Deputy Speaker of the Nigerian House Representatives, Hon. Suleiman Lasun Yusuf emerged the 1st Deputy Speaker of the 4th ECOWAS Legislative Parliament recently inaugurated in Abuja.
Hon. Yusuf will serve a 4-year term alongside Hon. Aminata Kamara Toungari of Cote D’Ivoire, who was elected 2nd Deputy Speaker, Hon. Jefferson Kanmoh of Liberia and Hon. Orlando Pereira Dias of Cape Verde who made 3rd and 4th Deputy Speakers.
Hon. Yusuf was unanimously elected by the Nigerian delegates following parliamentarians agreement to zone the 1st and 3rd Deputy Speakers position to Nigeria and other anglophone countries, and the 2ndand 4th positions to francophone and lusophone member states.
Gambia forfeited the position to Liberia whereby Gambia’s Hon. Kanmoh was unanimously voted. However, upon several consultations with other delegates Hon. Filomena de Fatima Martins stepped down for her countryman Hon. Orlando Pereira Dias.
Applauding her decision the Speaker of the Parliament Moustapha Cisse Lo said she showed genuine interest in promoting peace in the institution.
Meanwhile, Hon. Yusuf has said the new parliament bureau will focus on the enhancement of powers of the parliament to ensure that proper oversight functions are carried out in the institution.
“Without legislative powers, it becomes difficult to impact positively in your environment. We hope to achieve in the next four years enhancement of powers of the Parliament so we can properly oversight our region”.
The parliamentarian appears very passionate to expanding Nigeria’s economic exports in the sub region. According to him, he aims to ensure that Nigeria’s benefit from the ECOWAS directly impacts Nigerian citizens and reduce poverty.
“We must make sure to provide a market for whatever is produced in Nigeria among the West African subregion so as to expand our frontiers. This (ECOWAS) is the specific place to advance such ideas. It is a step to ensuring that Nigeria spreads across the West African coast”, Yusuf said.
As part of efforts to ensuring an ECOWAS of the people Hon.Yusuf said the legislature will combat poverty and it’s facilitating factors, through the proper education, training and skills empowerment of women in the subregion.
“High rate of poverty among women contribute to poverty. We will find a way to ensure women receive proper education. We will look at specific areas to act upon to reduce poverty. Once this is done you can fast track reduction of poverty,” reiterated Hon Yusuf.
