Journalists disappointed at ECOWAS Summit in Abuja

From George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA Special Correspondent in Abuja, Nigeria

Abuja, March 24, GNA - Hundreds of Journalists, who thronged the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja where the ECOWAS Summit is underway, got disappointed when the leaders after a seven-hour closed-door meeting could not finalize their deliberations. Most of the West African leaders were tight-lipped on the issues raised at the Summit, citing inconclusive discussions as their main impediment preventing them from divulging such sensitive issues to the media before their final decisions.

The Journalists, who were disturbed by the new development, ended up packing up their cameras and scribbling pads in disappointment to wait for the final outcome on the deliberations on Thursday, March 24, 2011.

The 39th Ordinary Session ECOWAS Summit is centred on the political crisis in the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Benin, which the leaders believe were dicey and could not be divulged without excellent conclusive remarks.

A source close to the ECOWAS Secretariat told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the issues were quite sensitive and important and therefore needed ample time, adding "do not be too much in the haste, for we shall be issuing a communiqu=E9 covering all the issues we have discussed here."

Journalists, who were however, eager to report on the issues considered the 'news black-out' as a ploy by the leadership to deny the public information in those spheres.

Indications are that the leaders at the end of the summit on Thursday would come out with useful measures to revisit the Ivory Coast political debacle and the establishment of workable institutions that would ensure the rule of law, democracy and good governance in the sub-region.