September 21, 2021

Leader of the Liberian delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Edwin Snowe Junior has said, parliament needs to be a little more proactive, when it picks up early warning signals in member states that are likely to distort the democratic system in the sub-region.

 According him there is the need to engage member states, “we cannot afford to go back to the days of the Sani Abacha’s, Jerry Rawlings and Samuel Does where those days our regions was represented by military regimes”.

And further emphasized that the days of Yahya Jammeh of Gambia are long gone, hence the need to be proactive; and was happy that under the leadership of the current ECOWAS chairman, Nana Akufo-Addo, Authority of heads of states have been very, very proactive with their meeting in Accra and visiting Guinea.

Again, he noted that the Foreign Minister of Ghana Shirley Ayorkor Botwe has been around the region as chair of the Council of Foreign Minister.

In a related development, Speaker of the Community Parliament, Rt. Hon Sidie Mohammed Tunis is leading a Parliamentary fact-finding mission to the Republic of Cape Verde and the Gambia, as the mission would reveal the electoral system pre-election situation and the state of preparedness for the forth coming elections in both countries.

The delegation would also gather information from all stakeholders on the electoral processes in both countries, with the view of identifying the good as well as possible shortcomings.

“We would put forward useful recommendations that would strengthen the democratic system in both states, we are convinced that the more we engage state actors, the more regional democracy will thrive”, the Speaker said.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com