A Member of the Togolese Parliament, 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) says the speaker was sworn in at the second extra-ordinary session of the Parliament on Thursday in Kano, Nigeria.

In accordance with 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 toward integration in the sub-region.

The new speaker promised to improve the image of the parliament in order to make it responsible and admired by all.

She also thanked her colleagues for the confidence reposed in her, assuring 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, Nigeria and authorities of 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 Jubrin, from Nigeria, who acted as speaker and also elected First Deputy Speaker during the inauguration of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament on April 4.

The parliament was established under Articles 6 and 13 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993, with the initial Protocol establishing the Parliament was signed in Abuja on Aug. 6, 1994.

It provided for the Structure, Composition, Competence and other matters relating to the Parliament.

It is the Assembly of Peoples of the Community serving as a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for Representatives of the people of West Africa with the aim of promoting integration.

The Parliament is composed of one hundred and fifteen (115) seats. Each Member State shall have a guaranteed minimum of five (5) seats.

The remaining forty (40) seats are shared on the basis of population.

The need for a Community mechanism to forge greater ties with the citizens of the West African Community served as impetus towards the creation of the Community Parliament.