News:
January 8, 2020
Former Speaker of the Liberian Parliament and Leader of the delegation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Rt. Honorable Edwin Melvin Snowe Junior has joined the crusade to push for the election of lawmakers to the Community Parliament.
According to the former speaker and leader of the Liberian delegation, when this is achieved it would be like the European Parliament (EU) where they have dedicated lawmakers as part of the ECOWAS supplementary Act.
He further pointed out in an interview that the move would need budgetary allocation and once that can be done it would boost Committee work.
“We should start electing our MPS like is done in the EU a lot should be done, again we should start to legislate like is done in the EU Parliament I think a lot would be achieve as it is now a lot needs to be done”.
Another issue of importance was attendance of lawmakers to the Community Parliament work that saw the Speaker of the fourth Legislature lash out at absentee lawmakers and put in measures to block their allowance for work not done.
Mr. Snowe noted that he would want to see high attendance in the fifth legislature, as he had, had reason to complain of absenteeism of lawmakers at Ordinary Sessions especially his colleagues from Nigeria.
“MPs come sign and leave the next day and come again”, but was quick to point out that the current First Deputy Speaker from Nigeria seems to be very interested in the work that goes on in the Community Parliament. “And with Nigeria having the highest delegation we hope they take attendance seriously, once Nigeria leads others would follow”.
He emphasized that the Parliament represents the people of the West African sub-region; “until we get the full commitment to the workings of the Parliament it would not succeed”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja