ECOWAS tackles proliferation of arms, weapons

ECONOMIC Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has resolved to tackle headlong the problem
of proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in West African region.

  “It is a hydra-headed monster that must be resolved as quickly as possible” the ECOWAS members regions stated in Calabar, Cross River State at a meeting of the National Commissions on Small Arms and Weapons (NATCOMS) of West African states.

  In his remark at the opening of the meeting held at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, Chairman of the Nigerian Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM), Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe, said the Nigerian government is sufficiently sized with this problem.

  According to Imohe, NATCOM has the very important task of stemming the tide of the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the sub-region's neigbhourhood.

  As a commitment, he said that Nigerian government will ensure that “we collectively dismantle the template from which the problems of insecurity are drawing support”.

  He added that Nigeria has demonstrated this commitment by signing and ratifying the relevant international, regional and sub-regional instruments and legal regimes on the subject of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) control.

  The Chairman further explained that since the Establishment of the PRESCOM, the Committee has been participating in the annual (NATCOMS) fora.

  Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River who was represented by his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu, regretted that armed violence robs the countries of scarce resources.