A parliament member from Togo, Mrs Maimunatu Ibrahima, has been sworn in as the first female speaker of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Parliament.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the speaker was sworn in at the second extraordinary session of the parliament on Thursday in Kano.
Under the parliament’s rotational system for the speakership, the position falls to Togo during this legislative session.
In her response after the swearing-in, Ibrahima promised to work with her colleagues in the parliament towards integration in the sub-region.
The new speaker promised to improve the image of the parliament to make it responsible and admired by all.
She also thanked her colleagues for the confidence they reposed in her, assuring them that she would bring her wealth of experience to bear on the sub-regional parliament.
“I am grateful to my honourable colleagues for unanimously adopting me as the first female speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.
“My priority is to work harmoniously with my colleagues to advance the integration of the West African sub-region,” she said.
She also thanked the presidents of Togo and Nigeria and the authorities of the heads of state for supporting the parliament.
Some of the female members who spoke to NAN commended members for choosing a woman to steer the affairs of the parliament.
Ibrahima, who previously served as the third Deputy Speaker in the Fifth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, has been a member since 2021.
She succeeded Sen. Barau Jibrin, from Nigeria, who acted as speaker and was also elected First Deputy Speaker during the inauguration of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament on April 4, 2024.
Togolese Ibrahima sworn in as first female speaker of ECOWAS Parliament