Month: May 2019

Nigeria has thirty-five lawmakers in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament but always have less than ten lawmakers in a session.

Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo last year complained bitterly about the attendance of the Nigerian delegation to the session.

Former Speaker of the Liberian legislature and Leader of the current delegation to the sub-region Parliament, Edwin Marvin Snow Junior made a passionate apple for his colleagues to take the sitting of the House serious.

“As Nigeria has thirty-five members (35), never have they had more than ten (10) members in a session, all of us here have responsibilities back at home all of us here are obligated and committed to our countries and we are different leaders in our countries, but we come to Nigeria, Nigerians do not come to session”.

He further pointed out that Monday when Liberia presented its country report, the third Deputy Speaker Prince Yomie Johnson was talked about, “true he is not showing up equally speaking the First Deputy Speaker Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff Nigerian is perpetually absent”, he lamented.

According to him, the development is not good for their, adding “when Nigeria was giving its country report if you notice, a few of our colleagues came but few minutes after signing they left, “what is equally painful is that we stay in corridor some of the Nigeria senators and representatives come out of their vehicles they sign in the attendance, they turn out into their vehicles they drive out”.

“We all here are responsible people, we all have commitment to our countries, we want the Nigeria delegation here to make commitment to us her today, that moving forward they would attend session, we have responsibilities like them back in our country when we come here we all receive equal allowance and sitting fee and we should all do the work equally”.

Meanwhile, the house adopted the last country reports even though majority of members were not too happy because, they wanted the issue of truancy of Nigerian MPs to ECOWAS Parliament addressed.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja

Parliament would resume back from recess on Tuesday May 28, 2019 for the second meeting of the third session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic.

In a statement signed on behalf of the Speaker Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, first Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu noted that the recall is in accordance with standing order 37 of Parliament.

“Right Honorable Speaker of Parliament hereby give notice that the second meeting of the third session of the seventh Parliament of the fourth Republic will commence on Tuesday 28th May, 2019 at ten o’clock in the forenoon at Parliament House Accra”.

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According to Senator Ogola country reports give a factual picture of current happenings in countries within the West African sub-region, hence reading country reports without any further action at the end of every plenary session, whether Ordinary or Extra Ordinary session, “is not helpful”.

Senator Forster Ogola made this remarks on the floor of the House on Saturday May 12, 2019, at the ongoing First Ordinary Session, of the community Parliament of the Fourth legislature in Abuja – Nigeria when Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso presented their country reports.

“There should be a presentation of communiqué, which would generate reports sent to the Authority of Heads of states for action. It would help us also pass resolutions for adoption”.

He further indicated that he was moving a motion in that regard, which saw the Second Deputy Speaker Aminata Kamara Toungara interjecting and putting off his microphone.

Senator Foster Ogola kept on complaining, “my microphone is off”, when his colleagues kept complaining that they could not hear him, more especially when those francophone, lawmakers needed interpreters to translate to them what he was saying.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, one of Ghana’s representative when he caught the eye of the Second Deputy Speaker Aminata Kamara Toungara pointed out to his colleague it was not the proper timing for a motion to be moved.

“You cannot bring a motion in the middle of question time, the rules of the House does not permit that, craft a motion to the Speaker for adoption, it would be presented to the House for debate’, he advised.

Second Deputy Speaker, pointed out that, that was the reason why she kept interrupting and advised that the rules should be complied with.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

Lawmakers at the community Parliament during question time after Benin presented its report in the company of Togo and Burkina Faso wanted to know the current political situation in that country.

Out of the fifteen MPs who asked questions on the floor of the House, ten expressed worry about the political situation in Benin, issue of post-election violence; and MPs wanted to know measures being taken to address them.

Other MPs called on ECOWAS Parliament to look into the situation in Benin and advice Authority of Heads of States to work measures to avoid post-election violence, adding the fire brigade approach should be avoided.

Kamara was worried about the political situation in Benin and pointed out that the report was not detailed enough about the political situation and with technology most MPs are aware of the situation in Benin.

Youssoufou Abdouramani Bida Nouhoume in presenting the county report of Benin told the House, legislative elections across the country  have been held and result announced by the constitutional court.

Mr. Youssoufou Abdouramani Bida Nouhoume in answering the questions from MPs on the floor noted that as a democrat he would not say there is a perfect situation in his country.

“Those calling for the rejection of my country report are not right, we have had worse situations in a country like Senegal but no one called for the rejection of that country’s report”.

Second Deputy Speaker, Aminata Kamara Toungara had tough time keeping order on the floor of the House as some MPs were vehemently calling for the rejection of the country report of Benin.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga from Ghana pointed out to his colleagues, they should be mindful of procedures and rules of the House; objections can be raised on the grounds that the report is not complete or inadequate.

“We have an opportunity to fill in the gaps by the delegation from Benin, they have answered questions and attempted to fill in the gaps, if we still have issues the proper procedure is to adopt a resolution and communicate to leadership of Benin our displeasure about happenings in that country”.

He further impress on his colleagues not to be emotional about the issue on the floor, and advice that issues should be channeled through the right procedure otherwise the House will lose its reputation as a Parliament.

Some MPs opposed the whole idea put forward by Mahama Ayariga and other MPs who contributed while others supported.

After thirty-five minutes of back and forth on the matter on the floor, Second Deputy Speaker, Aminata Kamara Toungara put the question and the report was adopted.

Some five lawmakers were unhappy with the decision on the floor were seeing waling out of the chamber before Togo and Burkina Faso could answer questions asked them.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

First to present was Senegal that reported to the House that on the 24 of February this year the country held its eleventh Presidential election with five candidates vying for the position of President.

President Macky Sall was re-elected for a five year term with 58.26 percent in a first round election that recorded a high voter turn-out of 66 percent nearly 15 percent more than what was held in 2012.

As part of enhancing the powers of the National Assembly, 28 May of each year is celebrated as National Day of dialogue to bring together the nations dynamic forces and rub minds on the major issues facing the country.

Senegal has adopted pre-emptive strategies to tackle the new multiform and multidimensional threats to public security and to strengthen the capacity to intervene and manage crises.

Leader of the Liberian delegation, Edwin Melvin Snowe Junior reported that recent political development have the propensity to further shatter the countries already fragile peace if steps are not taken to arrest the situation.

A case in point is a planned demonstration slated for June 7 this year by a group named and styled “Council of Patriots” and the theme “Save the State”, as four major opposition political parties name Collaborating Political Party (CPP) have endorsed the protest.

Whiles President George M. Weah has suspended the Deputy information Minister , the legislature is yet to take actions on the two members of the legislature.

Deputy leader of the delegation, Sidi M. Tunis who presented the report for Sierra Leone reported to the House that, the political situation continues to improve after the 2018.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja