News:
Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante
June 15, 2022
A member of the Nigerian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante said sections of his colleagues including himself were not satisfied with responses given by the President of the Commission, Jean Claude Kassi Brou when he presented the State of the Community Report to the plenary on Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
the report touched on the Economy, Trade, Free Movement of people, the political situation in the sub-region. According to him he wanted further interrogation on the presentation and what should be done is to redirect the procedures, shape it, create it, and allow for comprehensive and digestive debate on these issues.
“So that when you go home, you would be satisfied and know the areas that are challenging to your own community and country. But if we keep allowing these omnibus presentations, no time to interrogate issues, we may not get the best out of the commission”, he lamented in an interview.
As to whether when MPs are elected, it would enable them have time to do the kind of interrogation he alluded to, he noted that before the election of ECOWAS MPs there are questions that should be answered. “ How do you draw the limitation to the constituencies, how do you answer the question of sovereignty, how do you implement some of the laws and legislations and opinions that you raise, how do you enforce it on member states; until these questions are properly answered it would be a chase for tomorrow”.
Again, a presentation has been made, comments have been taken, answers have been attempted, what is now left is for us to determine whether the answers actually solve the problems or go to address the problems. “It is not the question of who presented the report but the report as it was presented, this has always been the routine, it simply means parliament should do more of interrogation.
If similar reports have been presented over the time and you have not been satisfied and you have not been able to interrogate the report at plenary you should expect it to be the same”. And if they interrogate it further and discredit the ones they feel are not competent it would throw up challenge to the commission to work better.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Abuja-Nigeria