By Abbas Yushau Yusuf
KANO, Nigeria – The ECOWAS Parliament has announced plans to establish a mediation committee aimed at re-integrating aggrieved member states.
This decision was revealed by the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Barau Jibril, while opening the second extraordinary session of the Parliament in Kano, Northwestern Nigeria.
Addressing the session, Senator Barau emphasized the critical need for Parliament’s intervention in regional issues, as highlighted by the President of the ECOWAS Commission during the Inaugural Session.
Barau said the President had called for urgent efforts to prevent the disintegration of the regional bloc, particularly with the potential departures of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. He also stressed the importance of confronting non-state groups vying for control of resources and marginalizing states, which has led to severe insecurity, especially in the Sahel region.
“In consultation with my colleagues on the Bureau, I will propose the appointment of an Ad hoc Mediation Committee,” Senator Barau stated. “The committee’s mandate will be to work with all stakeholders to encourage our brothers to rescind their decision and come back, and to promote dialogue to resolve conflicts in the region. Our strength lies in unity, and there is no alternative to our collective aspirations of a united, peaceful, and secure ECOWAS.”
Senator Barau also mentioned a Parliamentary Fact-Finding mission dispatched to Togo. The delegation investigated the reasons behind the notable absence of the Togolese delegation, who, according to the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of the Parliament, should hold the Speakership. Discussions with national stakeholders yielded positive responses, and Senator Barau reported that Togolese authorities assured the imminent inauguration of their parliamentary representatives.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, in his remarks, urged the ECOWAS Parliament to strive for the development of West African countries and to promote economic diversification.
The session in Kano also saw the swearing-in of new members, marking another step in strengthening the legislative body’s capacity to address regional challenges.
NIGERIAN TRACKER reports that the extraordinary session underscores ECOWAS’s commitment to maintaining regional stability and fostering cooperation among member states
