News:
May 16, 2019
A representative of Nigeria in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Foster Ogola has cautioned against the community Parliament adopting country reports in isolation.
According to Senator Ogola country reports give a factual picture of current happenings in countries within the West African sub-region, hence reading country reports without any further action at the end of every plenary session, whether Ordinary or Extra Ordinary session, “is not helpful”.
Senator Forster Ogola made this remarks on the floor of the House on Saturday May 12, 2019, at the ongoing First Ordinary Session, of the community Parliament of the Fourth legislature in Abuja – Nigeria when Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso presented their country reports.
“There should be a presentation of communiqué, which would generate reports sent to the Authority of Heads of states for action. It would help us also pass resolutions for adoption”.
He further indicated that he was moving a motion in that regard, which saw the Second Deputy Speaker Aminata Kamara Toungara interjecting and putting off his microphone.
Senator Foster Ogola kept on complaining, “my microphone is off”, when his colleagues kept complaining that they could not hear him, more especially when those francophone, lawmakers needed interpreters to translate to them what he was saying.
Mr. Mahama Ayariga, one of Ghana’s representative when he caught the eye of the Second Deputy Speaker Aminata Kamara Toungara pointed out to his colleague it was not the proper timing for a motion to be moved.
“You cannot bring a motion in the middle of question time, the rules of the House does not permit that, craft a motion to the Speaker for adoption, it would be presented to the House for debate’, he advised.
Second Deputy Speaker, pointed out that, that was the reason why she kept interrupting and advised that the rules should be complied with.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/ghanamps.com/Abuja