Category: General

Following the dissolution of the parliament of Guinea-Bissau by the President, H. E. Umaro Sissoco Embalo, due to tension between the Parliament and the presidency, a member of Liberia’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Stephen J. H. Zargo said electing lawmaker to the Community Parliament is the way forward in addressing Executive interference.

He opined that due to coup and interference from the Executive arm of government, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Guinea-Guinea-Bissau would have difficulties in their representation at the Community Parliament.

According to the Vice Chair of the Committee on Trade, Customs and Free Movement, when it comes to good governance the West African sub-region is retrogressing in Africa, as formerly ECOWAS was seen as the ideal regional grouping.

“I have been to Eastern Africa and they pay tribute to countries like Ghana, Guinea and Ivory Coast leading the process on good governance; unfortunately, now we who were the examples are retrogressing. We need to rise up to the occasion, the more reason why we have to get our MPs elected”, he said in an interview in Togo.

Again, he pointed that he shares in the dream of the Speaker Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis. “As the peoples’ representatives, we have to be elected by our people, do that and no one in the Executive arm of government can undo the peoples decision”.

ECOWAS is investing too much in Guinea-Bissau almost eight million dollars monthly on peace keeping operation for it to be stabilise; “then you have a president dissolving parliament is of concern”.

In an interview at a joint delocalised meeting in Togo, he pointed out that as a presenter at the meeting said, there is the need to have a cut law, there should not be ambiguity in there, things should be clear so that when it is being violated everyone would see that  violation is being done.

He added that this is crucial “So that, no one runs between an ambiguity of a clause of a constitution dissolving a parliament, as it defeats the spirit of good governance.  I do not know the reason leading to it but it’s just unfair”.

He added that in other parts of the world, government strengthens parliament as reference had been made, to the UK and French Parliament.

 Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Lome-Togo

Mrs Halima Ahmed, Commissioner for Finance at the ECOWAS Commission made the revelation on Monday in Lome, Togo, where she gave an overview of the Community’s 2020 Consolidated Annual Financial Report, which highlighted the 2020 audited financial statements and Auditor’s Opinion.

Members of the Community Parliament’s joint committees of Public Accounts/Administration, Finance and Budget/Macroeconomic Policies and Economic Research/ Trade, Customs and Free Movement are having a delocalised meeting to brainstorm on the implementations of ECOWAS Institutions and Agencies

In accordance with Article 9 and 11 of the Supplementary Act, 2016, the Community Parliament must be consulted for their Opinion on the audited financial reports of ECOWAS institutions and agencies. However, where the Parliament fails to give an Opinion within the stipulated period, the parliament is deemed to have given in an opinion.

2020 Revenue

According to Ahmed the revenue accrued to the Community from all sources decreased by about 13 million UA (Unit of Account), representing 5 percent, from 257 million UA in 2019 to 244 million UA in 2020.

Internet research defines Unit of Account (UA) as a monetary denomination used for accounting purposes, etc, but not necessarily corresponding to any real currency. Unit of account is also the unit of currency of a country.

“This decrease for 2020 is appreciated for the following reasons: Community levy decreased about 33 million (about 15 percent) from 218 million in 2019 to 195 million in 2020. And this significant drop is due to the Covid-19,” Mrs Halima Ahmed told the joint committees’ meeting.

However, she adds that with the improved economic activities, there has been appreciable improvement in the Community Levy in 2021 Fiscal Year.

“The Revenue from development partners increased by 13 million (37 percent) from 35 million in 2019 to 48 million in 2020. The rise is attributed to receipt of more funds in 2020, especially from WAHO, due to the Covid-19.

2020 Expenses

In terms of expense, the total expense for all Community institutions increased by 135 million (81 percent) from 166 million in 2019 to 301 million in 2020. “The huge expense in 2020 was due to the provision of debt of 134 million made in the financial statement, in respect of long outstanding receivables from Member States.”

She gave assurances of the Management’s commitment to improve the quality of ECOWAS Financial reporting across the Community’s institutions and agencies. She further thanked Committees’ members for their efforts in entrenching transparency and accountability in ECOWAS Financial Management oversight.

Auditor’s Opinion

In the opinion of the external auditors, as read out by Halima Ahmed, the financial statements have a true and fair view of the financial position of ECOWAS (Community) as at 31st December 2020.

