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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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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Families in Kano State have turned out in large numbers to participate in a digital birth registration exercise organised by the National Population Commission (NPC) in partnership with UNICEF.
The initiative, supported by the Government of the Netherlands and implemented in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and ALGON, aims to provide legal identity for children, particularly in hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
Speaking during an exercise in Wasarde Birgima community, Joda Ward, Gabasawa Local Government Area, Abba Hussaini, focal person for Under-One Birth registration, described the turnout as “highly encouraging.
“Over 626 children were registered in the community alone, adding that the target for the area is 1,100 and 12,000 for the entire local government,” he explained.
Hussaini commended UNICEF for technical support, training of personnel, and provision of registration equipment, and highlighted the role of traditional and religious leaders in mobilizing families.
Also speaking, Bashir Aminu Dambazau of NPC said the digital system has simplified registration by enabling instant issuance of birth certificates, improving data management, and ensuring children are documented immediately.
He explained that the digital registration system is helping to improve documentation and data management while ensuring that children receive certificates immediately after registration.
Hussaina Ahmad, 20, who brought her eight-month-old daughter, Aisha, after missing the previous exercise in September 2025, said that she was only two weeks into motherhood then.
According to Hussaina, her husband, a commercial motorcycle operator, learned about the exercise from the village head and informed her.
“I don’t know my own birth date and I want my children to have an identity from the start.” She said
She explained that the registration was essential for school enrollment and other future benefits.
“I didn’t attend school, and neither did my parents, but I want my child to go to school and become influential in the community. Every child deserves this,” she added.
Hussaina noted that she would return to her community to educate other parents about the importance of early registration, praising the organisations bringing the service closer to families.
Similarly, 19-year-old Kaltume Ali of Unguwar Tsakiya brought her four-month-old son, Musa, said community awareness campaigns helped her realise that children without birth certificates often face barriers to healthcare, education, social protection, and other opportunities.
“My husband first heard about the registration from the village head and encouraged me to enrol our child. Neither of us has a national identity card, but we were told we could use his brother’s NIMC card. I don’t want my only son to miss out on opportunities,” she said.
Also participating was 20-year-old Asmau Sagir of Unguwar Yamma, who brought her seven-month-old son, Abdulrahman , said birth registration to safeguard children’s identity and future.
Sagir noted that digital registration helps families avoid challenges later, particularly with school enrollment and access to government services.
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