In a bid to deepen its connection with the community, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament is considering Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as the venue for its extraordinary session in February 2025.
This move marks a significant shift from the usual capital city meetings, reflecting the parliament’s desire to engage with citizens in major towns across the country.
Secretary General Bertin Some, disclosed to newsmen that as a member of the delegation to assess Port Harcourt’s facilities, they have assessed the accommodations, meeting venues, transportation, and communication infrastructure.
Expressing satisfaction with the findings, Some noted that this would be the first time an ECOWAS Parliament meeting is held in Port Harcourt, demonstrating the parliament’s commitment to inclusivity.
The delegation, comprising Ousmane Sade, Head of the Infrastructure Division, and Minapu Moore, Clerk of Committees on Administration and Finance and Public Accounts, evaluated the readiness of the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, the proposed venue.
This development holds special significance for Rivers State, which has faced political instability for over a year. By hosting the ECOWAS Parliament, the state aims to showcase its capacity and potential for growth.
The team was led by Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, the First Rappatour, Committee on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism and member of the House of Representatives for Andoni/ Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State.
For over two decades, the ECOWAS Parliament has been a key platform for promoting regional integration and economic growth among West African countries.
Speaking to newsmen after the inspection, Hon. Abiante emphasized the importance of hosting the event in Port Harcourt, noting it would give local citizens a better understanding of ECOWAS’s role and activities.
Abiante also pointed out the economic benefits, suggesting that welcoming delegates from across West Africa could provide new business opportunities for the local community.
He said: “As Parliament gets into Rivers State it will enable a better understanding by all the members from the members states to understand that there is a lot of diversities in this country, in terms of culture, food, and how we dress.
“We are trying to showcase some of these but it can not be enough interacting with the people directly will bring much more on board and going forward, I believe that 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, promotion and this they will do not just for themselves alone but bearing in mind that they are coming from specific countries.
“It could be that there is something in Senegal that is found in abundance here in Port Harcourt. And in terms of interacting here in Rivers State, we will understand that what we look for here is in abundance in Ivory Coast and it could yield economic prospects for the state.”