News:
March 25, 2021
Members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament have considered and adopted the report of the seminar on the theme, “The involvement of ECOWAS Members of Parliament in monitoring the implementation of the Protocol on the Community Levy (CL).”
The three days seminar held on Marche 23 to 25, 2021 in Freetown, Sierra Leone is aimed at involving Community lawmakers in monitoring the application of the Protocol relating to the Community Levy (CL) in order to guarantee adequate recovery of the product which required for the financing of the activities for the benefit of the Community.
ECOWAS Revised Treaty published by the ECOWAS Commission in 1993, makes room for Financial Provisions and, Article 70 ( Regular Budgets of the Community), Section No.1 indicates that the regular budgets of the Community and its institutions shall be funded from a CL and such other sources as may be determined by the Council.
As part of the recommendation there was the call for the establishment of an expanded Committee to monitor the implementation of the protocols including MPs from the Community Parliament.
And there should be reconsideration in the method of recovery of the Community Levy to achieve direct payment into the account opened for the set purpose in the Central Bank by the taxpayer after liquidation by a competent service.
Whiles some lawmakers pointed out that there should be correction clear cut modalities in collecting the levy, others called for sanctions.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com