Author: Fred GhanaMPs

Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, H.E. Mustapha Cisse Lo has urged states within the Sub-region to emulate Ghana by enforcing judgment given by the community court of justice.

According to the Speaker at a localized meeting held in Ghana when he called on President Nana Akufo-Addo at the presidency during their discussion, the issue of Heads of States recommendation pertaining to the court of justice ruling was touched on.

Ghana has upheld, “so fare states do whatever want and do not apply the decisions of the courts that should not be the case, Heads of States have said each country should set up a judicial authority to monitor the decisions of the court of justice”.

He added that Ghana was the first country to ensure that there is equity of justice, but lamented that Ghana did not present this whiles presenting its country report

“We need to enforce this, so that citizens within ECOWAS who apply to the court of justice and win their case would have their rights upheld”.

H. E Mustapha Cisse Lo made this observation on Saturday in Abuja Nigeria when he presided to ensure that finality is brought to discussion of Ghana’s country report which was presented on Friday 22nd of November 2019. But the House had to break and come the following day because of technical hitches.

The second Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament is underway and the following countries have presented their country reports and had been adopted. They include Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Mali, Cote D’ivore, Niger, Gambia, Senegal, with Guinea’s country report not adopted yet for political committee to go on verification and report to the House.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

The opening of the Second Ordinary Session of the fourth legislature on Wednesday November 19, 2019 witnessed three new lawmakers from Guinea Bissau being sworn in as members of the fourth legislature.

They are   Gabreiela Alfredo Fernandes, Cariamo Camara and Narciano Indi who took their oath of office in front of their colleagues in Abuja Nigeria.

Mr. Mahtarr M. Jeng from Gambia drew the attention of the Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo that colleagues who have served the fourth Legislature and are leaving should be given an appreciation letter in recognition of work done by outgoing colleagues.

His remarks caught the attention of his colleagues on the floor of the House who clapped to show support for his contribution.

Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo acknowledged his contribution as laudable and promised to forward his sentiment to the appropriate body for a decision to be taken on that.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

As the life span of the fourth Legislature of the Economic Community of West Africa Stats (ECOWAS) come to an end next year February, a female lawmaker of the Sierra Leone delegation, Veronica Sesay is advocating for thirty percent female representation in the various National Assemblies.

According to Sesay if the fifteen countries that form ECOWAS get thirty percent representation of female lawmakers it would increase, female representation of the fifth Legislature of the West African sub-regional Community Parliament.

In an interview, she pointed out that even as she is a new member of the fourth legislature, it’s mainly male dominated and there is the need to increase the female representation.

“Charity begins at home, in my country we are working hard to enact law thirty percent female representation in the National Assembly, let me tell you what men can do women can do better, you can attest to that”.

She cited an example of country report of Cote D’ivore presented by a woman, “we are mothers, and we are makers and partners in development, we should be seen working side by side with our male counterparts.

Biblically we were taken from the ribs of men therefore you should recognise that fact that we can do things better, if we encourage more women in the community Parliament it would be a vibrant Parliament”.

In the first  Ordinary Session, when the only female among the Ghanaian delegation Ama Pomaa Boateng presented Ghana’s country report she received loud recognition from both male and female colleagues.

Second Deputy Speaker Aminata Kamara Toungara questioned why Ghana has had only a female representation among its delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament.

She further revealed that language barer is another thing militating against the women caucus of ECOWAS Parliament to come together to fight for more female representation.

“We are trying to see if the Parliament can organize for us to learn French and Portuguese, which are the official languages used in here, at least the basics with that we would be able to pass our messages across”.

And lamented that sometimes when they go for their meetings, they do not have translators, “how do you express yourself that is a problem. The Parliament should give us thirty minutes to learn these languages.”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

A member of the Guinea delegation to the Community Parliament, Alpha Souleymane Bah has defended his countries report on the floor of the House, despite criticism from his colleagues on the political situation in his country.

According to Souleymane, the political and security committee of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament is welcomed to his country any time to assess the political situation in his country.

In an interview, he noted that the President does not intend to stay in office after his tenure in 2020. “The President has never said that so if this is a problem we have nothing to hide”.

He further added that the committee from ECOWAS Parliament should speak to government side and the opposition.

In addition the ECOWAS Commission has asked someone to intervene in the person of Dr. Ibn Chambas to speak with government and the opposition.

“There is no problem, now the opposition wants to come to the table to talk, my country is peaceful, since independence we have been peaceful we have never been at war”, he assured.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta bounced back to Parliament less than the forty-eight hours the Minority gave for the Volta Region to be included in critical roads the 2020 budget was going to address.

According to Finance Minister his attention was drawn by the Volta Regional Minister and Energy Minister to an omission of the Volta Region from the list of critical roads in  table 21  of the budget statement.

He noted that all the Regional Ministers were asked to submit list of critical roads which required immediate attention. In the case of the Volta Region, three (3) road projects were prioritize in the budget.

It turn out that on page 160 of the budget the region was inadvertently left out, “I am here to amend table 21  to include the critical roads in the Volta Region as originally agreed on for the avoidance of doubt, the critical  roads for the Volta Region are; Asikuma-Have (45km), Have-Hohoe-Jasikan (83km and Ho-Dzodze-Denu (99km). This would not increase the 2020 appropriation because they are already included in the budget estimate of 2020.”

He further used  the opportunity to inform members in the House of some other important roads projects in the region programmed for 2020 as indicated in paragraph 867, 868 of the budget statement.

In addition there would be dualisation of Ho main roads, construction of the Ho bypass, replacement and expansion works on the lower Volta bridge at Sogakope and construction of bridge over the Volta River at Volivo and Dufor Adidome-Asikuma junction road.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta bounced back to Parliament less than the forty-eight hours the Minority gave for the Volta Region to be included in critical roads the 2020 budget was going to address.

According to Finance Minister his attention was drawn by the Volta Regional Minister and Energy Minister to an omission of the Volta Region from the list of critical roads in  table 21  of the budget statement.

He noted that all the Regional Ministers were asked to submit list of critical roads which required immediate attention. In the case of the Volta Region, three (3) road projects were prioritize in the budget.

It turn out that on page 160 of the budget the region was inadvertently left out, “I am here to amend table 21  to include the critical roads in the Volta Region as originally agreed on for the avoidance of doubt, the critical  roads for the Volta Region are; Asikuma-Have (45km), Have-Hohoe-Jasikan (83km and Ho-Dzodze-Denu (99km). This would not increase the 2020 appropriation because they are already included in the budget estimate of 2020.”

He further used  the opportunity to inform members in the House of some other important roads projects in the region programmed for 2020 as indicated in paragraph 867, 868 of the budget statement.

In addition there would be dualisation of Ho main roads, construction of the Ho bypass, replacement and expansion works on the lower Volta bridge at Sogakope and construction of bridge over the Volta River at Volivo and Dufor Adidome-Asikuma junction road.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com