Nigeria's
National Assembly Members Meet President Kabbah
By Marian Samu
A
six-man delegation from the National Assembly
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have held
discussions with President Kabbah on small arms
moratorium in the West African sub-region.
Briefing
President Kabbah on their Mission the leader
of the delegation, Madam Ayodele Oreagba, Director
for Collective Defence and Security in the Federal
Ministry of Cooperation and Integration said
they are very much concerned about the proliferation
of small arms in the sub-region and that the
essence of their committee is to ensure the
culture of peace in the sub-region.
Light
weapons, she observed, are everywhere in the
region and this undermines their effort to police
their own borders. According to her, if others
do not properly police their borders, then the
problem will still exist in the region. This
is why they are out to encourage cooperation
between the countries of the sub-region. Small
arms cause more destruction as they are lighter
to carry and anybody can use them, she stated.
Madam
Oreagba said there is need for all countries
in the sub-region to work together on the UN
sanction on small arms as this is the only way
they will be able to achieve good results. She
appealed to member states in the sub-region
to speak with one voice during the meeting that
will be coming up soon in New York on Small
Arms. She said that Africa is ready to ensure
that all arms are labeled, but because of lack
of resources there is need to talk with one
voice to the United Nations. She affirmed Nigeria's
readiness to work with all other nations.
Earlier,
Madam Oreagba observed that she was impressed
with what she had seen in Sierra Leone. She
described what she saw as a success story which
confirms that 'there is sunshine after rainfall'.
Responding,
President Kabbah attributed the success story
mostly to the great role Nigeria played in providing
security for the people of Sierra Leone. He
said he will always demonstrate to Nigerians
that they are brothers and sisters, noting that
the relationship between Sierra Leone and Nigeria
spans over centuries.
On
the issue of small arms, President Kabbah stated
that they had started long ago after the disarmament
and demobilization of over 60,000 ex-combatants
in 2002, and said that all the arms collected
were destroyed.
He said he had brought to the notice of his
colleagues in the sub-region and even at the
UN the danger of the movement of ex-combatants
in the sub-region, particularly when they converge
in one place in large numbers. He also mentioned
the ECOWAS agreement by member-states to report
on all arms coming into the sub-region, adding
that Sierra Leone has made serious efforts in
controlling the menace. President Kabbah thanked
the delegation for their concern and promised
to cooperate with them in their effort to combat
the spread and proliferation of small arms in
the sub-region
-End-
