ECOPARL NEWSLETTER Country report edition (volume 2)

No 16/2018 PUBLICATION OF THE FIRST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT. MAY 10—30 2018

Nigerien government to create 50,000 jobs annually Niger to tackle unemployment by creating 50,000 jobs annually As part of measures to reduce unemployment in the country, the government of the Republic of Niger has determined to pursue strategies that will ensure the yearly creation of 50,000 jobs.

Niger’s Country Report presented to Plenary during the 2018 First Ordinary Session holding at Abuja stated that the 2017-2021 Economic and Social Development Plan (PDES), a support youth initiative of government, is envisaged to facilitate the massive creation of micro and medium enterprises.

Nearly half of the population of the country is made up of the youth, according to national census carried out in the country, stated the Report, whipping up additional social challenges burdening the youth of Niger.

The Report said thus: “Apart from the problem of unemployment, the country’s youth are faced with other problems such as drug abuse, prostitution, extremism and begging”.

Nevertheless, it stated that plans are underway to provide an equipped youth promotion centers aimed at catering for youth education as an empowerment initiative outside of the nation’s formal education system.

To this extent, the MPs Report revealed that “the government has pledged its commitment to creating 50,000 jobs every year within the 2017-2021 periods”.

Nigerien government to create 50,000 jobs annually……………………..1 Parliamentary Resolution on ending Togo’s unlimited Presidential Term…………………………………………..………………………………………………….2 Guinea Bissau MPs presses for ECOWAS intervention on De Sousa accused of Coup d’état…………………………………………………………………..3 Benin creates Republican Police, seeks legal framework to contain border conflicts……………………………………………………………………………...4 Nigeriens protest new tax regime…………………………………………………..5 Benin Republic strengthens ties to eradicate corruption, money laundering…………………………………………………………………………………………….6 Benin Parliamentary election to hold in 2019………………………………….7 Insecurity: Guinea enacts law to fight terrorism, arms proliferation………………………………………………………………………………………………...8 List of Benin rank second gateway country for fake medicines in Africa…10 Hon Halima Mamane from Niger presenting the Country Report

Parliamentary Resolution on ending Togo’s unlimited Presidential Term Members of the ECOWAS Parliament at the First Ordinary Session unanimously demanded that the government of the Republic of Togo should heed to the yearnings of its people and ditch its current unlimited presidential term of office. The MPs made this demand while considering the Country Reports presented to the Plenary, by the MPs delegation of Togo, Guinea Bissau, Benin and Niger.

Hon. Melvin Snowe Jr. (Liberia) observed that the incumbent Togolese President had been in power since 2005 and is currently on his third term, which is expected to end in 2020. He urged the Parliament to draw up a Resolution demanding the country adheres to democratic ethos marked by free and fair elections.

Speaking in the same vein, Hon. Ibrahim Sadiq (Nigeria) supported Snowe’s calls for a Parliamentary Resolution, stressing that ECOWAS will continue to hammer on the amendment of terms of office until Togo “sees the light of the day and learn to respect the needs of its people. ECOWAS needs to pass a Resolution to warn the President of Togo, Faure Gnassigbe, that he cannot continue to shift the goal post while the match is on”, urged Sadiq.

Taking turns to address Members of the Parliament, Togolese MPs, Hons. Tchao Christophe and Apekey Assewouwokan updated Members on the provisions of Togo’s Constitution and electoral laws.

Tchao explained that in the wake of on-going mediation efforts being chaired by Presidents Nana AkufoAddo of Ghana and Alpha Conde of Guinea, the opposition party in Togo, the National Alliance for Change (ANC), did request a return to the 1992 Constitution, insisting that the incumbent President Faure Gnassigbe should no longer stand for election after the expiration of his term in 2020. He also reported that the mediators had called for a proposal to be put forward by the two parties, ANC and the ruling party Union for the Republic (ANIR), to ensure progress.

“President Akufo-Addo said Togo’s focus at the moment should be on the review of the electoral code and the Constitution. We have made recourse to ECOWAS to aid in this issue. ECOWAS should intervene in Togo because the 14 countries of the sub-region are free, minus Togo,” appealed Assewouwokan.

Recall that in 1992, the Constitution of Togo was reviewed to provide a two-term limit for the presidency, but in 2002, the legislature amended the constitution to enable the incumbent president’s father, Eyadema Gnassigbe to run for a third term. By 2012 and 2014, the population’s demand for term limit increased from 83 to 85 per cent. However, attempts to re-introduce terms limits in June 2014 was voted down by the ruling party.

