Naija News

ENUGU—THE ECOWAS parliament, yesterday, expressed fears over spate of killings in Nigeria on account of incessant attacks by Boko Haram, urging African nations to team up in the fight against the menace before it spreads across the sub-region.
Speaking at a five-day workshop on ECOWAS budgetary procedures in Enugu, the fourth Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and a member of the Ghanaian legislature, Hon. Michael Teye Nyaunu, noted that if Nigeria could face such serious problem leading to killings of innocent people and destruction of properties, other smaller Africa countries would have to be very vigilant.
Nyaunu, who represented the speaker of the parliament and Nigeria's Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, disclosed that the ECOWAS parliament had already discussed the issue of Boko Haram in one of  its plenary, noting that other nations within the sub-region were already finding ways of assisting Nigeria but would not make their positions public because of the dicey and delicate nature of the situation.
He said: "We are concerned because the essence of ECOWAS is to integrate people of the sub-region and in this case whatever affects the eye affects the nose. We discussed the Boko Haram issue in one of our plenary sessions, we don't really know the genesis of the problem but we are really concerned.
"Like you know, Nigeria is the big brother of most of these African countries, if Nigeria is going through such security challenges, then smaller states like us would have to be very careful.
"Some people have come up with different reasons why Boko Haram is ravaging Nigeria . Some say it is because of power tussle; that the North wants power back at all cost, while others are saying it has serious religious connotation. Whichever way one looks at it, Boko Haram activities are not in the best interest of Africa and we are concerned
"We believe that the authorities concerned are handling it becausde if nothing serious is done at this stage, it will eventually spread because we are the same people, so something must have to be done now to contain it."
Nyaunu, who also spoke on the issue of common currency for the sub-region, said efforts are still in top gear towards getting a common currency by 2015, but expressed dismay that they are facing some challenges at the moment because there are some conditions that must have to be fulfilled before one talks about getting a common currency for a sub-region.
He said that such critical factors militating against the introduction of the common currency include the single-digit inflation bill and low budget deficiency among others, adding however that the issue was still on the front burner because there are lots of benefits inherent in such project as it would go a long way in integrating the people.
Also speaking, Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, who was represented at the occasion by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Egbo, commended the parliament for choosing Enugu as venue for the workshop, assuring them of a peaceful atmosphere for their deliberations.
He used the opportunity to commend the parliament for introducing the ECOWAS Passport which he said had the best modern and scientific features, urging them to also look at other ways of introducing policies and programmes that would further unite the people of the sub-region.
The ECOWAS Parliament chairman of the Committee on Administration, Finance and Budget, Hon. Farouk Lawan represented by Hon. Amadou Ali Djibo said the essence of the workshop with the theme "ECOWAS Budgetary Procedures" was aimed at building the capacity of members of the committee.
He said the outcome of the workshop would enable them to properly discharge their duties in terms of preparing and monitoring the implementation of the budget of the ECOWAS parliament.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN