The ECOWAS Parliament has said it would address the issues of migration in the sub-region and the non-implementation of community protocols by member states at its first ordinary session in February 2018.
The Speaker of the parliament, Moustapha Cissé Lo, said this at the closing of the parliament’s Second Ordinary Session in Abuja on Saturday.
The speaker said the level of implementation of ECOWAS protocols in Member States was worrisome and it was pertinent to address the issues.
Lo further said the parliament would discuss plans made to address the migration challenge in West Africa and added that Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou would be invited to the session.
He said: “This is because Niger is a transit route to Europe for West African migrants.
“I invite all parliamentarians to make themselves available to be effective in the first major activity of the year 2018, namely the International Forum on ‘Issues and Challenges of free movement and migration in space ECOWAS’.
“This activity will take place from February 12 to February 14 and will be followed by the first special session of the year 2018 on February 16 to February 22.”
The speaker recalled that the 2017 Second Ordinary Session focused on review of the ECOWAS 2018 Community budget of 284.9 Units of Account (approximately N122 billion).
Lo said the review had been submitted to the ECOWAS Commission for consideration by the Council of Ministers.
He further said the session also reviewed the rules of the parliament to comply with its Supplementary Act of 2016.