In 2015, a proposal was made between the two Guinea Bissau MPs presses for ECOWAS parties for a two-term limit; however, it did not intervention on De Sousa accused of Coup stop President Gnassingbe’s ascension to the presi- d’état dential office for the third term.

The 5-member delegation of Members of Parlia-

At the ECOWAS Summit which held last February in Lome, President Akufo-Addo, noting the wide gap between the two parties, called for mediation extension to take place in June 2018 at the Summit of the Head of States when a proposal will be put forward to the two parties as a possible solution to the crisis.

Unfortunately, in spite of the concerns expressed the MPs, their resolutions still remain in the realm of opinion or only translate to making bold statements on issues confronting Member States or the Community. As a result, resolutions passed by the Parliament are often ignored by Member Nations but since the Regional Legislature lacks the requisite Authority to enforce its resolutions, such erring nations go scot-free. For example, the Parliaments resolution on the rescue of abducted Chibok girls in Nigeria has not been complied with up till date.

ment from Guinea Bissau has implored ECOWAS to intervene, with a view to quash the sanctions and restrictions imposed on one of its own, Hon. Rui Dia de Sousa, who is conspicuously absent from the on-going 2018 First Ordinary Session of the Parliament.

De Sousa was accused by the State of allegedly, participating in an attempted coup d’état and murder and therefore, restricted from leaving the country. It was also reported that his emoluments are withheld by the state authorities, who also ensured the freezing of bank accounts traced to his relatives, including those of his children.

Responding to the MPs inquiry on Rui Dia de Sousa’s situation, Hon. Martina Moreira Moniz (Guinea Bissau) proposed that a parliamentary resolution on the issue be considered by Parliament, observing that de Sousa’s parliamentary immunity should serve as his protection from persecution without justification.

Therefore, for the Parliament’s resolution to be effective or complied with promptly by Member States, the Authority of Heads of State and Council of Ministers should bequeath the body with relevant powers to enforce its resolutions. But if the Parliament is not empowered with appropriate authority to sanction, its resolutions will continue to be mere pronouncements.

“ECOWAS needs to pass a Resolution to warn the President of Togo, Faure Gnassigbe, that he cannot continue to shift the goal post while the match is on”

“We feel that De Sousa is not responsible for the situation. He did not kill anybody, he was not part of any coup. Rui, today cannot leave the country or participate in the ECOWAS Parliament’s meeting and neither can he receive his salary. This is inhuman”, Moniz appealed.

Highlighting

the

uncertainties

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sanction, Hon. Pinto Camara (Guinea Bissau) added that “Up till this moment we have no official document on De Sousa’s sanction. We are hoping that through ECOWAS, we will know what is going on. We are asking the full support of ECOWAS Parliament to address this issue”.

Benin creates Republican Police, seeks legal framework to contain border conflicts The Delegation of Benin to the First Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament, has announced that the Member State created the Republican Police by merging the Gendarmerie and the Police while seeking the establishment of the legal framework that will address lingering border conflicts in the West African sub-region.

The Country Report of Benin presented to the Plenary, disclosed this inforSource: news.africanhotnews.com mation, insisting that it has become imperative for the Community to resort to a legal framework in the fight against growing insecurity and terrorism, arms smuggling s well as cross-border conflicts of diverse coloration.

According to him, the call for legal framework had become imperative because of need to stem fights against border conflicts, arms smuggling, growing insecurity and terrorism in the region.

The Report said thus: “to deal with issues of serious crime, it is envisaged that such framework will strengthen the defense of national territorial integrity and the security of border areas. It will encourage cross-border cooperation to consolidate integration, make such areas places of real national and local development that can contribute to peaceful border management and poverty reduction”.

“It will also ensure that essential infrastructure for community growth is being provided in all border areas”, it continued.

It explained that the creation of the Republican Police was necessitated by the need to strengthen its public security forces in order to achieve the desired goals within its internal security sector.

Additionally, it stated that though Benin had no National Commission on Maritime Security, safety measures for sea users are being provided by national naval forces with support from the French and American counterparts.

The Report noted that regular security operations had enabled the government of Benin to combat and contain cases of crime.

It also identified areas such as the promotion of human rights and renewal of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs as notable areas that the country had achieved growth in the year being reported, compared to previous years.

The Report of the delegation of MP from Benin commended the activism nature of the ‘change regime’ in Benin for contributing to the positioning of the country on the right track, especially in the promotion of fundamental human rights.

Nigeriens protest new tax regime Citizens of the Republic of Niger have taken to their streets, to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the country’s new tax measures. This development came to the fore for Members of ECOWAS Parliament, as it got to the turn of the 6-member delegation of MPs from the Republic of Niger to present their Country Report to the Plenary of the 2018 First Ordinary Session at Abuja, Nigeria.

According to Niger’s Country Report, the first quarter of 2018 was marked by repeated demonstrations by members of the civil society, following the adoption of certain new tax measures contained in the Finance Act. “For civil society and the political opposition, the 2018 finance law does not meet the people’s expectations, whereas, reading the offending provisions, it can easily be seen that it is neither more nor less measures envisaged in the Community framework and which have not been applied in our country”, the Report revealed.

However, it stated that government, mindful of guaranteeing and respecting individual and collective freedoms, “has resolutely committed to authorize and supervise the marches and rallies of the demonstrators”.

It further disclosed that contrary to expectation, the civil society decided on a march followed by “sit-in”, a situation that forced the Niamey municipal authorities to ban the demonstration, by invoking the security situation of the nation. The ban which was largely ignored by the demonstrators led to clashes between demonstrators and security forces, resulting in the arrest of some of the demonstrators.

Source: en.financialafrik.com

Benin Republic strengthens ties to eradicate corruption, money laundering In keeping with his campaign promises, President Patrice Talon had stepped up efforts to contain the rise of corruption, particularly money laundering in the country. This information formed part of the Benin’s Country Report presented into the Parliament at the on-going First Ordinary Session at the seat, Abuja, Nigeria.

The Report quoted the President’s promise during his inauguration on the 6th of April 2016 as saying, “I will make the fight against corruption an every moment and everyday struggle without exhausting the tireless efforts of the judiciary and the civil society to put an end to impunity.”

The Report stated that ever since the ‘change regime’ of President Talon came into office, several audits had been commissioned in view of the hasty thirst for justice in the many scandals that had plagued the Republic over the past decade.

It listed some of those to include the corruption cases against trade unionists and former Ministers as well as former Members of Parliament facing court actions, citing the initiation of the procedure for waiving of immunities.

It also stressed that the government had however, demonstrated political will to reduce corruption by imposing administrative sanctions as well as initiating removals from office

of high-profile “allegedly corrupt officials”.

Notwithstanding these efforts, the government had not jettisoned the preservation of the principle of presumption of innocence of persons fingered in the various audit reports commissioned by the regime, for the purpose of preserving social peace and pending court ruling, the Report stated.

Source: www.worldbank.org

Benin Parliamentary election to hold in 2019 Legislative elections have been scheduled to take place in the Republic of Benin by the first quarter of 2019 and preparations geared towards achieving the target are underway by the body charged with conducting the elections.

This was disclosed in the Country Report of Benin presented to the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament holding in Abuja, by Benin’s delegation of MPs. The Report was presented by Hon. Houangni Parfaiton on behalf of the delegation.

Source: www.idea.int

Benin’s Country Report disclosed that the Orientation and Supervision Board of the Computerized Permanent Electoral Register (COS)-LEPI) had to be established to update the register in accordance with the decision of the Constitutional Court.

In his explanatory notes, Hon. Parfait pointed out that the election commission is at the preparatory stage in readiness for the up-coming legislative elections in early 2019. He added that Benin’s Constitutional Court, in a series of recent decisions, found some laws enacted by the Parliament to be in contravention with the Constitution.

The Report listed some of those laws to include the legal frame work on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) within some professions (health and justice), the Public Procurement Code and the law on the prohibition of strike within some professions (health and justice).

It further informed the Parliament that the law governing the general employment in the State was rejected by the Constitutional court, through decisions DCC 17-087 and 088 of 20 April 2017, explaining that the Constitutional Court concluded that these laws contravenes the 11 December 1990 Constitution of the Republic.

Speaking about the anti-corruption stance of the President Patrice Talon led government, the Report pointed out that several Ministers and MP’s are facing court actions, and the procedure for waving immunities has been initiated.

It also stated that government was working assiduously to curb issues of terrorism through the development of cross-border co-operation and to strengthen the defense of the nation’s territorial integrity as well as to make the border areas a hub for real national and local development.

On the issue of press freedom, the Report disclosed that some media outfits that were closed have resumed professional activities since 2017. It further unveiled to Parliament that there has been an order to reintroduce the activities of the student union movement that was formally prohibited.

Insecurity: Guinea enacts law to fight terrorism, arms proliferation

The government of the Republic of Guinea has doubled up on efforts to fight terrorism, arms proliferation and trafficking of arms, drug and children, in the face of increased wave of crimes and terrorism in the Member State.