Ghanamps.com

Member of Parliament for Ho West Constituency in the Volta Region, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah has led a delegation to donate office equipment to the Paramount Chief of Anfoeta, Togbe Kwasi Drah VII.

The office equipment are made up of office desks with swivel chairs, two desktop computers and a printer to help them meet the necessary requirement.

While giving a brief history on the rich traditional background of Anfoeta, Togbe Kwasi Drah VII noted, “we have been under the Asogli Traditional Council for many years and it has its own pros and cons, but now, if we successfully gain our independence we will be able to take care of our own issues without stepping on anyone’s foot.”

He further indicated that, “the Volta Regional House of Chiefs recently came to inspect what we have before asking to be independent and were shocked to see our facilities. This is why we’re thankful to our MP for his continues assistance in making this a reality.”

Touching on the development of the area, Togbe Kwasi Drah VII lauded the MP whiles recounting how they sought the help of Hon Bedzrah to construct a technical school in the area. Today, the school is completed with all the necessary facilities. He, however, noted with regret that all efforts to get the school absorbed into the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council has proven futile.

The chief expressed his frustration when he said, “this government is already in its 6th year and even after writing tens of letters, we’re still waiting for them to officially give us the TVET status. Our facilities here can even be equated to that of Technical Universities so I don’t know the difficulty in granting us the status of a senior high technical school for our children to benefit from.”

The MP commended the Paramount chief, sub-chiefs and people of the Anfoeta Traditional Area for their quality leadership that has resulted in absolute peace, which he noted was a prerequisite for development of every community.

He also assured them of his continues support and to continually appeal to the Ministry of Education to expedite action in absorbing the Weto Community Technical School into the GES/TVET Mainstream or re-establish it as a Modern IT hub where computer courses could run.

Anfoeta Traditional Council will be the 17th Traditional Area within the Ho West District. It is constituted by a number of individual communities including Tsebi, Gbogame, Wadamaxe and Zongo and it is located at the central part of the district.

Ghanamps.com

The Public Accounts Committee is currently in Ho (Volta Region), for its final Zonal public hearing to consider three (3) Auditor-General’s Reports referred to the Committee.

The reports are, the Ghana-Polytechnics for the period ended 31st December, 2018; the Pre-University Educational Institutions for the Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2018; the Management and Utilisation of District Assemblies Common Fund and other Statutory Funds for the year ended 31st December, 2018; and Accounts of District Assemblies (IGF) for the year ended 31st December, 2018 in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Oti and the Volta Regions.

Institutions cited in the Reports in these regions are as follows: Ho Technical University; Accra Technical University; Koforidua Technical University; and all Pre-University Educational Institutions in the Volta and Oti Regions.

The Chairman of (PAC) Hon. James Klutse Avedzi said that the Committee has decided to have Zonal Public Hearings in the various regions in order to save cost and to bring together local expertise and resources.

He added that the Public Accounts Committee has taken the stance to increase referrals of defaulters to the Attorney General’s (AG) office for possible prosecution.

What is more is that the Committee’s work will help increase deterrence and ensure public servants do the right thing.

Ghanamps.com

As the coronavirus pandemic pushed the implementation of the West African sub-regional single currency ECO back to 2027, chairman of the Committee on Macro-Economic Policy and Economic Research Hon Barrow Kebba K. is optimistic of the Community Parliament to play its key role by the end of its life span.

According to him his Committee is going to work to ensure all legislative instruments and programmes needed for the implementation of the ECO are put in place and finalised before the life span of the current parliament ends.

“By the time the 6^th Parliament of ECOWAS is sworn in, I hope the Authority of Heads of States and  Governments and the Commission president and other institutions that matter in ensuring that we have ECO would work closely and ensure its implementation; that would be the best thing that would help all of use”, he said.

In an interview he noted that, as a Sub-region we do not need to look for other currencies when traveling around West Africa, and as he is from the Gambia coming to Togo for a joint Committee meeting he had to change money into CFA.

Again, other travellers have to change money into dollars and in that process a lot of money is wasted and further pointed out that the delocalised meeting in Togo on the theme, “The modalities for the practical implementation of Article 9 and 11 of the Supplementary Act of the Parliament, in respect of the consideration of the Community audit reports” is very important.

And his Committee is working with all the Central Banks and also the African Inter Trade Committees to look at the issues of the single currency for ECOWAS.

