News:
April 25, 2023
Gradually the tenure of the current Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament is coming to an end, but a question that remains answered is whether the Rt. Hon Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis’ crusade of getting lawmakers elected would be achieved?
A member of Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Mahama Ayariga has said electing lawmakers to the Community Parliament is workable as resources budgeted to the Parliament when managed well can be used to achieve this.
According to him what is lacking is the political will and further added that elections are being held in the sub-region all the time, be it presidential, parliamentary and local government level elections. “Infrastructure for holding the elections are there, the capacity to allocate and determine boundaries is also there”.
In a telephone interview with the Bawku Central lawmaker in his constituency, he pointed out that, heads of States the Parliament have gotten in touch with have pledged their support but when it comes to implementation, there is no real push by “the leadership of the Parliament because MPs seems to enjoy the current practice”, where member states MPs double as Community lawmakers.
And further added that the new arrangement of electing lawmakers directly would mean you cannot belong to your national assembly at the same time in the ECOWAS Parliament, as most likely all the current MPs in the Parliament “may be swept out of the Parliament and definitely they do not want that”.
The Commission President and Heads of States have pledged their commitment, it’s for the current leadership of the parliament to take the step to create a new system which they are likely not to be part of and they are not just ready for that, he emphasized.
“Is for the heads of states to take this up and any one can test this issue in the community court of justice”, he told Ghanamps.com in an interview on the subject matter.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com