Category: General

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday held talks for half an hour with soldiers who through a coup d’état took over power in Mali last week Tuesday trying to push for a speedy return to civilian rule.

According to an AFP news source, ECOWAS is working to meet ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita who is being detained outside Bamako by the military junta.

Mali’s neighbours have called for Keita to be reinstated, saying the purpose of the delegation’s visit was to help “ensure the immediate return of constitutional order”.

“ECOWAS appreciates what is happening in Mali and ECOWAS wants the best for the country,” Jonathan said after his arrival.

“We’re going to discuss with all stakeholders and I think at the end of the day we’ll come out with something that is good for the country, good for ECOWAS and good for the international community.”

An official of the delegation said they would meet Keita, who is being held with Prime Minister Boubou Cisse in Kati, a military base northwest of Bamako where the coup was unleashed.

Adding to the international pressure, the United States on Friday suspended military aid to Mali, with no further training or support of the Mali armed forces.

Speaking at the rally, Ismael Wague spokesman for the junta which calls itself the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, paid tribute to the public.”We merely completed the work that you began and we recognize ourselves in your fight,” he said.

The junta has said it welcomes the ECOWAS visit but has not talked of restoring Keita to power.
“A transitional council, with a transitional president who is going to be either military or civilian” would be appointed; Wague told France 24 television Thursday.

Keita won election in a landslide in 2013, presenting himself as a unifying figure in a fractured country, and was re-elected in 2018 for another five-year term.

But he failed to make headway against the extremist revolt that has left swathes of the country in the hands of armed radicals and ignited ethnic violence in the country’s volatile center. Thousands of UN and French troops, along with soldiers from five Sahel countries, have been deployed to try to stem the bloodshed.

In a sign of the continuing challenge facing the country, four soldiers were killed Saturday by an explosive device in the center of the country.

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President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou has underscored the need to consolidation sub-regional democracy, at the opening of the First Ordinary session for 2019.

According to the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the sub-region is beset by several challenges in areas of conducting peaceful elections.

He further congratulated Nigeria and the Republic of Senegal for conducting successful Presidential and Parliamentary elections, as well as in Guinea Bissau in accordance with the July 2019 roadmap adopted at the ECOWAS Summit in Lome.

“Recent Parliamentary elections in Benin took place amidst tension, ECOWAS will continue to strengthen its intervention mechanisms in order to support the organization of peaceful elections in all Member States”.

In the wake of mounting threats President of the ECOWAS Commission noted that it remain concerned about security issues,  as the community would continue working with its partners to stabilize and protect the region from, “terrorism, piracy, cross-border crimes and inter-ethnic clashes”.

Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou noted that in terms of economy, the region’s prospects are promising given the good performance of major macroeconomic indicators.

And this effort will be continued to consolidate the regional economy with several achievements which will be presented during the session.

“We will continue to address the challenges of youth unemployment, migration, epidemiologic diseases, as effort will not be relent in addressing these issues and many more”.

He welcome the impetus given to the implementation of Supplementary Act A/SA. 1/12/16 relating to the enhancement of the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.

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The National Coordinator of the One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme, Gifty Ohene Konadu has said the policy initiative has been successful, and that going forward the President Nana Akufo-Addo led administration would strengthen it.

According to her, there are factories in all the districts since the business ideas are coming from the districts including the new districts, and it is a promise fulfilled.

“When the Trade and Industry Minister says it’s at various levels of either completion that is what it is. Some of the factories came in immediately the policy was announced when we came into power while others came in later. They are all at different stages and every district has a project”, she said in an interview.

Mrs. Konadu further explained that all private entrepreneurs moving the 1d1f have been provided with utility incentives and government is not looking at profit from the factories rather it is for the future of the nation for people to get jobs.

And as they earn incomes when they are employed, “you are happy because they need good lives”. And this would address the issue of Ghanaian youth not just roaming about and engaging in all kinds of social vices that would not benefit the nation at the long round.

