Abuja - Nigeria — Six new ECOWAS Commissioners on Wednesday 1st February 2012 assumed duty at the Commission, replacing some of the pioneer Commissioners whose four-year tenure ended on 31st January 2012.

The Commissioners, who emerged from a recent recruitment exercise, validated by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers at an extra-Ordinary meeting on 14th January 2012, were introduced to staff by the President of the Commission, His Excellency James Victor Gbeho.

The new Commissioners are:

Dr. Lapodini Marc Atouga of Togo - Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources

Mr. Hamid Ahmed of Niger - Trade, Customs, Industry, Mines and Free Movement Amb.

Ibrahim Ba of Mali - Macroeconomic Policy

Mr. Ebrima Njie of The Gambia - Infrastructure Mrs. Khady Ramatu Sacco of Sierra Leone - Administration and Finance

Mrs. Salamatu Suleiman of Nigeria - Political Affairs, Peace and Security During the brief introduction ceremony at the Commission's Abuja Headquarters, President Gbeho welcomed the new Commissioners and expressed the hope that they would put their vast, varied and impressive experiences at the disposal of the Commission in pursuit of the goals of the regional Organization.

He also pledged the commitment of the staff to work closely and diligently with the new Commissioners. The outgoing Vice-President of the Commission, Mr. Jean de Dieu Somda welcomed the new statutory appointees and wished them well. The President had earlier announced that the incoming Vice-President Dr. Toga Mckintosh, until now Liberia's Foreign Minister, will be joining the Commission's management team later this month.

Following its transformation in 2007 from an Executive Secretariat to a Commission, the ECOWAS Commission is run by a management team comprising the President, Vice-President and seven Commissioners. The tenure of the pioneer seventh Commissioner, Dr. Adrienne Diop will end in June 2012