Month: December 2019

Authority of Heads of States at their Extraordinary Summit this year have devoted one billion US dollars to deal with terrorism and other security-related issues in the sub-region.

President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude K. Brou made the disclosure to the Community lawmakers when he presented the State of the Community in Abuja, Nigeria when lawmakers sought to know what was being done to tackle the insecurity situation in the region.

He noted that it would be difficult to develop the sub-region without peace and security, adding that the sub-region has witnessed heightened insecurity in the form of terrorist attacks as well as inter-communal clashes in places like (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Northern Nigeria).

“We have schools that have closed down, economic activities that had witnessed significant decline, more countries are investing in security which is hampering other interventions and not encouraging”.

Also when investors show interest in a country, they look at the region to make their decision, be it that they are investors from the sub-region or international investors.

Again, he pointed out that terrorism in the sub-region has to do with the instability in Libya, and Heads of states have it high on their agenda to deal with it.

“We cannot resolve it within a year, it is a process, and we have to brace ourselves to deal with it, the spillage despite our five-year action plan it may go beyond that period, but would be reviewed when necessary”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission Jean-Claude K. Brou has noted that lack of resources is hindering the implementation of projects by the Community institutions.

According to the Commission President the budget approved by ECOWAS Parliament earmarked from the Community levy this year of two hundred and sixty-nine million dollars point of unity account, “only 20% had been received as at the end of September 2019, and of that amount “you would agree with me that, under such circumstances, it would be difficult to implement all our programmes”.

He further told the House he was making the point not to spite any country but to get the support of lawmakers to sensitize their countries to pay the community levy as he is aware a lot of countries are doing a lot to pay the community levy.

“What we do with the community levy is to benefit the whole population with all the good will we have, if we lack the resources it will not be easy for us to implement projects we have earmarked”.

Mr. Brou’s remarks follow complaints from lawmakers who were not happy that projects talked about are not being implemented despite the fact that they approve the budget for their implementation at purpose.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Jean-Claude Kasi has disclosed that several sub-regional countries have reached the single currency “ECO” convergence criteria as of 2019.

According to the Commission President, it is not only Togo that had made it to the convergence criteria as being speculated in the media.

“As of June 2019 there are several countries, once we have the data for December this year, we would submit that to the Authority of Heads of States”, he said in an interview on Tuesday 10th December 2019 after presenting the state of the community report to the Community Parliament.

He further explained that the Authority of Heads of States have set a date for the launching of the single currency, which is 2020, but there are a lot of steps that would have to be achieved and key decisions that would have to be taken which are fundamental.

For instance, the exchange rate mechanism, “what is the exchange rate regime in each ECOWAS member state today? There are different exchange rate regimes and each country has its own exchange regime, which one do we use for everybody, he queried.

“It is a very difficult decision, it took us a year to finally make a decision and appreciable exchange rate, had been agreed upon”, he said.

What type of Central Bank do we want as we have several types? To this end, finally, a decision has been reached, “we would have a federal system of a federal bank, let us be very clear if we do not converge it means we are diverging if you are diverging how can you have a single currency?”

He emphasized that it is only “when you converge that you get one currency, and the convergence is very critical and being monitored by Central bank Governors in the Ministerial committee every six months, and generating reports to the Heads of States.

“Once we have the final convergence criteria in 2020 on this bases then the single currency of ECOWAS can be launched”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

The ECOWAS Commission has identified high taxes being the result of high sub-regional air-transport.

President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Kasi responding to questions emanating from lawmakers after the Commission presented its report on the state of the Community in 2019, noted that a study has been conducted, with a meeting held with various stakeholders in the member states on how to reduce the high cost of air transport in the region.

“High cost of air transport works against the integration process and free movement of persons, is as a result of tax imposition by governments on tickets issued, it is extremely high compared to other regions”.

His response follows lawmakers in the sub-regional Community Parliament lamenting over the high cost of air transport within the region.

Mr. Jean-Claude Kasi further noted that it’s impacting the cost of air travel, he was, however, quick to point out that those taxes are used to finance a lot of activities related to the air sector in the Community.

Again, as a result of the stated factors, governments of member states cannot reduce those taxes but pointed out that working together in the medium term and gradually the taxes can be reduced.

“We are constraint, we need to work collectively in making a decision on that, it concern member states and seen it has come up let us work together to see how we resolve it”, he said on the floor of the House.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

The joint Committee on Trade, Customs and Free Movement, Legal and Judiciary and Finance and Budget of the Community Parliament has adopted the recommendation of a draft regulation to extend implementation of ECOWAS Supplementary Protection measures, for three (3) years.

This came as a result of ECOWAS Commission appearing before the Committee on Monday the 9th of December 2019, to present a draft report of the commission.

Authority of Heads of States and Government directed the Commission to undertake periodic evaluation of the implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff in member states.

Mr. Felix Kwakye who presented the report to the joint Committee from the Commission noted that with the evaluation it came out that member states did not begin the implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) at the same time and almost all Member states have implemented Import Adjustment Tax have not completed the process.

And have not completed the process of convergence towards CET, furthermore no Member state has applied the Supplementary Protection Measures in view of its complexity.

Ministers of Finance at their 5th meeting held in Abuja on the 22nd of November 2019 approved the extension of the implementation of the Supplementary Protection measures.

“This would enable all Member States to be on the same level where they will all converge at a point of harmonious take off of the tariff”, he told the joint Committee.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

A representative of Senegal in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Madam Oulimata Guiro is advocating for at least two slots to be given to females to occupy Deputy Speakers of the 5th Parliament.

According to Guiro it would not have been out of place to give three (3) slots of Deputy Speakers of the Community Parliament as they strive to increase the number of females in a male dominated legislature.

In the 4th legislature, Aminata Kamara Toungara is the only female Deputy Speaker among three (3) male Deputy Speakers.

In an interview with Ghanamps.com Oulimata Guiro emphasised the need to increase the female numbers in the next legislature as the life span of the current legislature comes to an end on the 3rd of February 2020.

She further pointed out that the females are using the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association network (ECOFEPA), to help increase their numbers in the next Parliament.

And not only that, they are also working hard to ensure that they become more visible in the various Committees of the community Parliament and the bureau.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

Cape  Verde is the only Country left yet to implement the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Common External Tariff out of the fifteen (15) member states envisage to implement the CET with five years period.

This came to light on Monday 9th December 2019 when the ECOWAS Commission on Trade, Customs and Free Movement, presented its report to the joint Committee on Trade, Customs and Free Movement and Legal and Judicial Committee.

Mr. Felix Kwakye who represented the Commissioner on Trade, Customs and Free Movement Ahmed Hamid disclosed this to the joint Committee.

ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government at the conclusion of its extraordinary Session held on 25th October 2013 in Dakar, directed Member States to implement the ECOWAS Common External Tariff from 1 January, 2015.

And also endorsed the conclusion of the 70th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers which adopted the transitional measures (Supplementary Protection Measures) over a period of five (5) years to facilitate the transitional to the ECOWAS CET in member states.

Mr. Felix Kwakye further told the Committee the Commission currently has a team in Cape Verde to assist in the implementation of the CET to take place along with the implantation of the regulations which ends this year.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja