New Executive members of the Economic Community of West African State, ECOWAS Commission have been charged to sustain the tempo of operational standards of the outgoing team so as to remain the best performing regional economic community on the continent.
By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
The New Executive members of the Economic Community of West African State, ECOWAS Commission have been charged to sustain the tempo of operational standards of the outgoing team so as to remain the best performing regional economic community on the continent.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada gave the charge at the handing over ceremony of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi-Brou in Abuja.
The four year tenure of Jean-Claude Kassi-Brou President of the ECOWAS Commission elapsed this July 2022, and Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, a Gambian who assumed office as President of the ECOWAS Commission is expected to work for the next four years.
Addressing the assemblage, the Minister of State, applauded the outgoing team for having worked tremendously despite the daunting challenges of insecurity, poverty, health, as well as the Russia and Ukraine war which he noted, has ravaged the region with food crises.
He urged them to place the interest of the people they represent above other issues to ensure the enhancement of the ECOWAS Commission; advising the new management to ensure accountability and effective administration to boost citizens’ confidence in the region.
Ambassador Zubairu further advised the management to serve diligently and live up to the people’s expectations thereby enhancing regional integration for best practices.
For the outgoing president of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi-Brou said the past four years have been spent on implementing their mandates despite the numerous difficulties faced by the region and therefore, commended the ECOWAS member states for their support to victims of natural disasters and conflicts arising from terrorist attacks in the sub-region.
He advised that the regional action plan to combat terrorism in West Africa that has been elaborated be implemented as it would be effective in addressing security challenges.
While the incoming President of the ECOWAS Commission Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, on his part, commended heads of state and governments for entrusting him and his team with the office, noting that there is need for constant collaboration and commitment with partners to avert hunger and poverty in the region especially at this critical moments of insecurity.
However, in a bid to reduce operational cost as proposed by member states, the ECOWAS Commission which previously had fifteen executives now has seven members charged with the responsibility of making the institution more people-oriented and developmentally driven to achieve the set target.