Category: General

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament’s, Committee on  Peace, Security and Political Affairs would meet today Friday 29th of November 2019 to look into  Guinea’s country report that was not adopted at the plenary and referred to it.

Presentation of country reports at the Second Ordinary Session underway in Abuja Nigeria officially ended today Friday 29th of November 2019.

Third Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Prince Yomie Johnson referred Guinea’s report to the committee to look into when lawmakers were not satisfied with the political situation in that country, more especially on whether the President would amend the constitution to stay in office.

According to Yomine Johnson, the committee would meet today to deliberate on details of the country report.

He noted in an interview that the Guinea delegation, a lot of them would not want to say the truth at the plenary with the fear that action would be taken against them when they return home.

Mr. Johnson revealed that a similar thing happened during the tenure of former President of Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, delegations from that country when they came to the floor of ECOWAS Parliament were praising him.

“Jammeh was jailing journalists, people were disappearing, there was bad governance but they were here praising him in their country report, and said positive things about him, when he finally got kicked off, the same people sang differently”.

African leaders most of the time they are imperialist, and people don’t want to say the truth about them at foreign conference like this because when they get back home it becomes a problem for them, he lamented.

“I was the one presiding when the Guinea country report was presented and I said we could not go into details on the matter, we have to go into committee meeting on this issue”.

As to whether the committee would visit the Republic of Guinea for verification, he said it would depend on what the committee would come up with.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has said the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) would find a good replacement to the late Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko who has passed away.

He made this remarks when ghanamps.com sought to find out from him if Ayawaso West Wuogon would get a good replacement, taking into account how supporters of the ruling NPP party loved their former lawmaker.

In addition, whichever way, the party would get someone to replace him, but the character of whoever would be replacing him, everybody with his or her character, he stated.

“Our condolences to the family to all of us as Members of Parliament (MPs) and I hope for peace in the family of our late colleague, party members as well”.

By: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice, Justice Edward Asante has said the sub-regional community Parliament and court of justices are very important pillars in the integration process.

According to the President of the court of justice without the two institutions the integration process cannot be achieved, adding that when it comes to democracy and rule of law the two institutions are key.

“It is very important the two institutions have a clear defined mandate to enable them play their role in the integration process, the court of justice value the relation that has existed between the two institutions. We would continue to work to deepen the relations”.

He further added that the two institutions face a common challenge and after the powers of the Parliament has been enhanced with adoption of supplementary Act A/SA 1/12/16, knowing that this meeting is a budget meeting.

Justice Edward Asante made this remarks at the opening of the second Ordinary Session of the fourth legislature in Abuja Nigeria when he gave a goodwill massage.

Justice Edward Asante pointed out that the court of justice has had challenges with its original mandate since the court was established as an interstate court, individual citizens did not have direct access to it.

“When the protocol of the court was amended through the supplementary protocol it gave direct access to the court to individuals and gave the court the human right aspect of the court”.

Most of the issues logged before the court has to do with human right violation of member states against their citizens, “we would continue to solicit your support”.

“We continue to face challenges, Parliament would have to look at our budget since it is inadequate, and member states have the mandate to enforce the court of justice judgment with the rules of their country”.Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

A member of the Nigerian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Foster Ogola has said election of lawmakers to represent a constituency from their home country to the community Parliament would help address absenteeism.

According to Senator Ogola, the current arrangement makes things difficult for lawmakers within the community parliament, as they have to balance work in their various National Assembly and the community Parliament.

“The complain has always been against Nigerian lawmakers for not attending session, but whiles the community Parliament is working here, we have very important sessions also going on in our National Assemblies like in my country”, he stated.

He made this known in an interview in the wake of the Speaker of the Community Parliament, H. E. Mustapha Cisse Lo lamenting over absenteeism, and expressing reservation about lawmakers from host country Nigeria not attending the session.

Mr. Ogola further noted that ECOWAS Parliament should go by the Council of Heads of States’ suggestion where the country’s with representation should have a constituency to represent them so that they can dedicate and devote their time and not have divided attention

According to him, the European Parliament is doing something near that, and it would be good for the community parliament to go that way, where we have an electoral organisation responsible for that.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com

Speaker of the West African sub-regional community Parliament, H. E. Mustapha Cisse Lo in opening the second Ordinary Session in Abuja Nigeria has called on lawmakers to work together to place the legislature in its rightful place among most dynamic Parliaments in tomorrow’s world.

According to the Speaker the Ordinary Session is a budget session and is the most important milestone this year in the fourth legislature which is expected to be completed on 3rd of February 2020.

As part of the institutional reforms we need to position the parliament as a model to emulate when it comes to good management and good governance, he stated.

Speaker Cisse Lo lamented over the recurrent terrorists attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, which had become more deadly and reminded lawmakers on the critical need to respond appropriately to the threat.

Hence there is the need for us to act now and vigorously to eradicate this spiral of violence and we need the involvement of our states and the pooling of our forces and resources is very important, failing which the fight against terrorism will remain ineffective, he added.

The recruitment process initiated since 2017 was completed in July this year with twenty-eight (28) general service staffs all whom assumed office on the 2nd September, 2019.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 28, paragraph b of the supplementary Act  on the enhancement of the powers of the parliament, “three months prior to the end of each Legislature, the President of the ECOWAS Commission shall request Member states to elect their ECOWAS representatives”.

He added that in the coming days he would send letters to the Speakers of national assemblies of Member states to take steps for the installation of the Fifth Legislature of the Community Parliament, and wished those who will be elected under the Fifth Legislature the best of success in their achievement of goals set for the ECOWAS Parliament.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

The Ghanaian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has proposed for the establishment of an office of trade arbiter to be responsible for arbitration trade violations and conflicts.

This came to light when Clemet Kofi Humado presented Ghana’s country report on Friday, November 22, 2019 in Abuja Nigeria.

The objective of the country report is to share information on how each country is implementing the protocols and treaties.

It is to peer review mechanism where member countries of ECOWAS debate each country report, make suggestions and recommendations to enable the integration process move forward.

Ghana’s report covered issues such as the political, security and human rights especially of women and children, proliferation of small arms and money laundering, refugee status as well as internally displaced persons among others.

What attracted most attention in the country report Ghana presented was the position of Ghanaian delegation on the closure of the Nigerian – Benin border and its effect on trade between Ghana and Nigeria as well as other neighbours of Nigeria.

“The action taken by Nigeria is in violation of the ECOWAS protocol on Trade Liberalization scheme ETLS”, he lamented.

In addition, the delegation suggested that ECOWAS Commission expand the mandate of the present task force on ETLS and convert it into an office of Trade Ombudsman, which would have the mandate to receive veracity of claims by parties as well as determine guilty party within the framework.

“If the accused party or country is guilty, then the necessary sanctions are applied. This will be better than leaving countries to take unilateral actions that will result into hardships and defeat the purpose of free movement of persons and goods within the sub region”.

This suggestion received loud applause from members of the ECOWAS Parliament.

Speaker Mustapha Cisse Lo and community lawmakers praised Ghana as a beacon of democracy and relative peace and urged other countries in the West African sub-region to learn from the democratic credentials and pedigree of Ghana.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

Speaker of West African sub-regional community Parliament has given indications of leading a delegation from the Parliament to visit the Republic of Mali as he is worried about the current prevailing political situation in that country.

According to the Speaker during the second Ordinary Session on going in Abuja Nigeria, he would lead a delegation to embark on this visit.

“We are negotiating with the opposition so that the dialogue they want to organize in Mali, we can see the various stakeholders, civil society groups, and the opposition for them to express themselves with their situation to see what ECOWAS and the UN can do for them”.

He made this remarks on Saturday, November 23, 2019, after Mali had presented its country report on Friday 22nd of this month but due to technical hitches, the House had to conclude the following day.

In Mali’s country report, it noted that the unprecedented and multidimensional crises it has faced since 2012 requires Malians to engage in dialogue, in order to build a concerted vision that is at par with the current challenges.

On the political situation of the country, it noted that, demonstrations and strikes that have marked 2018 and 2019 with regards to the President of the Republic, were expressions of the social discontent and deterioration of the political climate.

Postponement of the legislative elections and the double extension of the term of the National Assembly added to the political tension.

The recent development in the security situation has added to the dysfunctional of state institutions and the disintegration of social link and national cohesion the report said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja

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