“Community Parliament remains committed to unity of ECOWAS citizens” ---Rt. Hon IBRAHIMA

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament will continue to explore all available means to ensure the integration of the region.

Speaker of the Parliament, Rt. Hon Hadja MEMOUNATOU IBRAHIMA says the parliament will continue to use parliamentary diplomacy to engage countries who are seeking to leave the regional bloc.

The speaker stated this on Wednesday, September 18, 2024,  while speaking with journalist  after a meeting with the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator GODSWILL AKPABIO in Abuja Nigeria.

The three Sahel countries, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have served notice of leaving the sub-regional bloc following military takeover of power in those countries and they were sanctioned. 

The ECOWAS Parliament Speaker said the countries may break cooperation but the people remain together and as lawmakers, they must continue to do all that is within their power to ensure they remain United.

“We strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, because we know that the countries might break cooperation, but we cannot separate the population. The population always live together and we as representatives of the people, we are doing our best so that this living together will continue to be reality and even made better”, IBRAHIMA noted. 

She further said the essence of the visit to the leader of the Nigerian Senate is to thank him for the support the Nigerian National Assembly has been giving the ECOWAS Parliament, especially in the provision of facilities for holding its plenary sessions.

“We came to thank him for all the facilities that the senate has been providing to the ECOWAS Parliament to facilitate the holding of our sessions here in Abuja. We also discussed the socio-political situation in the community. We also discussed on the ways parliamentarians can make more contributions on the various issues and the challenges that we are experiencing in ECOWAS”.

The President of the Nigerian Senate, GODSWILL AKPABIO who was represented by the Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian Senate applauded the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament for her leadership since assumption of office.

AKPABIO expressed delight over her commitment and drive in charting a better course for the Parliament and sacrifices in using parliamentary diplomacy to strengthen the ideas of the Community Parliament.

“She has been wonderful since she was elected. Someone who has been up and doing in terms of giving some leadership to the ECOWAS Parliament. It is in that regards that she is here trying to chart a better course for the parliament to make sure that she brings in parliamentary diplomacy to bare in terms of our cooperation for those in the community and even those who are threatening to leave the community”, the President of the Nigerian Senate says.

“What she is doing is recommendable. We are on holiday now… but she is here. She decided come to strengthen her idea and initiative of making the parliament stronger and more effective.” He added.