From Desmond Mgboh Kano
The sixth parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Parliament) at the 2024 second extraordinary session of the parliament holding in Kano, has adopted crucial parliamentary instruments to guide the progress and implementation of its mandate.
The instruments consist of the rules of procedure, the strategic plan and the 2024 work plan of the parliament.
Acting Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament and Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, in his speech at the session’s opening, stressed the importance of the protocols in facilitating the work of the parliament.
“This Extraordinary Session is unique on several counts. During this session, we are expected to hold deliberations and adopt three very important instruments which bear heavily on the progress and effective implementation of our mandate.
They are The Rules of Procedure of the Sixth Legislature, which was deferred from our inaugural session—the Strategic Plan of the Sixth Legislature and 2024 Annual Work Plan.
“You would agree with me that our Rules of Procedure are very important as they make us more efficient and serve as our guide, thereby reducing the chances of our actions and decisions being challenged for procedural deficiencies.
“The Strategic Plan, on the other hand, will serve as a crucial and indispensable tool in ensuring that our programs and activities are directly linked with the overall strategic institutional objectives of ECOWAS, while our Work Plan will set the agenda for our engagements this year, he said.
The adoption of these instruments now sets the stage for the full commencement of parliamentary activities by the community parliament.