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ECOWAS Parliament: Speaker Ibrahima Call On Member States to Increase Funding

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By Gloria Ikibah 
 
The Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States Parliament, Rt. Honourable Memounatou Ibrahima, has charged member states to scale up funding to meet the multifaceted challenges for the institution.
 
Speaker Ibrahima stated this at the delocalized meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament Joint Committee on Administration, Budget, Finance, Public Account, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research ongoing  in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Monday, with the theme:  ‘‘The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament in Community Budget Formulation and Monitoring’’.
 
She acknowledged that the subregion was currently experiencing financial difficulties and dangers, which has threatened the execution and realisation of community projects and programmess that necessitated increased funding by member states.
 
She stated: “I want to seize the opportunity of our meeting to call on the member states to scale up their efforts to finance the community.
 
“The current context is marked by the global repercussions of recession and inflation, provoked by international tensions, and the security threats within the region.
 
“These limited financial resources are under the important financing needs of the community.
 
“As you know, the community budget is supplied at 85 per cent by the community levy, which is a 0.5 per cent tax imposed on goods from countries that are not members. of the CDAO.
 
“Unfortunately, the last report on the state of the community presented by the President of the Commission revealed a weak mobilisation of its resources during these last years”.
 
According to Hon. Ibrahima, community raising is perfectly reflected in the solidarity and responsibility of its respective governments, which was aimed to build a prosperous and peaceful community environment.
 
The Speaker reiterated that the meeting represented not only an opportunity for collaboration but also a moment of reflection on the strategies that member states must adopt to respond to challenges in the subregion. 
 
She further stated that the meeting is expected to address the role of the ECOWAS Parliament in the community’s budgetary process, especially against the backdrop of current challenges and realities.
 
“The goal is to allow the lawmakers to better understand the challenges related to the budget examination of the community in order to strengthen and consolidate the collaboration between the ECOWAS Parliament and other community institutions.
 
“I am convinced that our discussions on the role of ECOWAS in the elaboration and follow-up of the budget of the community will generate relevant analyses and solid recommendations to accelerate our resolution towards a community of fully integrated peoples.
 
“This will culminate in a peaceful and prosperous region with strong and respectful institutions of fundamental freedom working for a sustainable inclusive development.
 
“The index of regional integration in Africa measures to what extent the African countries in the north, the commitments they have taken in the context of various initiatives of pan-African integration, such as the African Union’s 2063 Agenda or the Abuja Treaty, relating to ECOWAS”, Ibrahima added.
 
The Speaker highlighted that Ivory Coast was the first high-performance ECOWAS member country based on certain dimensions of regional integration, namely: commercial integration, productive integration, and macroeconomic integration.
 
Speaking earlier, the Vice President of the Ivorian National Assembly, Diawara Mamadou, stated that the parliament plays an important role in the preparation of budgets both nationally and internationally.
 
He explained that for ECOWAS, where the Parliament plays a fundamental role in monitoring through budget preparation and oversight, it was pertinent for constituents to be informed on various actions regarding budgetary matters.
 
According to Mamadou, parliament is responsible for preparing and overseeing the execution of individual national budgets, so it is fundamental to understand how the community parliament examines and controls its budget.
 
“The general debate provides a platform for sharing experiences and developing proposals, enabling participants to enhance their capabilities and propose improvements to the existing mechanisms.
 
“I am therefore pleased that this relocated meeting in Abidjan addresses such an important subject as the budget,” he said.
 
Also speaking, Mrs Niali Kaba, Ivorian Minister of Economic Planning and Development, representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration, Wautabouna Ouatarra, said the adoption of the ECOWAS budget marked a decisive turning point in the community’s annual life.
 
“While this budget outlines all the resources and expenditures planned for ECOWAS institutions for the year in a single document, it is primarily the financial translation of our region’s integration and development policy,” she said.
 
Chairman of the Joint Committee on Administration, Finance, Budget, Public Accounts, Macroeconomic Policy and Economic Research, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in his remarks assured that parliament would ensure the judicious and transparently use of all funds.
 
Kalu who is also the Deputy Speaker of Nigerian House of Representatives, said this was only achievable through meaningful engagements with critical stakeholders like the ECOWAS Commission and the Administration and Finance Committee.
 
“The Parliament has a critical duty to ensure that public resources are utilised responsibly and for intended purposes by the Executives.
 
“As Representatives of the people of the region, we must champion the promotion and practice of transparency and accountability.
 
“In other words, ‘oversight’ is an indispensable parliamentary tool that should be effectively deployed to secure the accountability of the Executive to the Parliament and the citizens in general,” he said.
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PHOTOS Of Prisoners Who Escaped Borno Prison And Those Recaptured

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By Mario Deepromoter

Nigerian Correctional Service on Sunday disclosed that about 281 inmates escaped from Maiduguri Medium Security Custodial Centre following severe flooding in the capital city.

NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, said the agency had alerted the Nigerian Immigration Service, and Nigeria Police Force among other security agencies to help recapture the fleeing inmates.

“Every security agency in the country has been notified and they are on alert to help track down the fleeing inmates wherever they may be. With their help, we will capture them and return them to our custodial centre,” Umar said.

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In a statement on Sunday, he said of the 281 fleeing inmates, seven had already been recaptured and returned to the facility.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service has observed the flooding currently being experienced in Maiduguri, Borno State, and its environment.

The unfortunate incident has left scars, bringing down the walls of the correctional facilities, including the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Maiduguri as well as the staff quarters in the city.

“Upon the evacuation of inmates by officers of the service, with support from sister security agencies to a safe and secure facility, 281 inmates were observed to be missing.

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Presently, a total of seven inmates have been recaptured and returned to custody, while efforts are on the ground to track down the rest and bring them back to safe custody,” the statement read in part.

Abubakar further stated that details of the fleeing inmates had been made available to the public while noting that efforts were underway to track them.

“However, it is important to note that the service is in the custody of their details, including their biometrics, which are being made available to the public. The service is working in synergy with other security agencies as both covert and overt deployments have been activated to locate them. While this effort is ongoing, the public is assured that the incident does not impede or affect public safety,” the statement added.

Recall that the flood affected many parts of Maiduguri, leading to the displacement of over 300,000 residents and the deaths of over 30 people, including children.

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Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Saturday said he was “seriously worried” that jailed Boko Haram terrorists might have escaped from the prison facility.

See Pictures Below;

Prisoners

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SEE new price of petrol across all 36 states

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By Mario Deepromoter

Despite the counter accusations by both Dangote Refinery and NNPCL over prices, the price list of petrol has emerged online.

According to reports, this is because NNPCL bought petrol at a higher price from Dangote Refinery on Sunday.

NNPCL also mentioned that Dangote Refinery sold the petrol in US Dollars, not naira, against the federal government’s directive.

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However, Dangote Refinery will sell its petrol in naira starting in October.

According to a breakdown from NNPCL, Dangote Refinery sold petrol to NNPCL at N898.78 per litre.

NNPCL paid Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fee of N8.99, inspection fee of N0.97, a distribution cost in Lagos of N15, margin N26.48.

NNPCL’s statement added that the estimated pump price in:
Lagos will be N950.22
Sokoto State N999.22
Kano State N999.22
Borno State N1,019.22
Kaduna N999.22
FCT N992.22
Oyo State N960.22
Lagos State N950.22
Rivers State N980.00
Imo State N980.22

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An analysis of the chart showed that except from Lagos State, other states of the federation will be paying higher because of distribution costs.

The distance from Dangote Refinery and NNPCL‘s depot in Lagos State to other states of the country majorly would determine the price differences.

The report also showed that the six geo-political zones would be paying differently.

The North East states would be paying the highest per liter from N1,019.22, followed by North West states from N999.22, followed by North Central states from N992.22, followed by South East states from N980.22, South South states from N980.22 and South West states paying the least from N960.22, except Lagos State paying from N950.22.

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At the time of filing this report, the presidency is yet to speak on the latest development.

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Rivers 2027: Ogoni powerful men snub Fubara, throw weight behind Wike

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By Mario Deepromoter

Political heavyweights from the Ogoni and Oyigbo zones have formally withdrawn their support for Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The leaders have dumped Fubara and lace their boots with the action packed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The leaders gathered on Saturday in Nonwa, Tai Local Government Area, at an event tagged “Ogoni, Oyigbo People’s Assembly.”

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The assembly, which focused on fostering unity between the two ethnic zones, was heavily attended by politicians loyal to Wike, who remains locked in a bitter political feud with Fubara, his estranged protégé.

Prominent personalities, including Senators Barinada Mpigi and Magnus Abe, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, and Chief Victor Giadom, attended the meeting.

The group emphasized that after years of marginalization, it was time for Ogoni and Oyigbo to produce the next governor of Rivers State.

Speaking on behalf of the assembly, Senator Mpigi declared, “The Ogoni and Oyigbo Peoples Assembly, a multi-political convergence of five Local Government Areas within the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, met today to reaffirm their support for the President Bola Tinubu-led administration and pledged total loyalty to the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.

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“We also reiterate the obvious fact that the senatorial district’s upland is due for a governor and should produce the next governor of Rivers State come 2027.”

Tensions between Wike and Governor Fubara have been mounting, with Wike publicly withdrawing his support for his former ally.

Wike, who was instrumental in Fubara’s rise to power, has accused the governor of straying from their shared vision for the state.

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