The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Sunday, described as “urgent” the need to fully operationalise the Regional Action Plan on the Fight Against Terrorism and other acts of criminality in West Africa.
He also called on the new management team at ECOWAS Commission to complete the review and harmonisation of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the sub-regional body.
According to a statement on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled ‘President Buhari charges new ECOWAS management to complete ongoing reforms,’ the President said this in his welcome address at the 62nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja.
The President was quoted as saying, “The commission must, therefore, work assiduously to complete the review and harmonisation of the Protocols on Good Governance and Democracy, as this would enable our sub-region to sustain our collective efforts to deepen not only democracy but her dividends through good governance to the community citizens.
“Related to this is the urgent need to fully bring into operation, the Regional Action Plan on the Fight Against Terrorism and other acts of criminality in the sub-region as enhanced safety will sustain national governance efforts that would ensure the growth and progress of our sub-region.”
Welcoming fellow regional leaders, the President noted that this year’s summit was the 8th that Nigeria, under his leadership has hosted.
“All of those occasions, including this one, have brought honour and respect to my country as Nigeria continues to be at the centre of sustained solidarity and collaborative efforts to maximise our relationships to address common challenges to our countries and the community’s citizens,” he said.
Buhari eulogised the immediate past Chairperson of the Authority, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, for his services and congratulated President Umaro Embalo of Guinea-Bissau on assuming the leadership of the sub-regional organisation, expressing his confidence in the latter’s ability to “discharge his responsibilities to the sub-region, as well as meet the expectations of the community citizens.”