In addition he added that, Heads of States within the Sub-region have to do more to empower the West African citizenry in the wake of the corona virus pandemic coming down, especially the protocol on Free Movement of Goods Services and People which is the back rock to development.

“If you consider the activities of our women folks from Niger, Nigeria,  Benin, Togo Ghana Gambia and the other member states, our women are doing a lot they work twenty four hours around the clock, pushing for development in the process working to improve our economies and social cohesion”.

Furthermore, he emphasised the need for Heads of States to work with institutions in the member states to implement protocols to ensure that there are no hitches and is part of the reason why they are having a delocalised meeting for citizens of the Community to be well informed.

On the issues of land borders being opened within the Sub-region, he noted that it is a welcome development and would help improve the quality of life of various people in the various respective member states.

“If you look at the money being collected as a community levy you saw the projections, it is really helping the major institutions of the ECOWAS Community, our funds are really helping us, donors are just chipping in to facilitate and also help us to ensure our objectives are met”.

ECOWAS Parliament is doing well as it brings the Community to the door steps of the citizens and helping the people to know what the Community Parliament, Commission and other institutions are doing.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Lome-Togo

Liberia’s Representative on the Public Accounts Committee of the Community Parliament, Clarence Kortu Momolu Massaquoi has explained that audit is not done just to catch the rogues but also to strengthen the systems and prevent the rouges from entering.

According to him he is happy the joint Committee on Public Accounts/Administration, Finance and Budget/Macroeconomic Policies and Economic Research/Trade, Customs and Free Movement are in Togo currently holding a five days delocalised meeting.

“Under the leadership of the Speaker Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis, we want to bring issues of finance up to speed”, he emphasised.

In an interview as to whether interrogating Article 9 and 11 of the Supplementary Act more especially when the current Speaker’s see the Committee as his flagship programme the effort is not coming a bit late, he said; “I agree with you that we cannot blame everything on COVID-19 we were having zoom meetings during the pick of the pandemic, its better late than never,  for the next few days would not mark the end of our initiatives but would mark the strong start of and that every day the parliament would be committed to the issue of auditing.

We would meet every day, minute, seconds to put strong attention to issue of audit to ensure the committee resources are used well”.

And in his view if governments within the sub-region see how Parliament is  attaching importance to the community resources,  it would be a direct message to the individual countries that ECOWAS  is not only interested in keeping peace but is serious in ensuring that the resources are well utilised.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Lome-Togo

The second rapporteur to the Public Accounts Committee of the Community Parliament, Clarence Kortu Momolu Massaquoi has attributed most conflicts in the West African Sub-region to mismanagement of the peoples’ resources.

According to him if resources are managed and accounted for properly, it would prevent the subsequent occurrence of instability witnessed within the Sub-region.

“Most of the coups and overthrow of civilian governments have been attributed to mismanagement of resources; I am very convinced that if this aspect of our governance structure is addressed, then we can directly prevent some of the conflict situations”.

He said this in an interview in Lome-Togo at the on-going joint Committee meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament to peruse mechanisms for review Community Audit Reports.

In an interview with Ghanamps.com, he thanked the current Speaker Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis for ensuring the Public Account Committee was established to bring issues of audit to the front burner so that it is seen as priority and not seen as less priority.

Again,  “peace missions, it is not just enough to say the funds have been released and projects have been done,  it’s not just spending the money, but is the money able to achieve its objectives; was it spent correctly, were the rules followed?”

And hopes that the Community Parliament would devote some time to the work of the PAC, so that  the community citizens themselves would see this as an important initiative undertaken and join the parliament to call on their members of delegation from the various local parliaments to pay their  attention to the management of “our resources that is the rightful management of our resources”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Lome-Togo

Second rapporteur of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament’s, Public Account Committee (PAC), Clarence Kortu Momolu Massaquoi has given indications that the Committee would emulate their various National Assemblies by holding public hearings.

According to him this would enable the Community citizens appreciate how their resources have been utilised as well as functions of Parliaments around the world to have an oversight and ensure resources are well utilised.

In an interview with Ghanamps.com at the on-going delocalised joint committee in Lome-Togo he noted that the citizenry is entitled to information, a right to be informed and observe and see how the process are being conducted.

“We should have public hearing for different intuitions under ECOWAS and I am hopeful it would be captured in our next Ordinary Session which comes off May 24, 2022 and I am happy that we are having our meeting just before the Ordinary Session”, he said.

