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ECOWAS revives regional blue economy strategy

Published

8 months ago

September 29, 2025

The Economic Community of West African States has restarted efforts to finalise its long-pending Regional Blue Economy Strategy, beginning with a high-level consultative workshop held on Monday in Abuja.

The workshop gathered key representatives from ECOWAS member states, regional economic bodies, and continental institutions to review and validate the draft strategy, which has been inactive since its initial development in 2022.

The blue economy—covering marine resources, aquaculture, maritime transport, ocean conservation, and climate adaptation—is regarded as essential for sustainable growth across West Africa.

The initial draft was created under the Programme for Improved Regional Fisheries Governance in Western Africa, but had since stalled due to administrative delays.

The Programme Officer for Fishery Development and Focal Person for Blue Economy at ECOWAS, Djiga Thiao, delivered remarks on behalf of the outgoing Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alain Traoré.

Thiao warmly welcomed participants to Abuja and underscored the strategic importance of regional cooperation on marine resource management.

He highlighted the interconnected nature of marine sectors and the need for policy alignment.

“You know that the marine resources and the water resources are the crossroads of many sectors—fisheries, aquaculture, shipping—also in the context of climate change and sustainable livelihood that we need to get from these resources. So we need to have harmonised policies and guiding policies to get the best benefit from these resources.

“That’s why we need a blue economy strategy. It is highly important for ECOWAS to have a regional one.

He acknowledged the historical gap in progress.

“I should remind you that we had a draft since 2022 that was pending. I think that was during the PESCAO project. And unfortunately, after the PESCAO project, this draft was staying just like it is so far.”

Despite the delay, Thiao emphasised that the strategy remains a top priority within the ECOWAS Commission.

“The Commissioner said she wanted this blue economy strategy to be one of ECOWAS’ biggest legacies. Unfortunately, she is leaving us tomorrow and as well as the director.

“But like the French people say, les personnes partent, les institutions demeurent. So this blue economy will still be a big priority for the new director and Commissioner who are coming. And that’s why we are fully committed to making this process of review and validation very successful.”

He stressed the shared responsibility among stakeholders.

“This work we are doing, if we get success, it will be our success together. But if we fail, we will fail together. So, you delegate from the member state and on our side from ECOWAS, we have the duty to work closely with the experts so that we get this blue economy strategy, a draft that will be validated later.”

Thiao thanked the African Union-InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources for its swift support.

The Blue Economy Advisor at the African Union Commission, Linda Etta, spoke virtually on behalf of Hassan Nyambe, Director, Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Division, AUC.

“The African Union Commission is deeply committed to supporting member states and regional economic communities in translating the strategic ambitions into tangible outcomes.

“Initiatives like the ECOWAS regional blue economy strategy are critical to ensuring policy harmonisation, shared best practices, and investment mobilisation across our region,” she said.

A Blue Economy Expert at AU-IBAR, Dr Mohammed Seisay, reinforced the AU’s commitment to national and regional efforts.

“One of the decisions taken was to support AU members and regional economic communities so that they are able to have their own respective blue economy strategy.

“We started with four countries. Then we supported another 11 countries. We have also been supporting regional economic communities,” he noted.

Seisay also highlighted recent support to Burkina Faso. “It was on that basis that we supported Burkina Faso to develop its national blue economy strategy. So this support is timely for that region.”

Participants at the workshop included representatives from AU-IBAR, the AUC, the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, and national delegates from across ECOWAS member states, alongside technical experts working on the strategy’s finalisation.

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11th Senate to consider six-year single term for president, governors – Lawmaker

Published

3 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed plans to sponsor a bill seeking to introduce a single six-year tenure for presidents and governors after the 2027 general elections.

Bamidele said the proposed legislation would be among the first bills he intends to introduce when the next Senate is inaugurated, arguing that it would enable elected leaders to focus on governance rather than re-election campaigns.

Speaking during an interview with reporters in his office on Tuesday, the lawmaker said the current two-term arrangement often compels officeholders to devote a significant portion of their first term to political calculations and preparations for re-election.

“One of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving, by God’s grace, when we come back for the 11th Senate, God willing, is for a bill that will only make it possible for anyone who wants to be president of this country, or governor in any part of this country, to spend only one term of six years,” he said.

According to him, a single tenure would eliminate distractions associated with seeking a second term.

“So that you don’t even have to worry about wasting almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling and looking forward to how you’ll be re-elected,” Bamidele said.

“If you know you are there for six years, only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have.”

The Senate Leader acknowledged that the proposal may not enjoy universal support but maintained that lawmakers have a responsibility to initiate reforms they believe would strengthen governance.

“That’s my opinion. It doesn’t mean everybody will agree with me. But it also does not mean that I am prevented from doing that because that has not been the law,” he said.

Bamidele stressed that laws are meant to evolve in response to changing realities and public needs.

“The essence of law, the essence of parliament, is that laws are like human beings; they grow,” he added.

The proposal, if formally introduced and passed by the National Assembly, would require constitutional amendments before it can take effect.

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Ibadan visitation: Nobody can stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria – Sheikh Gumi

Published

3 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi Ahmad, has broken his silence on his visitation to Ibadan late last year, amidst outrage that he was trying to Islamise Oyo State with some Northern ideologies and tenets.

Gumi stressed that nobody can stop him from visiting anywhere in the country, while maintaining that he was not invited by any Muslim group or individual in the South-West.

In a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, he said he was in Ibadan as a representative of northern Islamic scholars.

He made this known barely a day after one of the victims of the abduction in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State dismissed claims that their abductors demanded the implementation of Sharia law in the state as part of the conditions for releasing the victims.

PUNCH Online reports that the principal of Community High School, Esiele, Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, while speaking from captivity in a now-viral video, said the gunmen said they never demanded the introduction of Sharia law or a N1 billion ransom as reported in some quarters, but rather for the release of their associates currently in the custody of Nigerian authorities.

Also, the Muslim Rights Concern rejected the alleged demand for Sharia in a statement issued on Monday, describing the report as “a lie from the pit of Jahannam (hell)”.

MURIC argued that the so-called demand was inserted by enemies of Islam in the negotiation team to tarnish the image of Islam.

However, aligning with the Islamic group’s position, Gumi wrote, “I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in SW (South-West) and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics.

“I was in Ibadan, not by the invitation of any SW Muslim individual or group, but as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama.

“Can anybody stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria?”

Recall that Gumi visited Ibadan on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, where he served as a special guest and speaker at the Southern Nigerian Ulama Summit.

The event took place at the University of Ibadan.

During his visit, he also attended a courtesy session alongside other prominent Southern and Northern Muslim scholars.

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Troops rescue six kidnap victims after clash with terrorists in Borno

Published

10 hours ago

June 9, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued six kidnap victims following a confrontation with terrorists along the Delwa–Komala road in Borno State.

The incident occurred at about 17:58 hours on June 6, 2026 when troops at Forward Operating Base Molai received intelligence that armed terrorists had intercepted and abducted civilians travelling along the route.

Troops were immediately mobilised on a fighting patrol to the location and reportedly made contact with the terrorists upon arrival in the general area.

According to the sources, the armed group abandoned the victims and fled into nearby bushes following the troops’ approach.

The victims were successfully rescued unharmed and comprised four adult males, one adult female and one minor.

They were said to have been secured and moved to a safer location for further assessment and necessary documentation.

The military noted that the general security situation in the theatre remains calm but unpredictable, adding that troops continue to maintain aggressive patrols and clearance operations across vulnerable areas.

It further stated that troops’ morale and operational effectiveness remain satisfactory as operations continue to deny terrorists freedom of action within the North-East theatre.

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