Guinea’s 5-man delegation of MPs to the ECOWAS Parliament, while presenting the Country Report to Plenary, disclosed this at the First Session of the Parliament in Abuja.

Hon. Yaya Traore who made the presentation, told the Parliament that the insecurity problems had persisted and measures, hitherto adopted to curb them had neither been sufficient nor consistent.

“This in turn gave rise to drug trafficking, trafficking of small arms, money-laundering and child trafficking which are prevalent in the sub region. Insecurity in Guinea is growing both on roads and in urban centers”, he added.

Guinea’s Report further indicated that the spate of kidnappings was on the increase while citizens were being lynched, as instant justice was beginning to gain grounds in the country.

It was against this backdrop, said the presenter that the government of Guinea decided to adopt strategies that would help combat terrorism financing and organized crime through legislation.

He specified that the enacted legislation “is the law against the financing of terrorism, cybercrimes, money laundering and the fight against corruption and related practices”.

He stated that Guinea remains firmly committed to the fight against insecurity and will strive for better security within the state, bearing in mind that human rights and security of Guineans, which are paramount, must be respected. “Youth unemployment, socio-political crises and wars in neighboring countries have also been causes of proliferation of small arms in Guinea. Insecurity is growing both on roads and in urban centers”, he bemoaned.

“Thus we are witnessing the phenomenon of kidnapping of individuals who are going about their daily activities, but what is more lynching and instant justice are gaining ground all over the country”, she lamented.

The MP informed that President Conte of Guinea Bissau believes that the only way out is through dialogue and has consequently met with some delegates to resolve the differences.

Guinea, he explained has adopted some measures to combat terrorism, which include: BRI, BAC, DAO and BRB adding that the government has undertaken extensive reforms part of this is training of media handle.

Traore disclosed that poverty which is at a rate of 55% in comparison to 2016 was on the rise stressing that the issue has been worsened majorly by the political unrest and aftermath of the dreaded Ebola virus.

“2017 recorded a good economic growth rate. The closure of radio and some television stations in guinea was done due to the fact that they don’t pay their authorization fee”, he informed.

Chairmen of the Authority Of ECOWAS Heads Of State And Government from 1975 to 2018 • Gnassingbé Eyadéma (Togo) 1977–1978 • Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria) 1978–1979 • Léopold Sédar Senghor (Senegal) 1979–1980 • Gnassingbé Eyadéma (Togo) 1980–1981 • Siaka Stevens (Sierra Leone) 1981–1982 • Mathieu Kérékou (Benin) 1982–1983 • Ahmed Sékou Touré (Guinea) 1983–1984 • Lansana Conté (Guinea) 1984–1985 • Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria) 1985 – 27 August 1985 • Ibrahim Babangida (Nigeria) 27 August 1985 – 1989 • Dawda Jawara (the Gambia) 1989–1990 • Blaise Compaoré (Burkina Faso) 1990–1991 • Dawda Jawara (the Gambia) 1991–1992 • Abdou Diouf (Senegal) 1992–1993 • Nicéphore Soglo (Benin) 1993–1994 • Jerry John Rawlings (Ghana) 1994 – 27 July 1996 • Sani Abacha (Nigeria) 27 July 1996 – 8 June 1998 • Abdulsalami Abubakar (Nigeria) 9 June 1998 – 1999 • Gnassingbé Eyadéma (Togo) 1999 • Alpha Oumar Konaré (Mali) 1999 – 21 December 2001 • Abdoulaye Wade (Senegal) 21 December 2001 – 31 January 2003 • John Agyekum Kufuor (Ghana) 31 January 2003 – 19 January 2005 • Mamadou Tandja (Niger) 19 January 2005 – 19 January 2007 • Blaise Compaoré (Burkina Faso) 19 January 2007 – 19 December 2008 • Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (Nigeria) 19 December 2008 – 18 February 2010 • Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria) 18 February 2010 – 17 February 2012 • Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire) 17 February 2012 – 28 March 2014 • John Dramani Mahama (Ghana) 28 March 2014 –19 Mai 2015 • Macky Sall (Senegal) – 19 Mai 2015 –June 2016 • Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia) – June 2016- June 2017

• Faure Gnassingbe (Togo) - June 2017- Till date

Benin rank second gateway country for fake medicines in Africa

… Over 650 Nigerians, Beninese, Togolese arrested The international Institute for Research Against Counterfeit Medicine (IRACM) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) have ranked Benin the second gateway, behind Nigeria, for fake medicines in continental Africa.

