By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Hon. Memounatou Ibrahima, has called for rapid reforms within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to address the multiple crises facing the region.
Speaker Ibrahima who stated this at the opening of the 2024 Third Extra-Ordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar on Tuesday in Lomé, Togo, emphasised the need to rework the bloc’s operations to better tackle issues such as terrorism, floods, violent extremism, and irregular migration.
According to her, one of the key focuses of the session would be budgetary provisions to fund solutions for these problems.
She said, “Our region is ravaged by floods, terrorism, violent extremism, and irregular migration, affecting thousands of our citizens. ECOWAS at 50 must fast-track reforms to consolidate democracy and good governance to realize the vision of the founding fathers.”
The Speaker also commended President, Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, for his continuous support of regional integration and the empowerment of women.
She acknowledged that her historic role as the first female Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament was a reflection of the Togolese President’s dedication to promoting female leadership across all levels.
Speaker Ibrahima further stated that the ongoing session would allow the regional legislature to adopt the 2025-2027 budget, laying out a financial plan aimed at tackling these challenges through “pragmatic measures” designed to promote peace, stability, and progress across West Africa.
The session will also assess the implementation of the 2023 budget and review the mid-term budget for 2024 to ensure alignment with the region’s developmental goals.
Delivering his goodwill message, President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, who was Represented by MacDonald Saye Goanue, Director of Research and Strategic Planning, stressed the importance of strengthening infrastructure and investment across West Africa.
He noted that regional cooperation and equitable distribution of economic opportunities are critical to unlocking the region’s potential and fostering competitiveness among member states.
He said, “West Africa must ensure that the benefits of investments are equitably distributed among its citizens, and together, we can realize the vision of the bloc.”
Also speaking at the event, Togo’s Minister of Human Rights, Citizenship Training, and Relations with the Institutions of the Republic, Barrister Pacome Yawovi Missiame Amenyo Adjourouvi, expressed concern over the human rights situation in the region. He criticized repressive governments for undermining freedom of speech and stifling protests against unfavorable policies, stressing that protecting human rights is essential for peace and opportunity in West Africa.
He stated that full implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, alongside gender equality, would bring ECOWAS closer to achieving its objectives.
The Speaker of the Togolese National Assembly, Sevon-Tepe Kodjo Adedze, who officially opened the session, emphasized the need for the region to push forward with development efforts. He stressed that the ‘ECOWAS Vision 2050’ must prioritize social inclusion, economic integration, and stability, echoing the values championed by Togo’s President, Faure Gnassingbe.
As ECOWAS approaches its 50th anniversary in 2025, having been established on May 28, 1975, in Lagos, Nigeria, its primary goal has been to foster economic cooperation and development across member states.
Naijablitznews.com reports that the regional bloc has also worked to address security concerns through the development of a peacekeeping force, but more recently, ECOWAS has been confronted with significant economic and security challenges, including the increasing trend of youth migration in search of better opportunities, often resulting in perilous journeys across the deserts of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea.