President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the new management team at ECOWAS Commission led by Dr. Omar Alieu Toure to complete the review and harmonisation of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the sub-regional body.

President Buhari stated this while speaking at the 62nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja on Sunday.

“The Commission must, therefore, work assiduously to complete the review and harmonisation of the Protocols on Good Governance and Democracy, as this would enable our sub-region to sustain our collective efforts to deepen not only Democracy but her dividends through good governance to the Community citizens.

“Related to this is the urgent need to fully bring into operation, the Regional Action Plan on the Fight Against Terrorism and other acts of criminality in the sub- region as enhanced safety will sustain national governance efforts that would ensure the growth and progress of our sub- region,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement issued on by his spokesman, Femi Adesina.

President Buhari noted that this year’s Summit was the 8th that Nigeria, under his leadership has hosted:

He further hail President Kuffour Addo-Nana of Ghana, the immediate past Chairperson of the Authority for his services and congratulated President Umaro Embalo of Guinea Bissau on assuming the leadership of the sub-regional organisation, expressing his confidence in the latter’s ability to “discharge his responsibilities to the sub-region, as well as meet the expectations of the Community citizens.”

President Buhari thanked fellow leaders for the support he received as the Regional Champion on COVID–19 at a time the pandemic ravaged the entire world, ascribing the successes recorded in the region to their cooperation.

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“Let me specifically thank you, brother Heads of State and Government, for the confidence you reposed in me to be the Regional Champion on COVID-19, an opportunity that brought me to working closely with sectoral Ministers, ECOWAS Commission as well as the West Africa Health Organization to develop regional mechanisms that mitigated the effects of the COVID-19.

“Without doubt, the commitment shown by Member-States yielded very positive results as West Africa emerged as one of the regions with the least mortality rate, not only on the continent, but globally,” he said.

Buhari, however, lamented that despite the efforts of ECOWAS leaders towards deepening democracy, the region suffered some unpleasant setbacks:

“Regrettably, some of our gains, especially in fully democratising our governance space have faced and continue to face severe challenging threats from unconstitutional change of government as witnessed in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.”

Speaking at the official ground-breaking ceremony of the new ECOWAS Headquarters Building, President Buhari expressed his appreciation to the Chinese Government “for their financial and technical contribution to ensuring that a monument of this nature, is built on behalf of our region.”

The building, to be named the ‘Eye of West Africa’, with an expected completion period of 26 months would house the three major ECOWAS Institutions, namely the ECOWAS Commission, the Community Court of Justice and the Parliament.

On his part, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun, said: “To sponsor and construct the new ECOWAS Headquarters is a vivid reflection of China’s support to the work of ECOWAS as well as the traditional friendship between China and the West African countries.

“We will continue to promote the common development of China and Africa, and are ready to make new contribution to the building of the China-Africa community with shared future in the new era.”

He, however, lauded Nigeria’s leadership role in regional and ECOWAS affairs through its restless efforts to maintain regional stability and catalyze region integration.

The Star