The president of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Edward Asante, has promised to support the ECOWAS Parliament in efforts to conduct direct elections of its lawmakers from their member states.

The community court’s president made this known while welcoming the new speaker of the parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima when she paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja on Friday.

He expressed the court’s full support for current efforts to bolster the independence of the ECOWAS Parliament through the direct elections of its members from their respective countries.

“We are ready to assist and support the Parliament in achieving this goal, as a strong and independent Parliament is essential for the enactment of robust laws that benefit our community and foster deeper integration,” he said.

Mr Asante called for a strong institutional collaboration between the court and the parliament against the backdrop of the enduring partnership between the court and the parliament.

According to him, the visit, which comes shortly after her investiture, symbolises the solidarity and mutual respect that have characterised the relationship between the two ECOWAS institutions over the past five years.

“We have consistently supported each other’s programmes and initiatives, and today’s visit reinforces our commitment to continue this cooperation,” he said.

Mr Asante further emphasised the importance of continued collaboration in exchanging resources and expertise, such as interpreters and translators, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of both institutions.

Earlier, the speaker expressed her gratitude and reaffirmed the parliament’s commitment to collaborating with the Court.

She said the parliament and the court had a shared mission to promote rights within the community and pledged to continue on that path.

“We are confident of your support, particularly in capacity building for the parliament and in addressing the challenge of direct elections for ECOWAS deputies,” she stated.

Mr Asante and Ms Ibrahima both expressed optimism about the future of ECOWAS, which they said underscored the vital role that their institutions played in fostering unity, promoting justice, and ensuring subregional prosperity.

Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara, the court’s vice president; Justice Sengu Koroma; Yaouza Ouro-Sama, the chief registrar; and the parliament’s fourth deputy speaker, Tunkara Billay, among others, were present.

(NAN)