Author: Mark Longyen

Adoption

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 10, 2024(NAN) The President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Edward Asante, says the adoption of electronic case management system (ECMS) by the court is crucial to efficient contemporary justice delivery.

Justice Asante stated this at the unveiling of the ECMS sensitization and training programme on Monday in Lomé, Togo, the court stated.

Asante explained that the  programme was for lawyers from member states, stressing that it marked a crucial step in improving access to justice and efficiency of judicial procedures within the ECOWAS region.

“The main objective of this programme is the sensitisation and training of lawyers and government agents from ECOWAS member states on the use of the new electronic filing and case management system.

“The adoption of the ECMS marks a crucial step in improving access to justice and efficiency of judicial procedures within the ECOWAS region,” the CCJ President said.

Asante disclosed that the Court accelerated its transition towards digitalisation of judicial procedures by adopting practical guidelines for ECMS and virtual hearings following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The notable innovations include electronic filing of documents, electronic service of notices of registration and the holding of virtual hearings, which all represent a significant advancement in the court’s modernisation of judicial processes.

“Furthermore, it aims to make the court more accessible and efficient by allowing lawyers to file documents, receive notifications, and attend virtual hearings via a secure web interface,” he added.

Asante said the initiatives aimed to equip legal practitioners with the necessary knowledge to use the ECMS effectively.

He stressed that the court had played a central role in interpreting and applying Community legal texts and protecting human rights since 2005.

The CCJ president said the Lomé programme was the first in a series of sensitisation and training programs, with two others slated for Accra, Ghana (for anglophone lawyers), and Praia, Cape Verde (for lusophone lawyers).

He, therefore, encouraged all the participants to seize the opportunity of the training and fully engage in it.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CCJ is ECOWAS’ judicial organ, mandated to resolve disputes related to its treaties, protocols and conventions, and also entertain individual human rights violations complaints.

It was established under the Lagos Treaty of 1975 and became operational in 2001.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/BRM

============

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Insecurity

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 8, 2024(NAN)The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has called on West African police chiefs to collaborate and devise innovative ways to tackle emerging complex security challenges facing the ECOWAS bloc.

Egbetokun made this known at a meeting of the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) technical sub-committee on training and operations in Abuja.

He said that the West African subregion had in recent times been confronted with complex national security challenges, which had been accentuating transnational crimes.

“The activities of these cybercriminals has imposed on us all the additional burden of developing our national security capacity to dominate cyberspace and deny criminals the liberty to operate in our overriding national and regional security interests.

“The differences in legal frameworks and legislative systems continue to hinder effective law enforcement operations and criminal justice delivery initiatives among member states.

“Our security reality continually deepens the need to commit to regional collaboration, towards dissecting the pattern and trend of crimes on the one hand, and towards pulling together and supporting each other in bridging our national security gaps,” he said.

According to him, these challenges have been posing significant threats to the national security order of member states, as well as regional peace and social economic profile.

Egbetokun enumerated such crimes to include traditional crimes of stealing, cross border robberies, human goods, drugs trafficking, small arms and light weapons smuggling, banditry, terrorism, as well as other non-state actors.

He further said that cybercrime and cyber-enabled crimes were now emerging as bigger challenges to the subregion’s security.

The I-G said that a critical hindrance to effective regional law enforcement operations and criminal justice delivery initiatives was the differences in legal frameworks and legislative systems among member states.

“The situation calls for a collective review of the multivarious legal framework and regulates law enforcement and criminal justice delivery system.

“It also calls for a stronger operational partnership that will encourage the evolution of workable protocol that will engender stronger operational integration amongst security forces and border management agencies within the sub region,” Egbetokun said.

Also speaking, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Abdel-Fatah Musah, said that the fast evolution of information technology had further sophisticated the platforms and tactics used by criminal networks against targets.

Represented by Dr Abdourahmane Dieng, the Permanent Secretary, WAPCCO, Musah said that crime and criminality continued to pose a big threat to lives and property in the subregion, thereby creating an unconditional environment for meaningful development.

