Rivers State is set to host an extraordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament in February 2025, a historic moment as it marks the first time this assembly of West African legislators will convene in Southern Nigeria. The event comes amid Rivers’ ongoing political turbulence and represents a significant opportunity for both the state and the region.
On Monday, an ECOWAS Parliament inspection team arrived in Port Harcourt to assess the readiness of the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, the planned venue for this prominent gathering. The delegation was led by Awaji-Inombek Abiante, First Rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs, Peace, Security, and the African Peer Review Mechanism, and member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives for Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in Rivers State. Joining him were key ECOWAS officials, including Secretary General Bertin Some, Head of Infrastructure Division Ousmane Sade, and Clerk of Committees on Administration, Finance, and Public Accounts Minapu Moore.
Abiante emphasized the dual significance of the session: enhancing local awareness of ECOWAS’s mission and fostering economic growth. “Having the ECOWAS Parliament in Rivers will help both citizens and parliament members from across West Africa appreciate the diversity here,” he explained, highlighting how the influx of delegates could stimulate business for local vendors and service providers.
For over two decades, the ECOWAS Parliament has been instrumental in advancing regional cooperation and development among West African countries, making this gathering a major milestone for both Rivers State and ECOWAS’s mission of integration and prosperity across the region.