And further pointed out that institutions like the Community Court of Justice are being audited, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), and the Parliament itself, “we cannot be watching other institutions whiles we are not being watched”.

Hon Massaquoi was of the firm believe that Community Parliament would make itself available for criticism and evaluation so that their spending is in line with what the law says. “Looking at the audit report if the report are submitted and nothing is done about them those audit report themselves become subject of corruption because the Community resources are spent on the Auditor General and Auditors to conduct these audits”.

Also with the report coming it is expected that there would be actions taken,  if  not done it can be said that their inaction itself becomes corruption; there would be steps taken to correct the system  and prevent wastage.

The Second rapporteur again pointed out that, the ECOWAS commission has three hundred million annually in budget, supporting the staffs all of its programmes. It therefore makes no sense to collect all these resources from the citizenry and those of them entrusted with authority to manage the resources leave it and allow the wind to blow it away; that would be unfair to the citizenry.

“We would have public hearing to authenticate what the auditor general has written but this meeting is to introduce the audit report and listen to the commissioner of finance and it is left for the Speaker to ensure that the findings are brought out to the public and the correct measures are taken one way or the other if any wrong doing is discovered”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Lome-Togo

As plans are far advanced to open Ghana’s Parliamentary Committee meetings to the media and the public when the revised Standing Orders of the House is approved, Clerk to Parliament Mr Cyril Kwabena Nsiah has admonished members of the Parliamentary Press Corps to specialize.

According to him the various Committees in Parliament have their independent budget and they decide on where they are going and the team they want to go with. To this, estimates is done and submitted to the Speaker who approves it and sent to the Clerk’s office for processing.
He made this known at a capacity building workshop for members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC), where the Dean appealed that the Committees of Parliament should take a member or two of the members of the PPC along so that they share whatever information with their colleagues for publication.

“It’s important to bring this to the attention of the committees and it would not be a problem; our standing orders which is being worked on and approved by the House committee meetings are supposed to be open to the public. As at now all committee meetings are closed to the public, unless the chair declares it open”.

And gave an example of what pertains at the Public Account and Appointment Committee and as done in several other countries. “You have to specialize in areas like financial, environment and other committees, and then they would get to know you as you write good stories for them naturally they carry you along when they are traveling”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The Commissioner for Finance at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Mrs Halima Ahmed said the inherited problem of preparing financial report has been addressed and happy about the collaboration between the Commission and Parliament.

According to her when the current Finance Management assumed office in March 2018, there were backlog of financial statements that were not prepared dating back to four (4) year pending audit.

“Fast forward today, I am proud to report that we have updated our accounts, produced financial statements and got them audited using the International Public Accounting Standards (IPSAS)”.

And added that, they have, also produced consolidated Financial Statements of all ECOWAS institutions, and by next month June 2022 they would publish the Financial Statements in line with the provisions of ECOWAS Financial Regulations.

Again, with that the financial situation of ECOWAS will be regularly available to the citizens for their appreciation, thereby improving public accountability.

Under the current management, the implementation of the enhanced powers of the Parliament commenced with the consideration of the budget of the Community.

Mrs Halima Ahmed made this remarks in Lome-Togo at the commencement of a five days joint   Committee meeting involving Public Accounts | Administration, Finance and Budget | Macroeconomic Policies and Economic Research | Trade, Customs and Free Movement of the ECOWAS Parliament which started on Monday, May 16, 2022.

She further noted that the significant step in the direction of public accountability and the  opinions expressed on the budget now constitute a core part of the budget approval process by Council of Ministers.

Moreover, they have revised the ECOWAS Protocol on Community Levy and replaced it with a Community Levy Act. The new Act has made some provision for the role of the ECOWAS Parliament in Community Levy mobilization.

Therefore, little by little, they are seeing the enhancements in the role of Parliament in the community integration process. However, these changes also confer on the Parliamentarians more responsibility.

 In addition, the responsibility to devote more time and attention to fine details, to establishing a connection between what they do at the regional level and the situation of their constituencies. It is therefore, encouraging that this Joint Committee will be examining the specific provisions of the Supplementary Act of the Parliament on consideration of the Community Audit Reports.

“Again, as a pioneer Secretary General of the ECOWAS Parliament and presently Commissioner for Finance, will continue to provide the Parliament with the necessary support that it requires”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Lome-Togo