The House of Representatives has demanded justification for Nigeria’s huge financial contribution to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which amounted to 1.177billion dollars in 16 years.

The House mandated its committees on Inter-parliamentary Relations and ECOWAS Parliament as well as Foreign Affairs to determine the justification.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Awaji-inombek Abiante (PDP-Rivers) at plenary on Thursday in Abuja.

The committees are also to appraise the benefits and contributions of ECOWAS towards the Socio-economic development of Nigeria and Nigerians in the last 10 years.

Moving the motion, Abiante noted that ECOWAS was established by the Treaty of Lagos in Lagos, Nigeria on May 28, 1975 with the main goal of promoting economic cooperation among member states.

This according to him was in order to raise living standards and promote economic development.

The lawmaker stated that in 16 years, Nigeria had contributed more than 1.177billion dollars to ECOWAS as its community levy, and this is the highest contribution by any member state since inception.

He said that Nigeria has immensely contributed to the ECOWAS- power supply to member states, medical interventions and peacekeeping efforts in member states.

This according to him include: the Gambia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Liberia among others.

He noted that ECOWAS ‘Vision 2050’, a new regional prospective frame of reference for the next 30 years proclaimed that ECOWAS must become a community of people.

This he said was by placing more emphasis on Infrastructural development, integration, youths and women who were in the region.

According to him, the ECOWAS ‘Vision 2050 if well implemented will ensure a secure, stable and peaceful region.

His presentation  reads: “The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS: also known as CEDEAO in French) was established by the Treaty of Lagos in Lagos, Nigeria on May 28, 1975, with the main goal of promoting economic cooperation among member states to raise living standards and promote economic development.”

“The regional political and economic union of fifteen countries called ECOWAS has its headquarters in Abuja, and its arms of governance include, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.

“In 16 years, Nigeria has contributed more than $1.177billion to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as its Community Levy, and this is the highest contribution by any member State since its inception.

“Nigeria has immensely contributed to the ECOWAS- power supply to member states, medical interventions and peacekeeping efforts in member states including the Gambia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Liberia among others.

“ECOWAS ‘Vision 2050’, a new regional perspective frame of reference for the next thirty years proclaims that ECOWAS must become a community of people, by placing more emphasis on Infrastructural development, integration, youths and women who are the region’s vives.

“The ECOWAS ‘Vision 2050 if well implemented will ensure a secure, stable and peaceful region; a region endowed with strong institutions that comply with the rule of law and fundamental freedoms; a fully integrated and prosperous region; a region mobilized for transformation, inclusive and sustainable development.

“Despite Nigeria’s larger-than-life financial contributions to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Country and its citizen have not benefitted immensely.

“There is a need to appraise the benefits and contributions of ECOWAS towards the Socio-economic development of Nigeria and Nigerians in the last ten years.”

Also contributing to the motion, Deputy Speaker, Wase informed the House that a lot of ills against Nigerians are going on at the ECOWAS Commission which is situated in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital.

He said many Nigerians have been working in the Commission as casual staff for the past seven years without having their employment regularized.

Wase who is the Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, also situated in Abuja, Nigeria said “the issue came to my attention two weeks ago and I’ve written officially attaching the list of the affected Nigerian workers to the Commission’s leadership.”

“There’s nowhere in the world where people work as casual staff for more than six months, but Nigerians have been subjected to this unfair treatment at the ECOWAS Commission. And those who are permanent staff have not been promoted in the last seven years”,  Wase said.

The House, therefore, mandated the Committees on Inter-parliamentary Relations and Ecowas Parliament to appraise the benefits and contributions of ECOWAS towards the Socio-economic development of Nigeria and Nigerians in the last ten years to determine the justification of the Country’s financial contribution to the sub-regional organization (ECOWAS) and report back to the House within six (6) weeks for further legislative action.