The Sahelian countries participating in the conference include Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger whilst the coastal is also made up of Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin and Nigeria.

    The meeting, which is the Sixth High Level Policy Dialogue, is to contribute to improving the management of cross border and intra-national transhumance flows by providing policy-makers with information enabling them to take strategic and operational decisions relating to the movement of animals in West Africa and the Sahel.

    Mr Sangaré said ECOWAS is aware of the complexity of the issue, which is why it favours a multidimensional approach to addressing issues related to pastoralism and transhumance.

    He said as part of its programme of cooperation during the period 2020-2025 with the African Development Bank, ECOWAS has agreed to prepare a Regional Integrated Water Resources Management programme, the expected results of which would include the development of pastoral areas and water infrastructure in areas where transhumance depart and in cross-border arrival areas.

    He said by accepting to host the sixth edition of the High Level Consultation for a Peaceful Transhumance across the central corridor between Sahelian countries and coastal countries of West Africa, Ghana reaffirms once again its firm commitment to implement the Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP/ PDDAA) adopted here in Accra in January 2005, and to make its major contribution to strengthening the regional integration process in the ECOWAS area.

    The Commissioner said the importance of the subject of transhumance was no longer to be demonstrated in the current context characterized by a worsening of the security crisis, terrorism and banditry in West Africa but also by the consequences of climate change and the expansion of areas devoted to agriculture.

    He said in the face of this global environment, pastoralism and transhumance across borders had become highly sensitive strategic issues.

    “First of all, it must be recognized that, after oil, economic exchanges between our countries in the West African space are largely dominated by the livestock sub-sector,” he said.

    “In fact, livestock production generates annually more than half a billion dollars of revenue distributed over all segments of the value chain, from production to consumption via transport and distribution”.

    This, he said, creates and maintains several thousand jobs; unfortunately, many of these jobs thrive in the informal sector, even though they benefit many young people and women.

    He said Sangaré said livestock farming is also a source of under-exploited agro-industrial development in sub-region which continues to import large quantities of dairy products, meat and fish, while we have the whole basis for further developing our dairy products and other local resources.

    He said the exploitation of the vast potential of livestock production would require gradual changes in the way in which livestock are raised, which is still dominated by the mobility of herds in order to adapt to the seasonal nature of pastures and waters in its zone of preference in the Sahel.

    Dr Gyiele Nurah, a Minister of State at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, called on West African countries to fully operationalise the ECOWAS Protocol of Transhumance, which is geared towards developing a more efficient pastoral industry to increase livestock productivity.

    Source: ghananewsagency.org