ECOWAS Parliament dismisses allegations of recruitment scam

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament on Sunday dismissed claims made by several Nigerian lawmakers on unethical recruitment practices in the organisation.

The Vice Chairman of the Parliament’s Recruitment Committee, Senator Edwin Snowe, made the clarification in a chat with Parliamentary Correspondents in Abuja.

Snowe was reacting to the uproar that followed the alleged anomalies in the ECOWAS recruiting process.

A few Nigerian lawmakers had during the week threatened to quit the Parliament, claiming that the recruitment process had been unfair to their citizens.

The Nigerian delegation also threatened to withdraw the country’s membership of the regional bloc if it refused to suspend the ongoing recruitment exercise as recently directed in the 2022 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.

Snowe, however, refuted the allegation and described it as “a misrepresentation” of the real issues by the Nigerian delegation.

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He insisted that the Parliament’s recruitment process was competitive.

He also said the Nigeria lawmakers that raised the allegations were looking to impress Nigerians in a bid to canvass for votes ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Liberian said: “Recruitment into the ECOWAS institutions is very competitive and cannot short-change any country let alone Nigeria that has made invaluable contributions to the development of the community.

“There was no resolution reached at the plenary to suspend recruitment into the P5 positions as is being insinuated by Nigerian legislators. Nigerians are adequately represented in ECOWAS Parliament and other institutions of the community.”

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