Foreign

Niger crisis: ECOWAS Heads say all options still on table

Published

2 months ago

August 10, 2023

Niger crisis: ECOWAS Heads say all options still on table

The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have agreed to continue the dialogue option while not dismantling the existing sanctions taken at the last summit.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, disclosed this at the end of the second extraordinary summit on the political situation in the Niger Republic on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the military chiefs of the region have also been given further directive to activate the standby force to serve as a last option in restoring constitutional government of President Mohammed Bazoum.

‘’Direct the President of the Commission to monitor the implementation of the sanctions.

‘’Direct the Committee of the chief of defense staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.

‘’Order the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.

‘’Underscore its continued commitment for the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means,’’ he said.

He said that the ECOWAS would need the support of partner countries and institutions including the United Nation on the restoration of peace and stability in the sub-region.

Earlier in his opening speech, President Bola Tinubu, who is the Chair ECOWAS Heads of States and Government, said that the body was still optimistic of achieving a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

He said that the ECOWAS Heads were desirous of reaching a consensus on the crisis as a way of setting exemplary precedence in the region against undemocratic change of government.

‘’As you may recall, we called on the junta to rescind its decision of toppling a legitimate government. We proceeded to impose sanctions with the hope that this resolute measure would serve as a catalyst for the restoration of the constitutional order in Niger.

‘’Regrettably, the seven-day ultimatum we issued during the first Summit has not yielded the desired outcome. Only through this comprehensive assessment can we collectively chart a sustainable path towards lasting peace, stability, and prosperity in Niger.

‘’More so, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritize diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach.

‘’We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some of the resolutions at the last summit include the closure of all land and air borders between 15-member ECOWAS nations and Niger.

The Niger military and anybody backing the coup will no longer enjoy any financial transaction within the region either as government or individuals, he said.

Similarly, travel ban was placed on the junta, its officials and families until the restoration of democratic institutions.

Foreign

Coup attempt in Burkina Faso

Published

3 days ago

September 28, 2023

Alero Danjuma

The junta in Burkina Faso, which toppled a military regime to gain power, has announced that there was a coup attempt.

In a statement, the junta said an attempt by some army officers to seize power and plunge the country into chaos was thwarted.

“The dark intention of attacking the institutions of the Republic and plunging our country in chaos… investigations will help unmask the instigators of this plot.”

“Officers and other alleged actors involved in this attempt at destabilisation have been arrested and others are actively sought,” read the statement from Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo, spokesman for the regime.

The military government said it would seek to shed all possible light on this plot, adding that it regretted “that officers whose oath is to defend their homeland have strayed into an undertaking of this nature”.

It said while four people had been detained, two were on the run.

The statement added that the regime launched investigation based on “credible allegations about a plot against state security implicating officers.”

“We regret that officers whose oath is to defend their homeland have strayed into an undertaking of this nature, which aims to hinder the Burkinabe people’s march for sovereignty and total liberation from the terrorist hordes trying to enslave them.”

The junta came to power after two military coups last year, triggered in part by a worsening insurgency by armed groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that has destabilised Burkina Faso and its neighbours.

Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the junta leader, seized power on September 30, 2022, the country’s second coup in eight months.

From 2020 till date, there have been seven coups across Africa.

Foreign

Manufacturers sack 3,567 workers, unsold goods hit ₦‎272billion – MAN

Published

4 days ago

September 27, 2023

Olakunle Adeniyi

No fewer than 3,567 jobs were lost in the manufacturing sector in the first half of 2023 according to figures obtained by The PUNCH from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

MAN disclosed this in its half yearly review of the economy, which was released on Tuesday.

According to the report, employment generation in the manufacturing sector declined to 6,428 in the first half of 2023.

This was 32.8 per cent reduction in employment generation capacity when compared with 9,559 jobs generated in the first half of 2022.

The report read partly, “In the same vein, a total of 3,567 jobs were lost in the first half of 2023, indicating 1,855 more jobs lost when compared with the 1,709 jobs lost in the corresponding half of 2022, and 850 more jobs lost when compared with 2708 jobs lost in the last half of 2022.”

MAN said the decline in the number of jobs created in the sector during the period further highlighted the unfriendly business environment, resulting from the hasty policies and residual effect of the currency redesign policy that led to the naira crunch.

The report also stated that the inventory of unsold finished products in the manufacturing sector increased to N271.9bn during the first half of 2023, compared to N187bn in the corresponding period of 2022.

This indicated a substantial rise of N84.88bn or 45.4 per cent over the timeframe. It also showed N11.64bn or 4.1 per cent decline when compared with the inventory value of N283.6bn recorded in the second half of 2022.

“This increase in inventory can be attributed to a weakened purchasing power of the consumers, brought about by diminishing real household income resulting from the ongoing escalation of inflationary pressures, compounded by the scarcity of naira in the first quarter of the year and the aftermath of the subsidy removal,” the report said.

It noted that subsidy removal and exchange rate unification policy towards the end of the first half left the economy on the brink of uncertainty, caused a ripple effect that further eroded investors’ confidence.

MAN stated that, “As a result, businesses and foreign investors are increasingly wary of committing capital, thereby hindering economic growth and prospects for recovery.

“The combined effect of these is the resultant higher inflationary pressure, which fuels the cost of production, reducing consumers’ purchasing power and having a greater impact on the manufacturers.”