She expressed delight that the 1d1f has materialized because people are employed and with the coming in of the Free SHS with a lot of people going to school, when they come out, they would definitely be employed in the factories.

“The SHS graduates are better equipped to handle issues after their secondary education as they have a bit of broader outlook; it is a promise fulfilled”.

The National Coordinator of the programme also emphasized that the whole concept is not for people within the ruling government, rather it is for the whole nation and about building the nation for everyone to benefit.

Again, personnel within the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) had been moved into the 1D1F and added that the fact that people are employed and working “gives us the needed joy as a government”.

In addition, government has given tax wavers to those who come under 1D1F as they import machines into the country. “It is clear that it is a private sector led initiative and they are connected to the national grade in terms of electricity for free”.

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Four months into Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary election on December 7, 2020 general election, and the critical role played by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MPA) in the country’s democratic governance architecture has been affirmed.

Chief Director of the MPA, Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darkoh has noted that the Ministry has justified its existence under the current dispensation and he is very positive that whoever wins the upcoming election, the Ministry would still continue to exist to continue to play its critical role.

According to him the Ministry has provided and built the capacity of the sector Minister who is also leader of Government Business based on evidence it has provided interaction to key stakeholders who had provided them with key positions worked out into new legislative proposals.

And added that, the feedback had been put into policy perspectives which are being implemented to help Leader of Government Business deal with issues in Parliament at the same time help to shape analysis at the cabinet level which feed directly into policy direction.

In an interview to find out if the Ministry has justified its re-establishment after being in abeyance for the past eight years under the previous administration, he added that, the ministry  is in good position to be able to function within the governance architecture given the requisite resources and space to function.

Dr. Aggrey Darkoh further cataloged engagements embarked on by the Ministry to address the perennial problems between Members of Parliament (MPs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, (MMDCEs) which undermine the country’s development and development at the local level.

Strategically, the Ministry has position members of the Executive and the Legislature to work together for the interest of the ordinary Ghanaian, and advocated for interface between the two arms of government despite the hybrid system and the need to respect separation of powers.

He emphasized that the two major divide in the seventh legislature have always been part of the Ministry’s programme and pledged their unflinching support to the Ministry, and for him it seals approval of the good job the Ministry is doing.

“Our engagement in Koforidua we had the Senior Minister as a guest of honor and vice president when we engaged MPs and MMDCEs from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo. Again in 2018 in Tamale we had the president as our guest speaker when we met MPs and MMDCEs from the Northern Regions”.

The Chief Director further pointed out that in all the engagements the Ministry had they did not record less than eighty of eighty-eight percent of persons invited and beyond that engagement there has been engagement with civil society organisations on the Right to Information implementation.

“We have built the capacity of members of the Parliamentary Press Corps for giving parliament the visibility, you can do all the work but if nobody report on you, you only know you exist and your good work might not be seen the spot light of your work”.

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Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MPA) has held a working dialogue with leadership of Parliament on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at the premises of the House.

The working dialogue is on the theme, “Nurturing career legislators in Ghana; prospects and challenges”, as a follow up to series of engagement the MPA has had with lawmakers to strengthen the institution play its critical role.

Today’s engagement is to examine the nature, causes and consequences of the high attrition among parliamentarian and discuss the prospects and challenges of nurturing career legislators.

And offer recommendations to address the high attrition rate in parliament and strengthen the relationship between Parliament and the MPA featuring chairman and ranking members of the Committee on Constitutional Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

Lack of stability in the Legislature could also lead to erratic lawmaking as parliament is deprived of accumulation of legislative skills and experience, and the phenomenon impairs the chances of nurturing career legislators of the critical human capital needed for institutional development.

Researchers have attributed the high attrition rate in Ghana’s Parliament to a number of factors not limited to excessive monetization of Ghanaian politics, the tension between the functions of parliamentarians and constraining effects of the hybrid political system which is defining characteristics of the 1992 Constitution among others.

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The Secretary General of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, John Azumah has revealed that the Ad Hoc Committee set up to make recommendation for adoption on direct election to the Parliament is yet to meet.

