News:
August 30, 2021
A former second deputy Speaker in the third ECOWAS Parliament, Michael Teye Nyaunu has joined the crusade for election of lawmakers to the community parliament in order that they would dedicate their energy to the course of the functions of the parliament.
He, however, suggested that for the crusade to elect lawmakers to the Community Parliament to work effectively, member states of the sub-region should bear the cost of electing MPs to make the whole process effective, “I subscribe to this absolutely”, he added.
The former Ghanaian Lower Manya Krobo lawmaker, who served as Second Deputy Speaker under Rt. Hon Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, in an interview pointed out that each country’s economy is different and they have a way of paying their lawmakers in their various Assemblies.
“The fact that you have elected and individual from a member state to the Community Parliament, you should not make things look different from his or her colleague serving their National Assembly. We have various member states contributing towards the ECOWAS fund and there are countries who do not pay up their levy; either they pay late or do not pay at all”
And further pointed out that, “they come with the excuse of they do not have the money”,
Mr. Nyaunu was responding to the issue of funding the elections process and paying the lawmakers who would serve in the Community Parliament, further added that member states who fail to honour their financial obligations to the community parliament “come with the excuse of they do not have the money”.
He hinted that when the ECO currency comes on board, Community lawmakers would be paid in that currency and not the current prevailing system of dollars; and at the initial state of kick-starting election of Community lawmakers each member state should pay their lawmakers.
“As we advance after ten years, we move along and every country would contribute to the common fund, then funds from the common fund would be used to pay lawmakers”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com