Nigeria commits to fulfilling obligations to ECOWAS Parliament, submits report

By Abiodun OBA

Nigeria has committed to fulfilling its obligations under ECOWAS treaties and protocols.

The commitment is contained in the nation’s report presented to ECOWAS Parliament Second Ordinary Session of 2023 by Nigerian Delegation to the Parliament on Friday.

Honourable Linda Ikpeazu presented the report highlighting the progress made by the country, especially in the areas of politics, security, economy and human rights protection.

In the area of politics, the report noted the Parliament of the October 26 judgement of the Supreme Court that affirmed the outcome of the country’s Presidential election on held earlier in the year.

Recall that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu had pledged to work closely with member nations to ensure the implementation of ECOWAS decisions and policies.

The affirmation of his election therefore provided the necessary atmosphere and political stability to match his words with action.

On the prevailing security situation in the country, the report highlighted the challenges posed by pace of insecurity across various states of the Federation, including the Boko Haram insurgency, rise of criminal gangs in the South-East region and the threat of secessionist movements.

It also affirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to prioritise security, which culminated in the replacement of the country’s service chiefs as part of the effort to address the challenges.

On the economic front, Nigeria reports that its economy has been affected by a number of factors, including the recent Naira redesign policy, low crude oil output, high inflation and weak growth of the private sector.

It stated that, in spite of the prevailing challenges, the economy is expected to grow by 2.6 per cent in 2024.

The report however, expressed concern over the human rights situation in Nigeria, including violations that occurred during the off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

According to the report, the government has pledged to investigate the rights violations and bring perpetrators to justice.

On the status of implementation of Community Texts, the report emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to implementation of ECOWAS texts, including the Protocol Relating to the Community Levy, the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods, and the Supplementary Act on Equality of Rights Between Women and Men for Sustainable Development in the ECOWAS Region.

It added that Nigeria was committed to advancing the growth of ECOWAS region through various community development initiatives.