News:
December 2, 2019
An important focus of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament after the presentation of country reports at the plenary has to do with Committee meetings.
This, a member of the Ghanaian delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Clement Kofi Humado explained is because the Committee work normally are referrals from either the Commission, specialized agencies like the Court of Justice and other referrals from the Speaker.
“The Speaker usually reads it at the plenary and referrals are made to the respective Committees that would handle it, the committee would meet on the matter and deliberate on it, most of the time in the presence of the institutions that had brought it, recommendation is made in the form of a report and submitted back to the plenary”.
In an interview, he pointed out that Committees do meet to look at the terms of reference before it, and see how it can be accomplished and if it requires a field trip, it would be proposed to the Speaker and sent to the Secretary General who would then approve it and then the field trip would be embarked on, either than that we have the agencies appearing before the various committees; adding that the Committee to handle the Nigerian border closure would have to involve a field trip.
As to whether the Committee meetings do face the issue of language barrier, he responded by saying the committee rooms are equipped with interpretation facilities and it is up to the committee chair to collaborate with the Secretary General or Director of Administration to ensure that interpreters are informed.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja