‘Why West Africa deserves to fill African Union Commission vacancies’

A socio-economic group, Advocate for Equity and Fairness, has
said West African countries deserve to fill some current African
Union Commission (AUC) vacancies, following their contribution to
Africa’s socio-economic growth.

The group noted in particular last February’s report by global
auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers which named Nigeria as
Africa’s largest economy for the second time consecutively.

It said this rating confirmed the country and by extension the
region as an economic hub in Africa and an emerging powerhouse.

The group stated this in a statement signed by its Chairperson,
Jane Thompson.

“Statistics shows that Nigeria is Africa‘s most populous country
and the political and economic powerhouse of West Africa. It is the
world’s seventh largest exporter of oil,” Thompson said.

She observed that Nigeria attained this “exalted position” not
because it did not face daunting challenges in the economic and
other critical sectors but for the remarkable contributions of some
experts and technocrats.”

The experts and technocrats, she noted, included former Minister
of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Akinwunmi Adesina, Governors of
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chukwuma Soludo, and Sanusi L.
Sanusi, Oby Ezekwesili and the late Dora Akunyili.

She added: “Also, of recent, Mr. Ebiekure Eradiri, who has
brought his wealth of experience to bear in repositioning the
Bayelsa State Small and Medium Scales Enterprises.”

The statement added: “Okonjo-Iweala, who served both President
Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan, cut her teeth at
the World Bank where she spent 25-years as a Development Economist
and rose through the ranks to the number two position of Managing
Director, Operations.

“Another contributor to Nigeria’s success story is the President
of the African Development Bank, Akin-wunmi Adesina, who is the
first Nigerian to hold that position. He was named as Forbes
African Man of the Year for his landmark reforms in the Nigerian
agricultural sector. Changing the narrative in the sector and
attracting investors into the sector.”

“Similarly, the impactful tenure of Soludo and Sanusi as heads
of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN is not in doubt. The indelible
mark they left in coordinating Nigeria’s fiscal policy is there for
all to see. The former was recently appointed by President
Muhammadu Buhari into the Economic Team. This can only be in
recognition of the role he played while in office.

“Also, Mr. Ebiekure, Eradiri, a graduate of Chemical Engineering
in Nigeria who after a short stint in Oil and Gas operations as
field Engineer with International Oil Companies ventured into the
Entrepreneur world outstanding a chain of company activities in
Stromberg Holdings with activities in facility management/ Real
Estate Services, Lubricants/ Petroleum Fluids, Specialists
Engineering and Slickline Services.

“He further advanced as Bayelsa state consultant on Micro Small
and Medium Enterprises Development attaining the status of Train
the Trainer with SMEDAN Abuja.

Aside its large economy, Thompson noted Nigeria’s history of
political clout on the continent and its “critical role of a big
brother to other African countries.

“It championed the fight against apartheid rule in South Africa,
white minority rule in Zimbabwe, peacekeeping missions in troubled
West African states – Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire. A
good example is its call for a robust economic co-operation among
African nations during a meeting of the Organisation of Africa
Union (OAU) in 1970 despite being under a military regime,” she
said.

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