General
ECOWAS harmonising framework, policy for its standby force —Commissioner
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working towards harmonising framework and policy documents for the management of logistics for its Standby Force (ESF).
The Standby Force constitutes the use of force as a last resort if diplomacy fails.
Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, made this known at a four-day workshop to review the documents, in Kano on Tuesday.
Musah, who was represented by Dr Cyriaque Agnekethom, Director Peacekeeping and Regional Security, said that the documents spelled out the logistics requirements by the Troop Contributing Countries, ECOWAS, and other partners.
He explained that the workshop was organised to review and harmonise the documents to address emerging contemporary security challenges.
He recalled that the Commission had earlier recruited a consultant in 2019 to develop the policy and guiding documents for the management of ECOWAS Logistics Depots (ELDs).
He explained that the ESF logistics concept was created in 2005 to provide a platform for the coordination of all key logistics support and procedures for the ECOWAS Standby Force.
According to him, both documents were reviewed during internal expert workshops and are now ready for an independent expert validation.
“The documents are expected to be rich enough to address contemporary challenges and in tune with international best practices.”
The commissioner further said that the logistics concept also provided a conceptual understanding of sustained operations, considering that the dynamics of the contemporary security environment and peace support in the region had continued to evolve.
This, he said, underscores the need to adapt the original ESF logistics concept to accommodate emerging realities.
He added that to deploy the ESF efficiently, when necessary, ECOWAS had established a Multidimensional Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone, and a Humanitarian Logistics Depot in Senou, Mali.
Earlier, Dr. Sani Adamu, acting Head of ECOWAS Peace Support Operations, decried the challenges of peace keeping operations over the years.
He said that it was for this reason that ECOWAS decided to put in place an effective framework to enhance the ESF’s deployment capacity.
Adamu said that the overall objective of the workshop was to review and harmonise the policies in line with UN and AU standards of procedures.
He said that the participants would review the logistics concept, existing statutes, policies, and other strategic instruments relating to ESF’s objectives as an instrument for conflict prevention and management.
“It was also organised to update, harmonise, and finalise the policies on ECOWAS logistics bases, in line with AU and UN principles.
“It was also to review and adopt a standard organogram for the ELD, among others,” he explained.
A participant, Mr Francis Babatunde, said the two documents, if reviewed, would enhance the deployment capacity of ESF for strategic roles towards a formidable regional security framework.
NAN
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The leadership of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has marked its one year in office with the public presentation of its stewardship report.
The report, presented by the Chairman of the chapel, Alhaji Murtala Adewale, at the NUJ Press Centre, Kano, highlighted achievements in welfare, professional development and institutional reforms.
According to Adewale, members’ welfare was prioritised, with ₦500,000 direct support to 10 members, ₦8.5 million loan facilities, two Hajj slots, ₦2 million medical intervention for a member, and Ramadan food distribution worth ₦2.5 million.
He said the executive also secured an additional ₦30,000 monthly allowance for members, bringing total direct financial benefits to ₦9.5 million within the year under review.
On professional development, the chairman listed initiatives such as the Tea Break Platform for networking, a four-day retreat in Kaduna, and the Distinguished Awards of Excellence to honour veteran journalists and past leaders.
The chapel also established a Cooperative Society with ₦10 million capital, installed an Olympic-standard table tennis facility, and produced a Government Compendium showcasing Kano State’s development strides.
Office improvements included unlimited 5G internet, DSTV subscription, a cleaner for the premises, procurement of an electric kettle, reactivation of the chapel’s bank account, creation of an official Facebook page, and provision of refreshments for members.
Adewale attributed the achievements to members’ unity and commitment, pledging to consolidate the gains with more programmes to enhance welfare, strengthen ethics and build capacity.
The event was attended by senior journalists, media executives, academics, government representatives and professional bodies, who commended the chapel for institutionalising accountability through the public presentation of its scorecard.
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General
Kano Line Resuscitation Committee Chairman Felicitates Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf on Third-Year in Office
The Chairman of the Kano Line Resuscitation Committee, Alh. Saidu Abdullahi Shu’aibu, has congratulated the Executive Governor of Kano State, His Excellency, Alh. Abba Kabir Yusuf, on the occasion of his third year anniversary in office.
In a congratulatory message, Alh. Saidu Abdullahi Shuaibu described the administration of Governor Alh. Abba Kabir Yusuf as purposeful, people-oriented and committed to restoring the lost glory of Kano State across various sectors.
He particularly commended the Governor for his unwavering support and commitment toward the revitalization of Kano Line, nothing that the ongoing reforms and investment in the transportation sector have rekindled hope among workers and the people of the state.
According to him, the efforts of the present administration in improving infrastructure, enhancing public transportation, empowering youths, supporting education, healthcare and promoting economic growth have continued to earn the confidence and support of the people in line with the “Kano First Agenda”.
Alh. Saidu Abdullahi Shuaibu further prayed for Almaighty Allah continued guidance, wisdom and protection upon Governor Alh. Abba Kabir Yusuf as he continues to steer the affairs of Kano State toward greater development and prosperity.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano Line Resuscitation Committee to support the administration’s vision of transforming the transportation sector for the benefit of the people of Kano State.
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The Civil Society – Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has organized a two-day capacity-building workshop for stakeholders in Kano State on the use of the National Nutrition Budget Tracking System (NNBTS).
The training, held at Tahir Guest Palace, brought together key actors in the health and nutrition sector to enhance accountability and strengthen nutrition financing across the state.
During a presentation titled “Overview of Nutrition Financing in Nigeria: State Trend Analysis Review”, CS-SUNN official Jibrin Okpaji stressed that government interventions at all levels are vital for tackling malnutrition and its associated challenges.
Okpaji noted that sustained investment in nutrition is essential for improving public health and reducing preventable deaths among vulnerable populations.
He emphasized the need for stakeholders to acquire the technical expertise to effectively use the NNBTS, which would bolster advocacy for increased budgetary allocations and promote transparency in resource management.
Abdulrahman Abdullahi, Secretary of CS-SUNN Katsina State Chapter, described the NNBTS platform as a key tool for evidence-based planning, monitoring, and accountability in nutrition programs.
The training featured live demonstrations of the portal, practical exercises on data entry and reporting, and the generation of scorecards, analytical reports, and policy briefs using sample data.
Participants also developed state-level implementation frameworks and action plans for the effective adoption of the system.
In his goodwill message, CS-SUNN Kano Coordinator Salman Mohammad urged participants to fully utilize the training to achieve its objectives.
Stakeholders described the workshop as timely and crucial for strengthening nutrition governance and improving coordination among actors in Nigeria’s nutrition ecosystem under initiatives led by CS-SUNN and its partners.
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