The commissioner said that security and law enforcement agents in the region had for so many years focused on territorial, aerial and maritime borders as key points for close surveillance against crime.

“However, with the dynamic availability and capacity of cyberspace, which transcends beyond geographical borders, criminality has become more efficient, faster and safer for criminals to execute.

“Therefore, our mandate is to increase our capacity on the fight against transnational border crime of all forms which include employing training and operational strategies.

“The illicit traffic and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, human smuggling activities, armed robbery, illicit migration, child trafficking and labor, kidnapping, abduction, maritime piracy are but a few of the main highlights trending in our region,” Musah said.

He, therefore, urged the participants to share, inform, exchange and discuss issues and activities surrounding training and operations in their respective member states with a view to coming up with joint strategies on security personnel’s training and operations.

The Director, Interpol Regional Bureau, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Paule Ouedrago, said the transnational dimension of the crimes required collaboration between countries, adding that the Regional Office would support the efforts through international police cooperation.

She called for the strengthening of collaboration between the Permanent Secretariat of the Committee of Police Chiefs and her office in the organization and implementation of police training and operations.

“This is how, together, we will succeed in dismantling and disrupting the criminal networks that undermine the tireless development efforts,”Ouedrago added.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/BRM

==============

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani 

Independence

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 8, 2024(NAN)The President of ECOWAS Court, Justice Edward Asante, has promised to support the ECOWAS Parliament in efforts being made towards conducting direct elections of its lawmakers from their member states.

The Community Court’s President made this known while welcoming the new Speaker of the Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, when she paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja on Friday.

He expressed the court’s full support for current efforts aimed at bolstering the independence of the ECOWAS Parliament through the direct elections of its members from their respective countries.

“We are ready to assist and support the Parliament in achieving this goal, as a strong and independent Parliament is essential for the enactment of robust laws that benefit our community and foster deeper integration,” he said.

Asante called for a strong institutional collaboration between the court and the parliament against the backdrop of the enduring partnership between the Court and the Parliament.

According to him, the visit, which comes shortly after her investiture, symbolizes the solidarity and mutual respect that have characterized the relationship between the two ECOWAS institutions over the past five years.

“We have consistently supported each other’s programs and initiatives, and today’s visit reinforces our commitment to continue this cooperation,” he said.

Asante further emphasized the importance of continued collaboration in the exchange of resources and expertise, such as interpreters and translators, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of both institutions.

Earlier, the speaker expressed her gratitude and reaffirmed the parliament’s commitment to collaborating with the Court.

She said that the parliament and the court had a shared mission to promote rights within the community, and pledged to continue on that path.

“We are confident of your support, particularly in capacity building for the Parliament, and in addressing the challenge of direct elections for ECOWAS deputies,” she stated.

Asante and Ibrahima both expressed optimism about the future of ECOWAS, which they said underscored the vital role that their institutions played in fostering unity, promoting justice, and ensuring subregional prosperity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara, the Court’s Vice President; Justice Sengu Koroma; Dr Yaouza Ouro-Sama, the Chief Registrar; and Parliament’s 4th Deputy Speaker, Tunkara Billay, among others, were present.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/BRM

==============

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Rights

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 7, 2024 (NAN) The ECOWAS Court has dismissed a suit instituted by a Liberian, Mr Jack Rockson, and a company, Global Agriculture Development, challenging the Liberian government’s violation of their rights to property.

Delivering judgment in Abuja, Justice Edward Asante, held that the Liberian government did not violate the applicants’ rights to own and possess property under Article 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The court’s President and Judge Rapporteur, leading a three-member panel, comprising Justices Gberi-Be Ouattara and Dupe Atoki, dismissed all the claims of the applicants.

Justice Asante also ordered all the parties in the suit to bear their own costs.

The court noted that it had jurisdiction to entertain the suit and also dismissed the applicants’ demand for one million dollars compensation for Rockson, who owns 5 per cent shares in Global Agriculture Development.

It also dismissed the applicants’ demand for a total of 20,700,383 dollars with interest per annum from November 2015 to Global Agriculture Development for loss of profit on its investment in a cocoa farm.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the applicants had filed the suit marked: ECW/CCJ/APP/31/17 before the court on Aug. 18, 2017.

Their lead counsel, Mr Celestus Ejezie, had in his submission, alleged violation of his clients’ right to possession and enjoyment of their property as guaranteed under Article 14 of the African Charter.

He had argued that the First Applicant, Mr Rockson, obtained an allocation for land in Todee District of Liberia and leased it to Global Agriculture Development for the cultivation of a cocoa farm.

The applicants’ counsel claimed that the delay and/or neglect by the President of Liberia to sign and release the title deeds to the land prevented the applicants from defending the land and the farm against encroachment and vandalisation by third parties.

Ejezie had, therefore, prayed the court to declare that the delay and/or neglect by the Liberian government to sign and release Mr Rockson’s title deeds infringed on his right to property.

He also requested the court to declare that the government’s failure to protect the cocoa farm from vandalism violated the applicants’ right to property, including the loss of expected profits, totaling 20,700,383 dollars.

The Liberian government had, in its defense, however, told the court that merely forwarding the title deed to the office of the President was not a guarantee that it would be signed as necessary due diligence needed to be conducted.

It argued that the destruction of farmlands was carried out by private individuals, and that the relevant state agencies were notified for necessary action. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

YEN/YEE

========

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Vision

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 5, 2024(NAN)The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says adopting a subregional disability inclusion action plan will be a step towards realizing its “ECOWAS of the Peoples” Vision 2050.

Prof. Fatou Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner, Human Development and Social Affairs, stated this at a meeting to adopt the bloc’s action plan on the social inclusion of people living with disabilities (PWDs) in Abuja on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was the maiden edition of the West African ministers in charge of PWDs.

“With the adoption of this action plan on the inclusion of people with disabilities, a further step is taken in the realisation of Vision 2050, towards the ECOWAS of the peoples.

“Currently, we are implementing a pilot project which covers two ECOWAS member states which are Togo and Nigeria.

“This program will provide assistive devices to children with disabilities and is expected in the future, to cover all member states.

“This is an invaluable opportunity, not to reaffirm our commitment to the provisions of Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Convention and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Sustainable Development Goals and the vision of ECOWAS 2050,” Sarr said.

The commissioner explained that the 2022-2030 action plan covered three main priority areas aimed at to further strengthening disability inclusion in ECOWAS and its member states.

“The three priority areas, which include activities, verifiable results and timeline, are improving disability inclusion across all aspects of the work of the ECOWAS Commission.

“Also, improvement of the legal and policy environment for the inclusion of people with disabilities and strengthened regional partnerships for increased resource mobilisation for the inclusion of people with disabilities.

“Knowing that persons with disability are vulnerable and living in most cases in precariousness, the ECOWAS Commission has intensified its collaboration with the national and regional associations of persons with disabilities and organised various awareness forums for PWDs,” she said.

Also speaking, Mr Abel Enitan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, lauded ECOWAS for the move to adopt the action plan.

Enitan, who is also the Acting Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, called for the establishment of an ECOWAS Agency for Disability Affairs.

According to him, Nigeria has demonstrated a strong commitment to implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities (CRPD), which was ratified in 2007.

“In order to make ECOWAS an all-inclusive region for persons with disabilities in member states, Nigeria is calling for the establishment of the ECOWAS Agency for Disability Affairs (EADA).

“This is to integrate regional disability policies and strategies for rehabilitation and equal opportunity in the community, as well as provide a mechanism to protect, promote, support and respect the actions of people with disabilities.

“This affirmative action must be viewed through the prism of human diversity, while ensuring that individuals with disabilities have as many opportunities as possible to participate in all levels of decision-making in ECOWA, so that no one is left behind,” he said.

