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ECOWAS
Parliament Complex
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Speaker of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Moustapha Cisse Lo, has
said the views of the parliament was now binding, compulsory and will be taken
into consideration by the sub-region.
Leadership
report continues:
This
followed the adoption of the Supplement Act on the Enhancement of Powers of the
ECOWAS legislature.
Cisse
Lo confirmed that the adopted act, in addition to granting more privileges to
the organ, ensures its participation in the meetings of the ECOWAS Security
Council.
Speaking
yesterday at the opening of the first extraordinary session of the parliament,
the speaker, however, emphasized that the parliament’s views and opinion on the
budget of the institution is not binding on the Council of Ministers.
Addressing
the rigorousness of the new oversight functions of the legislature, the speaker
urged the parliamentarians to work harder to implement the act for the people
of the community who they now truly represent.
The
extraordinary session, he added, will review the role the parliament will play
with regards to the implementation of the act.
“There
is a legal affairs committee that will bring out the issues, so that we will be
able to delegate validly on the nitty-gritties. I have requested that the
internal regulations of the parliament should be reworked, so that the
budgetary session could take into consideration the prerequisites, so that we
can be able to work on the details of the budget”, Cisse Lo stated.
Also
speaking at the event, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Marcel de
Souza, represented by the vice president, Edward Singhatey, described the
adoption of the act as a great achievement for the region.
Singhatey
said the act gives the parliament oversight responsibilities in some matters of
the region, including involvement in human rights issues, amendment of
protocols and regulations of the community, as well as play an advisory role on
budget issues of the sub region.
The
parliament established under the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993 is also known as
the Community Parliament. It is a forum for dialogue, consultation and
consensus for representatives of the people of West Africa with the aim of
promoting integration.
The
Protocol relating to the parliament was signed in Abuja on August 6, 1994 and
entered into force on March 14, 2002. It provides for the structure,
composition, competence and other matters relating to the parliament.
The
parliament is empowered to consider issues concerning human rights and
fundamental freedoms of citizens; interconnection of energy networks;
interconnection of communication links between Member States; interconnection
of telecommunications systems; increased cooperation in the area of radio,
television and other intra and inter-community media links; as well as
development of national communication systems.
The parliament may also be consulted on matters relating to public health policies for the community; common educational policy through harmonization of existing systems and specialization of existing universities; adjustment of education within the community to international standards; youth and sports; scientific and technological research and community policy on environment.
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