Mr. President, there is need for the security chiefs to meet frequently and share information to tackle the jihadists who are expanding in the sub region from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Togo and Benin. The aim of the jihadists who are well armed, equipped, trained and financially okay is to conquer West African States and convert them to Islamic States.
ECOWAS should engage the international community for support before it is too late. The jihadists have killed hundreds of people and left thousands displaced.
Mr. President, not having term limits brings about instability. The youth who constitute 62% of the voting population are for the inclusion of term limits in the Constitution.
To avoid frequent coup d’état, African leaders should respect their constitutions and avoid over staying. ECOWAS has reinforced the same position over the years.
On May 25, 2015, in Accra, ECOWAS requested each Member State to sign a term limit of two but Gambia and Togo declined to sign.
In July this year, again in Accra, Côte D Ivoire, Togo and Senegal did not sign the term limit request. Given the global trend, it is not advisable for any President to overstay.
EC0WAS Parliament should introduce a bill for two term limits. It should be noted that three West African leaders were toppled for overstaying. Blaise Compare of Burkina Faso was toppled in 2014, Ibrahima Boubacar Keita of Mali in 2020 and Alpha Konde of Guinea Conakry in 2021.
Finally, Mr. President, following the announcement of the trade season early this month, farmers are not selling their groundnuts for D32000 per tone . They want to be paid more and the fertilizer to be affordable. There are some offering better prices in neighboring countries. There is a need for dialogue with the minister of Agriculture and his officials to discuss with farmers and pay cash on the spot and avoid credit buying.
Good day!