Mr Mohammed Isa, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, also lauded ECOWAS for the initiative, stressing that the President had directed the implementation of the action plan.

“In line with this mandate, my office has initiated the Beyond Disability Project to help drive the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan.

“The project is aimed to promote inclusivity and accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in Niger,” Isa said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/IAA

=======

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Millionaires

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 4, 2024 (NAN) Some West African stakeholders are upbeat about the prospects of business startups growing up to become big companies owned by business moguls, complementing today’s major industry players as employers of labour.

They expressed this optimism in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a preparatory meeting ahead of the second West African startup awards scheduled to hold later in the year.

“Startups are supposed to be unicorns and they’ve dovetailed into becoming future employers of businesses, huge ones.

“They’re not SME’s, but businesses that will have both continental and regional impact.

“We’re trying to build up young ones so that they can go into complementing the current business moguls.

“Those business moguls, who are even the ones to mentor them now, so that they also grow up to do the same things that the big ones are doing.

“So, for me, I think it’s a step in the right direction to create businesses,” ECOWAS Ag.Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu said.

According to Guinea Bissau’s Cesaltina Tavares,  Communications Officer, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) Lomé, Togo, the sky is the limit for the growth of startups.

Tavares said that explained why EBID was prepared to give tremendous financial support to select startups, to enable them to achieve their dreams and boost the ECOWAS private sector.

“My take in this event is that the startups really need institutions like us to improve the work they are doing already.

“They are not just businesses. Startups for private sector is a dream.

“So, on this note, we are here to support them with all our financial power.

“So that we can improve the ECOWAS private sector. I believe that this is just the way forward,” Tavares said.

Also speaking, Chinenye Akandu, Partnerships Executive of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, said that it was in realization of the great potentials of startups that the foundation came to their rescue.

She disclosed that the foundation had doled out a whooping $100 million  to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 young african entrepreneurs over a period of ten years.

“In terms of the collaboration between ECOWAS and other organizations in support of startups and entrepreneurs in West Africa.

“I believe entrepreneurship and startups are like the life wire, the lifelong economic growth and development on the continent.

“We at the Tony Elumelu Fondation are at the forefront in terms of supporting these young African entrepreneurs.

“We believe that private sectors have a huge role to play in terms of economic development and social welfare across the continent. So entrepreneurship to us is the baby.

“We believe that they have a crucial role to play on the continent and everything in terms of economic growth and development, entrepreneurship is the number one.

“They are the live wire. They are the live blood. They are the seeds that you plant, and they are the seeds that will germinate and bring forth growth and development on the continent.

“So, first of all, we started with $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 young African entrepreneurs over a period of ten years.

“And we are actually in our 10th year of the program, the 10th cycle, and we’ve been able to empower and fund over 20,000 young African entrepreneurs,” she said.

Michael Oyeyiola, Ecobank Manager, FCT and Northern Nigeria, said that buoyed by the potential of startups to boost West Africa’s economy, the bank had helped the ecosystem by way of their mentoring and capacity building.

“We were deeply involved in the first part of this program, where we supported the ecosystem in terms of executing this program, financially and otherwise.

“A significant role we actually played was also in terms of the mentoring and capacity development of those people.

“Resourcing is one, but also helping those individuals to be able to navigate necessary partnerships, is necessary,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/IAA

=======

Edited the by Isaac Aregbesola and

====

Startups

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 4, 2024(NAN)The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working towards creating an ecosystem, where startups thrive and the subregion leads in innovation, attracting investment and empowering its youth.

ECOWAS acting Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu, stated this during the preparatory meeting for the 2nd West African startups awards on Tuesday in Abuja.

Elumelu said that achieving this aim would require stakeholders collaborating beyond borders, stressing that together, they would build bridges, break down barriers, and amplify opportunities.

“As we embark on this journey, I invite each of you to be an ambassador for West African startups.

