By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has emerged Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).
Mrs Adeosun succeeds the Republic of Niger’s Minister of Finance, Mr Hassoumi Massaoudou.
At the close of the 15th Ordinary Meeting of the Board of Governors of EBID held in Abuja, the Nigerian Minister was announced the new board chairperson of the regional lender, set up to promote private sector and development of the public sector and contribute to the economic development of West Africa through the financing of projects and programmes.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Adeosun charged her colleagues from the 15-member countries of ECOWAS to take steps to transform their economies.
She said ECOWAS nations have the potential to drive economic growth in Africa, advising that more should be done on job creation and industrialisation.
The Minister further said it was time for the region to explore a new model to drive rapid development that will be beneficial to member countries.
According to Mrs Adeosun, more attention should be placed on infrastructural development, easy movement of goods, people and services across the West African region.
The meeting, declared open by the Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, was attended by the Ministers of Finance and members of the board of the banks from Benin, Burkina Faso, Capo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
