The ECOWAS commission has assembled a team of top professionals, experts and Civil Society Groups (CSOs) from West Africa to discuss the formation and establishment of the Economic and Social Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) for the region.
In an invitation sent to leading civil society leaders, the commission stated that in its pursuit for the implementation and realization of the Agenda 2050, there is need to establish the ECOSOCC to serve as the voice of the people in the regional block.
In this regard and amongst others, the Commission is tapping the experience of top Nigerian social movement leaders such as Mr Samson Itodo of Yiaga Africa, a renowned CSO reputed for electoral reforms in Nigeria and other West African countries and Dr Taiwo Akerele, the Executive Director of Policy House International and founder of TiFA CDI a group whose work is rooted in education reforms, girl child education and economic reforms in Africa.
Other experts and academia expected at this regional event are Kwasi Prampeh from Ghana, Ibrahim Ceesay from the Gambia, Aisha Dabo from Senegal, Kouame Jean-Hovi from Ivory Coast and Alusine Mohammed Conteh from Sierra-Leone.
The two days summit originally billed to hold in Abidjan, Cote’d Ivoire is now rescheduled to hold in Abuja, the Nigerian capital due to the ongoing African Nations cup taking place in Abidjan will see top diplomats from the U.N, AU, EU brainstorming on the institutional arrangements, structure, and operations of the proposed ECOSOCC for the region.
Prof Kay Ayemah from Ghana enthused that this is a welcome development for the region as other global and regional blocks such as the UN, AU and EU have since established their ECOSOCC and it is high time ECOWAS navigate its course in this direction.