“Mentor a young founder, invest in a promising venture, or champion an innovative solution. Together, we can create a legacy that transcends generations.

“Let us remember that startups are not just businesses; they are dreams, taking flight. Let us be their wind beneath the wings,” he said.

Elumelu described startups as the heartbeat of innovation, the dreamers, the risk-takers, and the change-makers.

“From fintech to healthtech, from sustainable energy to agribusiness, our startups are redefining what’s possible.

“Their resilience and creativity inspire us all. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing the startup ecosystem in West Africa, “ he said.

Elumelu, however, said that it was not enough to envision an ECOWAS startup ecosystem, stressing that stakeholders must support and advocate for policies that foster innovation, ease regulatory burdens, and encourage risk-taking.

He also urged them to work tirelessly towards ensuring that startups had access to funding, mentorship, and networks, besides building capacity by investing in skills development, mentorship programs, and knowledge-sharing platforms.

The private sector director further called for collaboration across borders, sharing of best practices, learning from one another, as well as gender equity, diversity, and inclusion.

“We stand on the shoulders of the success of the inaugural West African Startups Award.

“It was not merely an event; it was a catalyst, a spark that ignited innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship across our region.

“The Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS recognized its impact and unanimously endorsed its continuation as an annual tradition,” he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants were drawn from financial institutions, the academia, international organisations, implementing partners, migration organizations, and ECOWAS institutions, among others.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/BRM

=============

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani 

Retreat

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 3, 2024(NAN) The President, ECOWAS Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Edward Asante, has called on workers participating at the institution’s 16th administrative and budget retreat to engage in productive dialogue.

Asante’s counsel is contained in his address at the event held on Monday in Abuja.

He explained that the call was necessary, considering the essential role that budgetary allocations play in the court’s activities. 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat is expected to foster thoughtful discussions, encourage open dialogues and constructive debates, leveraging participants’ collective wisdom, diverse perspectives and shared experiences.

“We have to be able to judge all and put our heads together to come up with the best budget.

“When this is presented to the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) and to the Council of Ministers, they will look at it as a very good budget and approve it for us.

“We know budgetary issues are very important for every institution since that is the mainstay,” he said.

He urged participants to contribute thoughtfully to the budget discussions, urging them to deploy collective wisdom and strategic planning during the retreat discussions.

The President also expressed the court’s intention to advocate for the preservation of its budget, highlighting its reliance on community funding.

According to him, the comprehensive efforts made to collate inputs from all departments and units will ensure that the proposed budget reflects the diverse needs and priorities of the entire court.

Justice Asante, who also noted that ECOWAS was facing some financial challenges, cautioned participants against overburdening its resources.

He disclosed that administrative and operational costs constituted 80 per cent of CCJ’s budget, leaving limited funds for planned activities, stressing, however, that in spite of the constraints, it was committed to its mandate.

“We must all know that the community is now financially weak and does not have to overburden itself.

“We still have to do our programmes to let people know that the Court is also performing its function.

Also speaking, Dr William Towah, the CCJ’s Director of Administration and Finance, expressed confidence that the retreat would pave the way for innovative solutions, inspire new ideas, and renew the sense of purpose in the institution. 

He said the retreat was a platform to assess the Court’s progress and strategise for the future, and lauded its staff’s collective dedication and diligence which had propelled the institution to new heights.

Towah noted the challenges and emphasised the need for continuous improvement while calling for a critical assessment of the Court’s shortcoming and the identification of areas for enhancement.

“Our collective efforts have earned the respect and trust of our stakeholders, creating a positive impact on the lives of those we serve.

“By embracing these challenges, we can further strengthen our foundation and ensure that the Court remains a beacon of justice and fairness,” he added.

