By: Adoba Echono
The Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, is soliciting for speedy reforms at the West African regional bloc to transform its operations to tackle the myriad of crises that beset the region.
The Speaker who made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Third Extra-Ordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar of the regional legislature in Lome, Togo, emphasized that as ECOWAS marks its 50 years of existence next year, it has become imperative to speed up reforms to fulfil the dreams of its founding fathers.
According to Ibrahima the session would afford the regional legislature the opportunity to consider and adopt its budget of 2025-2027 to give it a clear-cut financial roadmap to come out with “pragmatic measures” to address these challenges for the peace, stability, solidarity and progress of West Africa.
The session will also examine the level of implementation of the Parliament’s 2023 budget as well as the mid-term budget for the 2024 financial year to ensure that it aligns with the region’s development goals.
The regional parliament will then hold a symposium tagged “Empowering Women through Financial Inclusion”, that will be organized by the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) to unlock opportunities for women through financial services and promote economic empowerment.
In his good will message, the President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr George Donkor, represented by the Director, Department of Research and Strategic Planning, MacDonald Saye Goanue, said it was imperative to strengthen infrastructure and investment priorities in West Africa to unlock the opportunities in the region and make the economies of member more competitive.
Donkor also called for equitable distribution of economic opportunities for all citizens.
The Togolese Minister of Human Rights, Citizenship Training and Relations with the Institutions of the Republic of Togo, Pacome Yawovi Adjourouvi, decried the human rights situation in the region, which he said have been undermined by repressive governments, leading to the suppression of freedom of speech and protests against harsh government policies.
The Speaker of the Togolese National Assembly, Sevon-Tepe Kodjo Adedze, who declared the session open, said the region must intensify its developmental strides with “budgetary provisions for a better community.”
He stressed that the ‘ECOWAS vision 2050’ must consider social inclusion, economic integration, peace, stability, harmony and prosperity.
ECOWAS will mark its 50th anniversary in 2025 as a bloc formed on May 28, 1975, in Lagos Nigeria to promote economic cooperation among member states to raise living standards and promote economic development.
Hauwa M.
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