President Muhammadu Buhari, has reminded legislators of the ECOWAS parliament on the need to align their programmes to those of the founding fathers of the sub-regional body.
The President, who stated this at the opening session of 2022 Second Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, said that “the vision of the founding fathers of ECOWAS was to have a West Africa that is integrated economically with harmonized policies, enjoying free movement of persons, goods and services, as well as seamless right to establishment”.
On the election of members of the ECOWAS Parliament by Direct Universal Suffrage, President Buhari strongly declared his support for the process, provided it is conducted with minimum or even at no cost at all, to the Community.
Explaining Nigeria’s support for the process, he noted that ECOWAS Parliament can only fulfill its true mandate when it has a set of directly elected and dedicated Members.
Citing upcoming elections in Sierra Leone and Liberia, President Buhari declared Nigeria’s readiness to stand by any country in the region that is committed to organising free and fair elections.
The President highlighted that the global economic downturn has deeply affected the economies of member-countries and resulted in dire economic hardships for the citizens of the Community.
In this context, the President urged the parliament to perform their sacred responsibility of considering the Community budget with diligence, conscious of the sacrifice of various countries in the payment of Community Levy.
The President described threats to peace and security, political instability and the adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic on our economies as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine as the biggest concerns facing the region.
President Buhari noted that in spite of several challenges, the regional bloc ‘‘has continued to wax stronger as a Community and has remained strong and resilient and shining example of regional integration and solidarity.’’
He lauded the Organisation for evolving in many aspects, since its formation 47 years ago.
The President who explained that the desire to create an ECOWAS complex, housing the Commission, the Parliament and the Court all in one arena, led to the delay in the formal take-off of the project, told the Parliament that as a country that believes strongly in regional integration and cooperation, Nigeria will continue to support all ECOWAS institutions domiciled within the country.
President Buhari said he had hoped for the completion and formal commissioning of the project before leaving office in May 2023, however, the expansion of the project led to the delay.
The President expressed delight that the harmonization in drawings and other technicalities for the project have been concluded, clearing the way for the ground-breaking ceremony.
Bello Wakili