News:
June 3, 2019
Pioneer of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) Parliament Senator Ohuabunwa Mao A. has said election of lawmakers would ensure that resolutions by the commission are not just pushed on MPs.
According to Ohuabunwa Mao A. he is an advocate for direct suffrage so that, “you do not have to be a serving MP”.
He further added in an interview that electing MPs would enhance quality of the ECOWAS Parliament, “to give us a slight level I would not say total independence, where you know your allegiance it totally to the ECOWAS Parliament not matter the country you represent”.
Mr. Ohuabunwa Mao A. made this remarks on Friday 31st of May 2019 when he express a strong reservation, when the committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and Industry presented its report for adoption but did not contain a referral fill, he wished lawmakers could have a looked at before being sent to the ECOWAS Commission.
“Now there are dual role some people are playing to the gallery, to please their Presidents which is not really what I think the Act that brought in ECOWAS Parliament intended to achieve, I am privileged to be a pioneer member of this Parliament”.
We have a vision and by the grace of God we would achieve it, but for now we still have along way to go.
“When the next Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament comes the approach would also change, like I say most often, it is not the office that makes a man is the man that makes the office the way you relate and intemperate things”.
As an optimist, I believe we would gradually get there, if we have reboots lawmakers it would increase and add value towards law making, as countries collectively decision making would enhanced effective development of the ECOWAS region.
“How long have we been talking about free movement of persons and services where are we, we have talked about single currency which one has materialized, we need reboots arguments people would take certain decisions that would be binding. You would see that there would be rapid development we are not there yet but I believe things would work out”.
“Most of the time we do not reach a resolution, we would not want to get to the level of dividing the House all the same we should give people the opportunity to say yes or no as human we all have our approach of doing thing but let us do things rightly”.
Also we are not given enough time as ECOWAS MPs to go through documents thoroughly, we should have enough time to debate and digest documents we need very active debate and the committee to convince us on the resolution for us to adopt it.
Majority opinion is what should carry the day, because it is said, “Minority would have their say but Majority would have their way, what the Speaker (Mustapha Cisse Lo) did I do not know what we are adopting it is just a one man approach of doing things”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja