Maimounatou Ibrahima, the newly elected first female Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, has officially assumed her duties in Abuja.
Her inaugural day in office began with a comprehensive tour of the Parliament’s facilities and offices, guided by Secretary General Mr. Bertin Some, who provided updates and information on the Parliament’s recent developments.
During a courtesy visit to the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, Ibrahima met with Dr. Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission. She emphasized the importance of policies that elevate the status of women in the region, expressing her commitment to inspire other women to pursue high goals. She pledged to strengthen capacity-building initiatives for women, particularly through the Association of ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians (ECOFEPA).
Ibrahima also vowed to collaborate with other ECOWAS institutions to tackle regional challenges such as insecurity, political instability, and economic crises, while promoting regional integration and economic development.
The Speaker’s visit extended to Nigeria’s National Assembly, where she was accompanied by the fourth Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Billay Tunkara, and other management staff. They met with Senator Barau Jibrin, Deputy President of the Senate and First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.
Senator Barau, who had served as acting Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament from April 4th to May 23rd, congratulated Ibrahima on her new role. He assured her of continued support to elevate the Parliament’s effectiveness in addressing the subregion’s challenges.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Senator Barau pledged to assist in the establishment of a permanent site for the ECOWAS Parliament through federal government intervention to secure the necessary funding.
Ibrahima expressed her gratitude to Senator Barau for his dedication to the swift establishment of the ECOWAS Parliament headquarters.
