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Gambian Speaker Warns Insecurity, Weak Trade Ties, Democratic Strains Threaten ECOWAS Vision
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By Gloria Ikibah
Speaker of The Gambia’s National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, has said that West Africa can no longer afford business as usual, urging regional lawmakers to turn commitments into concrete action as the sub-region grapples with mounting pressures.
Jatta stated tbis while delivering a keynote address at the opening of the First Ordinary Session of the Sixth legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament’s on Monday in Abuja.
According to him, the region faces a moment that will test both its resolve and relevance.
He said: “We convene at a time of profound consequence for our region. Across the Sahel, the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism continues to test not only the capacity of our states but the resilience of our collective will.
“Entire communities are being displaced, livelihoods disrupted, and generations of young people are growing up in conditions of uncertainty. This is not a crisis confined to geography; it is a shared regional challenge that demands a unified, strategic, and sustained response”.
Reflecting on his return to the ECOWAS Parliament, Jatta struck a personal note, describing the chamber as central to shaping the region’s shared identity and future.
“This Parliament is not merely an institution; it is a crucible where the idea of West Africa as a shared political, economic, and cultural community is continuously forged and refined,” he said.
But he warned that cracks are beginning to show within the democratic fabric of the region, warning that instability could undermine years of progress.
“Simultaneously, we are witnessing shifts within our democratic landscape that call for sober reflection. The strains on constitutional order in parts of our Community, and the signals of disengagement from regional commitments, pose a direct challenge to the cohesion and credibility of the ECOWAS project.
“We must confront these developments with clarity and courage. Regional integration cannot be sustained by treaties alone – it must be underpinned by trust, dialogue, and a collective commitment to shared values,” Jatta stated.
On the economic front, he acknowledged the promise of continental trade reforms but said progress within West Africa remains uneven and constrained.
“Non-tariff barriers persist, intra-regional trade remains below its full potential, and our economies are still overly exposed to external shocks.
“The vision of a fully integrated West African market must therefore move from aspiration to accelerated implementation,” he said.
Jatta also sounded the alarm on climate change, warning that environmental pressures are now directly fuelling insecurity and economic hardship.
“From the advancing desert in the north to the erosion of our coastlines in the south, environmental pressures are intensifying competition over resources, exacerbating conflicts, and threatening the livelihoods of millions.
“Climate change is no longer an environmental issue – it is a security, economic, and humanitarian imperative”, he added.
He welcomed moves towards direct universal suffrage for the ECOWAS Parliament, describing it as a significant step in strengthening democratic legitimacy and citizen engagement.
“It represents a bold step toward deepening democratic legitimacy and strengthening the direct bond between this Parliament and the citizens of West Africa,” he added.
Jatta urged lawmakers to lean on parliamentary diplomacy to keep channels of communication open, even when political tensions arise among member states.
“Where executive diplomacy may be constrained by matters of sovereignty and protocol, parliamentary diplomacy offers continuity, flexibility, and proximity to the people.
“You must therefore remain the channel through which dialogue persists, even in moments of political divergence,” he said.
He also pressed for practical steps to unlock the region’s economic potential, particularly by easing trade barriers and aligning regulations.
“The removal of non-tariff barriers, the facilitation of cross-border trade, and the harmonisation of regulatory frameworks are not abstract goals, they are practical necessities for unlocking the entrepreneurial potential of our people.
“Let us envision an ECOWAS where a trader in Banjul, a farmer in Ouagadougou, and a young innovator in Lagos operate within a truly integrated economic space, where opportunity is defined not by borders, but by potential,” he said.
Calling for a united front on climate resilience, Jatta said coordinated policies and stronger global advocacy would be key to turning shared vulnerabilities into strength.
“By harmonising environmental legislation, advocating for regional adaptation financing, and speaking with one voice on the global stage, ECOWAS can transform vulnerability into collective strength,.
“The expectations of over 400 million citizens of West Africa rest firmly upon this institution. They are not looking to us for rhetoric alone. They are looking for results, for safer communities, stronger economies, and governance that reflects their dignity and aspirations,.
“The ECOWAS project must endure as more than an institutional framework, it must remain a living covenant of peace, solidarity, and shared prosperity.
“Let us therefore recommit ourselves to the ideals that gave birth to this Community. Let us work tirelessly to restore and strengthen unity. And let us demonstrate, through our actions, that an ‘ECOWAS of the People’ is not merely a vision, but a tangible and achievable reality”, he said.
The Osun State Police Command has summoned Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, over comments attributed to him in a viral video concerning members of the Accord Party.
The invitation followed public outrage over the video, in which Fadahunsi, speaking in Yoruba during an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign event in Ilesa, was allegedly heard making remarks interpreted as a threat against Accord supporters.
