By Naijatruth
President Bola Tinubu has declared Nigeria’s readiness to host the African Central Bank, in accordance with the Abuja Treaty’s vision.
He made this declaration on Saturday at the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The President said he would work with the African Union Commission and other member states to ensure the timely launch of the bank in 2028. Tinubu said that Africa could only overcome its challenges by being resolute and united, and by avoiding repeating old mistakes or creating new ones.
“We are confronted by many challenges and obstacles that threaten to derail our quest for quality democracy and economic growth for our people.
“Some of these challenges, such as climate change and unfair trade practices, are beyond our control.
“But some of the problems, such as coups and constitutional manipulations, are self-inflicted wounds that we must heal ourselves,” he said.
He also addressed the recent military coups in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and the withdrawal of three of these countries from ECOWAS. He said that such constitutional crises should not lead to a permanent breakdown of regional ties and cooperation.
“Our aspiration for a peaceful, strong, and united West Africa transcends any individual or group. Our people share a common heritage, culture, commerce, geography, and brotherhood.
“Therefore, we must use this opportunity to forge a new era of trust and harmony among ourselves.
“I urge everyone to listen to this message: if you come to the table with good intentions, you will find Nigeria and ECOWAS already there, ready to welcome you as a brother,” he said. He also spoke on the theme of this year’s summit, which is education. He said that education is the key to finding creative solutions to the long-standing challenges facing the continent.
“To achieve the Agenda 2063 goal of a peaceful, united and prosperous Africa, I believe that African education should not only focus on the positive use of science and technology to improve our living standards, but also on the need to educate ourselves on the human values of democracy, diplomacy, and non-violence.
“In Nigeria, my administration is investing heavily in education at all levels. We are improving our school feeding programmes and curricula, and transforming ourselves into an Information and Communication Technology hub, through which we will bring more youths into the classroom and equip them with the skills they need to thrive in the global economy of the 21st century,” he said.
He also invited the participants to the Africa Counter-Terrorism Summit, which will take place in April in Abuja.
He said that the summit would go beyond military and security measures to address the root causes of violent extremism, such as poverty, lack of political inclusion, and spread of hateful ideologies.