Lawmakers within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament have collectively appealed to the heads of state and government in the region to lift the sanctions imposed on the Niger Republic, The Herald reports.
This appeal comes as a response to the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS in July following the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum by certain military officers led by former Presidential Guard commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani.
The sanctions included the suspension of all commercial transactions with Niger, the freezing of its state assets in the regional central bank, the freezing state and state enterprises’ assets in commercial banks, and the suspension of financial assistance from regional development banks.
The repercussions of these measures have significantly impacted the Niger Republic, affecting its economy and daily life.
Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South and serving as the Senate Chief Whip in the Tenth Senate, emphasised that seven Nigerian states bordering Niger are adversely affected by these sanctions.
He highlighted the humanitarian impact, stating that children and women have been exposed to untold hardship, with little progress made in resolving the issue.
In a press conference, Senator Ndume appealed to ECOWAS states to lift the sanctions and reopen the closed border between Niger and Nigeria.
The lawmakers stressed that the poor are the ones primarily suffering, urging the ECOWAS Heads of State to consider the humanitarian situation and work towards resolving the political impasse in Niger.
Ndume stated, “Children and women have been exposed to untold hardship. No meaningful progress has been made in resolving this issue.
“We are appealing to ECOWAS states to lift the sanction and open the closed border between Niger and Nigeria because it is the poor that are suffering. Let me say this is a collective decision by concerned citizens.
“This press conference is simply an appeal to the ECOWAS Heads of State to consider the humanitarian situation and resolve the political impasse in Niger.”
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