http://standardtimespress.net/cgi-bin/artman/publish/printer_4162.shtml

From Standard Times Press News Paper

NEWS
Zainab Bangura and Three Others To Engage Niger's Political Stake Holders
By Pasco Temple
Aug 26, 2009, 01:48



Four Foreign Ministers from Sierra Leone, Benin, Burkina Faso and
Nigeria have been charged with the responsibility of  saving “a crisis
situation, and prevent the “return of authoritarian rule and dark age
in West Africa” by restoring Political Sanity in Niger.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) gave the
responsibility to four West African Foreign Ministers including Sierra
Leone’s Madam Zainab Hawa Bangura and three others from Nigeria,
Benin, and Burkina Faso to intercede in the political crisis in Niger
and restore political sanity in the beleaguered west African Country
Monday August 24th, during a close session of Foreign ministers of
ECOWAS countries at the ECOWAS conference Center in Abuja.

At a one day extra ordinary meeting of ECOWAS mediation and Security
Council held in Abuja on Monday August 24,it was agreed by thirteen
Foreign Ministers from Benin, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Burkina
Faso, Cote D Ivoire, Liberia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau Mali,
Senegal, and Togo that a four man ad-hoc ministerial committee led by
Nigeria and composed of Benin, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone
immediately start work to restore dialogue and political common sense
in Niger.

The ad –hoc committee is mandated to work with all political
stakeholders in Niger, including the National Council for Dialogue
towards the restoration of dialogue and consensus which characterized
the political environment before the current crisis, and report its
findings to an already scheduled extra ordinary summit of Heads of
State and Government scheduled for first week September. According to
ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambers, the call for the
extra ordinary summit followed the council’s expression of deep
concern over violation of the 1999 consensual constitution of Niger
and the 2001 ECOWAS supplementary protocol on Democracy and Good
Governance.

“Again, it has undermined the progress made in the consolidation of
Democracy and the rule of law”. Earlier, in his opening remarks, the
Chairman of ECOWAS mediation and Security Council Chief Ojo Madueke of
Nigeria decried the situation in Niger and described it as a “defining
moment for survival of hard earned democratic renewal for both Niger
and the entire West African region. While reiterating the role of
peace and stability for Socio –economic stability, Chief Madueke said
the Parliament, the media, and civil society has a critical part to
play in the consolidation of Democracy in the region.



He therefore encouraged his colleagues Foreign Ministers “to stand up
to the Niger Challenge with sincerity candour and respect to the
various challenges faced by each member state, in order that democracy
is safeguarded”. Adding “failure would mean a return to the “dark age”
of authoritarianism and anarchy”. Other members of the Sierra Leone
delegation include Sierra Leone’s permanent representative to ECOWAS
H.E Henry O. Macauley and the Director of Africa Region, Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation Mr. Borbor Laggah.

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