By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Nigerian Delegation to ECOWAS Parliament, said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is making efforts to promote community engagement and dialogue to prevent the recruitment of Nigerian youth into groups whose actions are inimical to the security of Nigeria.
Presenting the Nigerian Country Report at the ongoing First Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, Hon. Osita Ngwu who spoke on behalf of others, said the government is working closely with regional and international partners to address the Nation’s security challenges squarely and strengthen the capacity of security agencies through the provision of adequate military equipment, training, additional manpower, surveillance facilities and security information gathering and sharing.
Speaking on Human Rights Situation in Nigeria, Hon. Ngwu, said, the Nigerian government is committed to upholding human rights and has taken steps to strengthen the rule of law and promote accountability.
“Efforts are been made to address challenges such as gender equality, discrimination and access to justice. However, there are still areas of concern which relate to the protection of civil liberties, freedom of expression, peaceful demonstration and the right of marginalized group. The government is seriously working to address these challenges to its conclusion through legal reforms and awareness campaigns and orientations,” he said.
On status of implementation of
ECOWAS Community Text, the Nigerian delegation said Nigeria has fulfilled its financial obligations to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in terms of the payment of community levy.
Hon. Ngwu said: “Nigeria is one of the largest contributors to the ECOWAS budget, and the country has consistently met its financial commitments to the regional organization. However, it is known that Nigeria is a significant financial contributor to ECOWAS and plays a crucial role in financing the activities and projects of the regional organization.
“Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Good Nigeria’s position on the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods within ECOWAS is characterized by a desire to promote regional integration while also addressing the challenges of free movement within the region. The country continues to engage with other ECOWAS member states and regional institutions to find solutions to those challenges.Nigeria has continued to implement reforms aimed at improving the foreign exchange (FX) market and stabilizing the naira”.
Some of the recent reforms and their effects on the economy, the Nigerian delegation said include, market liberalization etc.