According to him after the inauguration of the fifth Community Parliament in Niamey Niger the Ad Hoc Committee tasked to look at the road map of getting lawmakers elected was supposed to meet in Abuja.

In an interview he pointed out that just after the inauguration,  the Committee was supposed to  meet in Abuja but due to the COVID-19  pandemic that was spreading  fast in the sub-region and the closure of the borders nobody could travel.

Hence there is no report yet, “we are looking up to the opportune time that there would be a physical or probably virtual meeting to be able to deal with the matter”.

The Ad Hoc Committee is expected to make recommendations that would be presented for adopted to the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Currently, Members of ECOWAS Parliament are nominated by their national Parliaments to represent them in Abuja towards the end of the life span of the fourth legislature the issues of absentees came up strongly where lawmakers had to shuttle between their national Parliament   and the Community Parliament.

Immediate past speaker of the fourth legislature Mustapha Cisse Lo had cause to complain and gave directives that lawmakers who do not attend sittings would not take their allowance.

The fifteen member Ad Hoc Committee is chaired by the First Deputy Speaker of the Community Parliament, Ahmed Idriss Wase from Nigeria, whiles the other members of the Committee are Sedami Medagan Benin, Noal Toe Goakun Burkina Faso, Filomena Goncalves Cape Verde, Fanny Chantal Cote d’Ivoire, Mohammed Magassy Gambia, Clement Kofi Humado Ghana, Aissata Daffe Guinea, Caramo Camara Guinea Bissua, Clarence Massaquoi Liberia, Youssouf Aya Mali, Hanatou Barkire Niger, Biodun Olujimi Nigeria Aime Assine Senegal, Chernor Maju Bah Sierra Leone and Kofi Tsolenyanu Togo.

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President of the Commission to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), Dr. Jean Claude Kassi Brou has pledged his outfit’s support to the Community Parliament on Saturday July 25, 2020, at the end of a six days virtual meeting via Zoom.

According to him it is through togetherness, strength and unity that the sub-regional Community can triumph over the evils which have overwhelmed the sub-region and under scored the need to be resolute towards the objectives of regional integration.

In his address via zoom, he gave assurance of ECOWAS Commission and all other institutions standing ready to work together with the Community Parliament to achieve the objectives of the sub-regional Community.

And added that for the Community Parliament to be able to play its role effectively, it has to work in coordination and synergy to revitalize and re-establish its framework for exchange between its standing committees and departments of the Commission, to contribute in a concrete and effective manner to the development and implementation of the Community programmes.

“This should have an impact on our populations and strengthen institutional dialogue, communications, cooperation in a judicious manner to make the ECOWAS area a space of peace, security and development and put to good use the input utility and support Parliament for the visibility of ECOWAS in member states”.

The Commission President emphasised that the Community levy remains the most important sources of income and funding for ECOWAS programmes and activities. However, one of the harmful consequences of the coronavirus pandemic is the significant drop in imports in the region, which necessary affects the mobilization for the community levy.

“As of June 30, 2020 the Community has only succeeded in mobilizing 11% of PC revenue. This is the reason why we ask you to advocate for the mobilization of your respective Parliaments for the timely contribution of your countries to the fruits of the Community levy. As the Commission will include in its filed mission MPs of the Parliament of ECOWAS to reap the fruit of the PC in accordance with the strengthening of inter-institutional cooperation”.

Dr. Kassi Brou further added that the significance of the gathering for the second time in the Extraordinary Session of the fifth Legislature this year is in accordance with the relevant provision of the additional Act relating to the strengthening of the prerogative of the Parliament that the Assembly of Heads of States and Government of the ECOWAS adopted on December 17, 2016.

In its chapter V, relating to the competence and the processes of adoption of the Community Acts, in Article 5 relating to the modalities of participation in the process of the Community Acts which stipulates that; “the Parliament express its opinion when adopting Community Acts either by notice or compliant notice”.

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