In a letter dated August 11, 2026, the police directed the senator to appear before the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo at 11am on Wednesday, August 12, to clarify the circumstances surrounding the remarks.
The letter, signed by Samuel Etaifo Erale, commissioner of police in charge of elections in Osun State, said the invitation was based on allegations that Fadahunsi made statements considered threatening, inciting and intimidating.
The invitation is premised on information in possession of the Nigeria Police alleging that during your address at the aforementioned programme, you made statements considered to be threatening, inciting and intimidating in nature, and the statement has already been in circulation on various electronic and social media platforms,” the letter stated.
The controversy erupted after a video surfaced in which Fadahunsi was reportedly heard telling APC supporters to “kill” Accord members. The remarks drew widespread condemnation as the state prepares for Saturday’s governorship election.
Fadahunsi later denied calling for violence, saying his remarks had been taken out of context. His media team explained that he was urging voters to defeat the Accord Party through their votes, describing the statement as political and metaphorical.
The controversy comes amid political tension in Osun, with incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke seeking re-election on the Accord platform and APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji among the major contenders in the August 15 poll.
The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed a landmark executive bill aimed at regulating the trade of metal and electrical scraps, standardising residential rent, and capping property agency fees across the state.
Presided over by the Speaker, Moses Odunwa, during Tuesday’s plenary at the Assembly Complex on Nkaliki Road, the law, cited as the Ebonyi State Sale of Scraps, House Rent, and Agent Fees Regulation Law 2026, came into effect immediately upon passage on August 11, 2026.
The legislation establishes strict regulatory frameworks to curb public property vandalism, checkmate environmental degradation, and eliminate exploitative practices within Ebonyi’s real estate market.
Some provisions of the law state that unlicensed buying, selling, possession, transportation, or disposal of metal and electrical scraps is now strictly prohibited. Violators face up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine not exceeding ₦500,000, or both.
It states that standard rent tariffs prescribed by Governor Francis Nwifuru will govern applicable housing categories; landlords are legally barred from demanding rates exceeding the prescribed caps. Furthermore, landlords who obtain possession orders through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of facts face up to two years’ imprisonment.
The legislation indicated that agency fees for real estate transactions are now capped at a maximum of 2% of the gross transaction value for both professional and non-professional agents.
To enforce transparency and accountability, all estate agents operating within the capital city must register with the Ministry of the Capital City.
Presenting the merits of the executive bill, Leader of the House Kingsley Ikoro urged his colleagues to give the measure swift passage, emphasising its role in safeguarding public infrastructure and protecting vulnerable tenants.
Echoing these sentiments, several lawmakers voiced strong support during deliberations: Victor Nwoke (Abakaliki North), Nwodo Nwodo (Ebonyi North West), Oluchukwu Ukie Ezeali (Afikpo East), Friday Ogbuewu (Ezza South), Celestine Ogba (Onicha East)
The lawmakers described the legislation as a timely intervention against the surge in municipal scrap theft and arbitrary rent hikes by speculative landlords.
Speaking shortly after the bill passed its third reading following a clause-by-clause consideration in the Committee of the Whole, Speaker Moses Odunwa remarked, “Scrap dealers have shown a brazen lack of restraint, causing widespread havoc to critical public infrastructure and private property. This law restores sanity to our property market and prioritises overall public safety.”
In other legislative business, the House considered and formally adopted the Auditor-General’s Report on the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Ebonyi State Government for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, confirming its alignment with standard accounting principles.
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Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has disclosed what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu told him after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze the state government’s account.
The governor spoke on Tuesday during the Arise Town Hall for Osun governorship candidates ahead of Saturday’s election, while responding to questions about his relationship with Tinubu and allegations of federal interference in the election.
Adeleke said Tinubu told him he was embarrassed by the development and insisted that the action was unacceptable, stressing that the president had assured him of a free and fair election.
According to Adeleke, the president’s intervention showed that Tinubu was not responsible for ordering the freezing of the state’s account, contrary to claims attributed to some political actors.
He alleged that his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola, had been using Tinubu’s name to influence federal agencies because of his relationship with the president, who is Oyetola’s cousin.
Adeleke said Tinubu had a demanding national responsibility and might not always be aware when his name was being invoked by individuals seeking to influence government agencies.
And Mr. President promised a free and fair election. It is, politics is local.
“It is Oyetola that is feeling that pain of defeat, and he has vowed that he will destroy Osun State by dropping Mr. President’s name to destroy Osun State. Look, he’s not the only one from Osun State. We own Osun State together. We will not allow that to happen. So he’s the one, he’s the one using federal might. I can say it without fear.” (Nigerian Tribune)
Just in: Police summon Osun Senator over alleged violence threat against Accord members
Ebonyi State Assembly passes Bill regulating house rent, agent fees
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