Rivers State is gearing up to host an extraordinary session of the Economic Community of West African States Parliament, marking a significant moment for a state which has been experiencing a political crisis for over a year.
The session planned for February 2025, will mark the first time this assembly of West African legislators is hosted in Southern Nigeria.
As part of activities for a successful event, an inspection team arrived in Port Harcourt on Monday, to evaluate the readiness of the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, the proposed venue for this event.
The team was led by the First Rappatour, Committee on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism, and the member representing the Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Awaji-Inombek Abiante.
Speaking to newsmen after the inspection, Abiante emphasized the importance of hosting the event for the state, saying that it would give local citizens a better understanding of ECOWAS’s role and activities.
Abiante also said the economic benefits would be massive, suggesting that welcoming delegates from across West Africa could provide new business opportunities for the local community.
The federal lawmaker stated, “As parliament gets into Rivers State, into Port Harcourt, it will enable a better understanding. There is a lot of diversity in this country, diversity in terms of our culture, in terms of our food, in terms of even how we dress.
“Yes we have tried to showcase some of these, but it cannot be enough. Interacting with the people directly brings much more on board, It could also open up the economic space because when citizens from other countries come into Port Harcourt, they could find a few areas of interest worthy of investment, worthy of promotion and this they will do.”
On his part, the Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Parliament, Bertin Some, said they were in Port Harcourt at the instance of the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament to access the facilities for the possibility of holding an extra-ordinary session in the metropolis.
Bertin stated, “So we have come to see the facility in terms of the accommodation, in terms of the meeting venue, in terms of the transport, communication and so on.
“And we are satisfied after visiting many places. We are sure that we can have this session smoothly with all the facilities. We want to thank the leader of our delegation, Hon. Abiante, who was able to help us, to stand for us and make himself available since yesterday.”
South-South PUNCH correspondent reports that the delegation that inspected the proposed venue for the event included the Secretary General of the ECOWAS Parliament, Some; the Head of Infrastructure Division, Ousmane Sade, and Clerk of Committees on Administration, Finance and Public Accounts, Minapu Ngalo Moore.
The ECOWAS Parliament has been a key platform for promoting regional integration and economic growth among West African countries.