The IRACM, in its report dated January 20, 2017 said Benin with an aggregated total of 25.84% fake medicines was following Nigeria with 34.91%, a situation that results in the deaths of over 800,000 people annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics, which is a direct fall out from the use of medicines with fake stamps and counterfeit tablets. Apart from being a gateway, the IRACM also reported that about 10% of the pharmaceutical products in circulation within the Republic of Benin is fake.

This was made known to Parliament in the Country Report presented by the 5-member delegation of MPs from the Republic of Benin.

The Report stated thus: “It will be recalled that Benin has been the crossroads for trafficking in expired and counterfeit drugs in West Africa, a business that has deeply alarmed health watchdogs.

“However, the government, under the supervision of the Ministries of Interior and Health, began a vast operation to dismantle the areas of trafficking. This led to the launching of an operation to fight against fake medicines which descended heavily on all the sprawling markets of this disastrous trade from Ouando to Adjegounle, passing through Parakou and Djougou, arresting about 109 traffickers after seizing more than 80 tons of these products”.

The MPs Report stated that the government recently carried out an eviction exercise from the main streets of the big cities, which led to the destruction of a large number of small businesses that engage in the nefarious acts of peddling fake drugs to the unsuspecting populace.

Reacting to the Report, Hon. Fofana Marie-Anne (Guinea) agreed that the issue of fake drugs is a major scourge in many African Countries and not only Benin. She thereafter appreciated the government of Benin for the staunch determination towards eradicating the plight of fake drugs and urged other countries to follow suit.

Meanwhile, according to the Report, the Beninese authorities in a vast operation that is part of the government’s measures to curb the illegal practice, has arrested over 650 Nigerians, Togolese and Beninese.

In addition to the clampdown carried out three months ago as contained in Benin’s Country Report presented to the Plenary, Beninese authority recently launched an operation to fight against fake medicines. Law enforcement agencies arrested about 109 fake drug traffickers from Ouando to Ajegunle, the prevalent areas of business for fake drugs.

However, the additional street eviction exercise in the country’s major cities had a negative impact on Benin’s socio-economic sector. The eviction exercise destroyed a large number of small businesses, that the government called a halt of the exercise to take stock of the victims of the operation.

In January 2017, the International Institute for Anti-Counterfeit Drug Research (IRACM), and the World Customs Organization (WCO), reports ranked Benin, the second gateway for fake medicines in Africa. Benin ranked second behind Nigeria, at 25.84 per cent, with Nigeria at 34.91 per cent.

World Health Organization (WHO), placed annual deaths from fake drugs at 800, 000, stating about ten per cent of circulated drugs are fake.

Front roll, Hon. Mahtarr Jeng and Hon. Jallow Samba (Gambia MPs)

Hon. Marie Anne Fofana, (Guinea), pays utmost attention to the proceedings during Plenary

Hon. Yaya Sangare (Mali), submits his view in Plenary

Hon. Ibrahim Sadiq (Nigeria)

Hon. Shaaba Laffiagi Mohammed (Nigeria), Chairman, Committee on Admin, Finance & Budget

Members of the Electoral observers & Mediation team in Sierra Leone presenting their report in the Plenary

MPs in a discussion after Country report

Hon. Goncalves from Cabo Verde having the floor

Hon. Snowe Melvin Jr. (Liberia)

Hon. Adja Camara Pinto presenting the Guinea Bissau Country Report

Hon. Stephen Zargo from Liberia

(Back row) 3rd Deputy Speaker, Prince Yormie presiding over the Plenary, (Front row) 2nd Dep. Speaker, Aminata Toungara

Hons. Parfait Houangi & David Gbahoungba from Benin Republic

MPs from Cabo Verde looking through a document

MPs perusing a document

MPs felicitating with Hon. Brima Kebbie as his tenure ends in the ECOWAS Parliament

Hon. Bida Abdouramani making a submission after Country Report presntation

Cross section of MPs

EDITORIAL TEAM

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Ifeanyi Nwoko: Contributing sub editor Philip Nyam: Contributing sub editor Maimuna Mohammed: Writer Chinelo Chikelo: Writer Stanley Nwankwo: Writer Ifeanyi Adewale Valentine: Writer Adedeji Mapaderun: Graphics Kelvin Nwachukwu: Social Media /Graphics Chioma Ethel Ejeckam: Social Media Bilkisu Folorunsho : Administration Anazodo Augusta: Administration Facebook Studio: Photography PUBLISHED BY THE DIVISION OF COMMUNICATION, ECOWAS Parliament. Herbert Macaulay Way, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria. www.parl.ecowas.int www.facebook/ecowasparliament Twitter: @ECOWASParliamnt Youtube: ECOPARLTV