NAN reports that the event was attended by the CCJ’s Vice President, judges,,directors, among other members of staff of the court.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/HS/ETS 

==========

Edited by Halima Sheji

Growth

By Mark Longyen

Abuja, June 1, 2024(NAN) The Association of Investment Promotion Agencies of West African States (IPAWAS) says ECOWAS’ facilitation of the resuscitation of its hitherto moribund statute will engender sub-regional investment promotion and drive economic growth.

Members of the technical committee of the association made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of a collaborative meeting on Saturday in Abuja.

Abayomi Salami, Chairman of the Technical Committee and Deputy Director, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), explained that the meeting was essentially for the  member states to align their efforts, streamline regulations, and promote cross-border investments.

He said that the event was basically informed by the need for member states to be united to maximize their potentials and opportunities to promote and facilitate foreign direct investment into the West African region.

“That was the main objective of setting up these  high powers, having realized that it was actually set up in the year 2008, and for one reason or the other, it could no longer function.

“So, for this, we had the mandate of ECOWAS because the ECOWAS Commission mandated IPAWAS and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission to resuscitate and institutionalize the body,” he said.

Also speaking, Liberia’s Margaret Kawala, described the outcome of the deliberations as a win-win situation for the association and participants, who had spent days toiling to craft out something that they could call their own.

“It is like a win for all of us, who have participated in this process, because all the past few days, we have been engaging, networking in crafting something that we can take ownership of.

“So it’s a sense of pride. It comes to a sense of ownership for us. So it’s a win for us,” she said.

Mr Bruno Jauad, Director of Investments, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, said: “This is a very important process because we are trying to attract more investments to our region.”

Edward Ashong-Lartey and Eugenia Okyere, Director, Ghana Investor Services, and Head of Research, respectively, were upbeat about the positive outcome of the meeting and its recommendations.

“You know, we’ve just concluded the AfCTA protocol on investments, and as investment promotion agencies, we’ve taken note of the provisions and aligned it to our investment promotion efforts, as well as our regulatory regime for high powers.

“I’m very happy because I was there in the beginning and then somehow it became dormant. So this meeting which has revived it is very heartwarming.

“And I can confirm that whatever we are going to do as an association, and as independent investment promotion agencies, are totally aligned with the provisions of the AfCFTA protocol,” Ashong-Lartey said.

On her part, Okyere said: “Where we are now, I think that combining it with what AfCFTA holds, we would make great impact if the high powers come to stay.”

Gambia’s investment and export promotion agency boss, Ousainou Senghore, said that the activation of the high powers was in sync with the AfCFTA protocol, adding that when members promoted their individual countries, they would take ECOWAS as a market.

“We really need to thank ECOWAS for taking the initiative and bringing us together.

“This will definitely harmonize our laws, including creating a conducive business environment and also build an informal bond among ourselves,” he said.

Also speaking, ECOWAS Head of Investment Promotion, Peter Oluonye, explained that by this development, each member state was preparing its own environment to participate in the AfCFTA.

“For us, our focus in this segment is on investment attraction, preparing the ECOWAS community to work together as a bloc and to leverage the common market to achieve scale and synergy in AfCFTA and in the global market.

“So it is very much in sync with the goals of the AfCFTA. We are to prepare our people, we are to strengthen our integration and we are also to align our member states together,” he said.

ECOWAS Director, Private Sector, Anthony Elumelu, said the work had just started, adding that as a young region, ECOWAS was looking at the future, where it would like to be, for instance, by 2050.

“We are looking at the continental free trade, which is also to attract investment to the region and, whether we like it or not, the better you keep your region in terms of enabling the environment for others to invest, to bring in foreign direct investments, the better for you,” he said.

Elumelu had earlier in his opening address, explained that the meeting was organized to enable the stakeholders to deliberate on the draft statute that would govern IPAWAS, shape the framework for cooperation, and engender sustainable subregional development.

He stressed that the continuous collaboration of the member states’ investment promotion agencies with the ECOWAS Commission would enable investors to accept the subregion as the most favored destination for investment drive.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

YEN/BRM

===============

Edited by Bashir rabe Mani