By Omonu YG Nelson
The Parliament of Economic Community of West African States (Community Parliament) in Abuja, Nigeria has been thrown into darkness following the suspension of activities at the International Conference Centre (ICC) which is located beside it.
Investigation by SUMMIT POST revealed that ICC and the ECOWAS Parliament share the same power generating set, hence the suspension of activities at the ICC would automatically throw the Parliament into darkness.
The situation is made more complicated due to the epileptic public power supply, and the development has hampered smooth operations at the subregional Parliament.
During a visit by our correspondent to the Community Parliament on Monday, April 22, visitors were seen using their phone torchlight to be able to navigate around the expansive complex.
ECOWAS Parliament is the legislative arm of Economic Community of West African States, established on May 28, 1975 to enhance the economic integration of the 15 countries in the zone. The complex attracts dignitaries from the 15 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo) of West Africa. Hence, the need for urgent measures to restore power supply to the Parliament.
It would be recalled that at the inauguration of the 6th ECOWAS Parliament, which was presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a visibly disappointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, bemoaned the poor maintenance of the facility.
In a follow-up inspection visit to the centre on April 8th, the minister terminated the contract of Messrs Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd, assigned to manage the centre and suspended all events there for eight months to enable construction giant, Julius Berger, carry out a holistic rehabilitation work on the centre.
@ Summit Post News