On the 25th of February 2025, the ECOWAS Commission hosted a significant event in the main Auditorium of the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable contributions of its personnel, reflecting the institution’s continuous dedication to recognizing service excellence and commitment. The event, which began at 1:30pm, included the presentation of goodwill messages, honouring retirees for the year 2025 and the 2024 ECOWAS Staff Award Programme.
In attendance were: the President and Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar ALIEU Touray and H.E. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja; Mr. Joao Alage Mamadu FADIA, Auditor General of the ECOWAS Institutions ; Prof. Nazifi Darma Abdullahi, Commissioner of Internal Services. Staff members who received various awards presented by the ECOWAS Commission President, Vice President, Commissioner for Internal Services and Auditor General of the ECOWAS Institutions, included 17 retirees; 12 personnel for long service; and 28 drivers who had driven for 15 years and above without recording any accident.
In his opening remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar ALIEU Touray, conveyed his appreciation to all ECOWAS personnel, emphasizing their essential roles in the development and progress of the Commission, He seized the moment to contemplate the considerable advancements made during his tenure, while recognizing that there is no community that doesn’t encounter challenges. He emphasized that the power of ECOWAS is its capacity to tackle these challenges and persist in pursuing its shared objectives.
H.E Dr. Omar ALIEU Touray, said “I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of you members of staff who partook in doing the tremendous work of bringing the community to where it is at today” He noted “The Community has made significant progress in areas such as Trade and free movement of goods, services and persons and infrastructure, despite all these achievements there have been some challenges. There is no community without challenges but our strength lies in how we overcome these challenges.”
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Internal Services, Prof.Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, highlighted the importance of the event,asserting that it represented not just an honour but also an acknowledgment of the great worth the ECOWAS Commission attributes to the sacrifices and efforts of its committed staff.
“ECOWAS is celebrating its 50TH anniversary this year, numerous individuals have significantly contributed to the growth and achievements of the organization, and as they retire, it is important to honour their exceptional service.”said Prof. Nazifi Abdullahi Darma.
In her closing remarks, H.E. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, thanked everyone for their attendance and highlighted the significance of promoting a culture of recognition and gratitude within the organization.
She said “This yearly occasion honours the important contributions of departing staff while also providing an opportunity to motivate the upcoming generation of ECOWAS employees to maintain their commitment to the organization’s goal of fostering regional integration and development.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
