News:
November 11, 2021
Ghana’s Parliament on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 adopted the report of the Community Parliament’s, seminar and extraordinary session held in Winneba Ghana.
The seminar was on the theme, “two decades of democratic elections in ECOWAS member states: achievements challenges and the way forward”.
Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in his contribution commended Parliament for holding its meeting for the first time outside the national capital of an ECOWAS member state, and further commended the Ghanaian delegation for the bold initiative “holding this meeting outside Accra for the first time”.
“Mr. Speaker, sending it to Winneba a city of Pan-African significance, Winneba has served as a training ground for many Pan-Africanist of many reputes, the Kwame Nkrumah ideological institute was established in Winneba, that is where many presidents including our current president were trained on the ideals and values of socialism and on why Africans must take their destine into their own hands.”
Again, ECOWAS should be about the entire Community, that is why it is Economic Community of West African States, “it should not be seen as an elitist group just a few politicians in capitals across the sub-region”.
The people of West Africa must feel involved and should have a sense of belonging, and must feel the importance of ECOWAS hope and aspiration of our founding fathers for establishing this West African sub-regional body must not elude the citizens, “particularly the choice of Winneba”.
Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, Ophelia Mensah Hayford in her contribution expressed delight that the session was held in Ghana, and touted that the nation Ghana has exhibited true democracy with the various democratic transition it had achieved.
In her contribution she pointed out that parliament had good topics to discuss at its seminar more especially touching on the adoption of ECOWAS Member States on a legislation on the democratic governance of political parties, transparency in party financing and the separation of their resources and activities from those of government point.
The deputy chair on Defense and Interior noted that political parties have played a lot of roles in other to ensure democracy or anarchy, and was glad this discussion came up at the meeting and ECOWAS is looking at the role of the political parties in the West African sub-region.
“If we go by the recommendations by the Parliament at its seminar, there would be peaceful elections across the sub region”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanammps.com