News:
May 21, 2019
As the debate over absenteeism of Members of Parliament (MPs) rages on in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, a member of the Community Parliament representing Ghana, Clement Kofi Humado is positive that eventually the institution would get to the point of electing lawmakers outside their national Parliaments.
“ECOWAS Commission and Authority of Heads of States with their help we would eventually, get to that direction”, he said in an interview.
Mr. Clement Kofi Humado further pointed out that “one is already provided for in our protocols that established the community Parliament, the only issue is how to get money and the will to implement it, the provision is already there so it is not a new provision”.
“We need to improve and add value, so we need to adjust the budget either through a little bit of increase through the community levy, which I am hearing that under the leadership of President Alassane Ouattara Is being increase from 0.05 to 0.08 if that is true then more money would be expected from member countries”.
He added that this can offset the increase in the budget to arise from the proposal of getting permanent MPs outside national Assemblies and advocated for mandatory compliance, “member countries would have to pay their levies on time that is part of the problem we have now”.
“Some member countries are not paying on time, therefore we are not having enough revenue for ECOWAS Commission and its institutions”.
And emphasised that electing MPs outside national Assemblies is an agenda in the ECOWAS protocol for 2021, adding it is a matter of strategy and the question of will.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com