By Melvin Tejan Mansaray, Abuja Nigeria
In his
opening remarks at the 2021 Second Ordinary Session of the Fifth Legislature of
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), currently taking place
in Abuja, Nigeria - 30th November - 18th December 2021, Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the Community Parliament said now is
the time to take the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Parliament to the people.
He thanked
the Government and people of Nigeria for their warm hospitality and
acknowledged the distinguished presence of dignitaries including, the President
of the Nigerian Senate, President of the ECOWAS Commission, his
wife among other invited guests from the diplomatic and development sphere.
Hon.
Dr. Tunis told sub-regional representatives that putting service
above self is key if the visions of the Parliament are to be realized. “The
responsibilities we have to carry are enormous, but we must take individual
responsibility to carry them for the common good. Making ECOWAS relevant to the
people we serve should be at the top of our priorities. It is time to take
ECOWAS to the people,” Hon. Dr. Tunis said.
He
explained that the ECOWAS Parliament took a bold step by holding its
Second Extraordinary Session of the year 2021 in Winneba, the Republic of
Ghana, the first-ever to be held outside a capital city and it was very
successful.
“That was
a demonstration of the practical definition of regional integration. We look
forward to more initiatives that will bring the Parliament closer to the
people. At no point in our existence has it become clearer that peaceful
co-existence is the way to go. We must leave our comfort and go to the people,
remembering that we are only servants and nothing more. Furthermore, putting an
end to violence and threats to our rising democracies should be our greatest
priority, for only in peace and unity that we can plan and actualize national
and regional development," the ECOWAS Speaker noted.
“As
provided in the Supplementary Act enhancing the Powers of Parliament, this
parliamentary session will focus on the examination and adoption of the 2022
Budget of the Community. The vote for this budget comes in a difficult economic
and social environment, marked by the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic and
terrorist attacks in the region," the Parliament said in a Press Release.
The
Opening Ceremony of the 2021 Second Ordinary Session featured oath-taking by
four Cape Verdo and two Ivorian newly elected Lawmakers.
The
occasion also witnessed the decoration of Dr. Jean Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission with
distinguished honor and award for his tremendous service to the Commission, the
Community Parliament, and subregion as a whole from 2018.
While
opening the Session on behalf of the Nigerian President, Muhamadu Buhari, Senator Dr. Ibrahim Lawan said that they are delighted to play host to the
Session as a country, adding that, “ The ECOWAS Second Ordinary Session
is crucial to the realization of the institution's objectives, by creating the
opportunity for the intervention of parliamentarians." He described the
holding of the session as heartening encouraging regional integration and the
significance of strengthening democracy.
“Regional
integration is, for instance, core to us all and has demanded attention,
because of its importance to our commerce, trade, investment, collective
economic growth and the wellbeing of our people,” Sen. Dr. Lawan
On other
existing and emerging issues, the ECOWAS Speaker, Hon. Dr. Tunis said:
“Referencing democracy, we applaud the good people of Cape Verde for a very
successful presidential election and the peaceful manner in which the polls
were conducted. I have congratulated President Jose Maria Neves on his election
as President of the Republic, and wish him all the best during his tenure. A
few days from today, our Election Observation Mission will be in the Gambia to
observe the Presidential and Legislative Election. We pray that all Gambians
will conduct themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner, whilst expressing the hope that all parties will live
up to their promise of ensuring a free and fair process, void of violence. We
wish the People of Gambia all the best on this path of democratic
transitioning. "
On the
political situation in Guinea and Mali, the ECOWAS Speaker said, "We
remain engaged with the Guinean Authorities and reiterate the call for the
submission of a detailed timetable of activities leading to the restoration of
democratic rule. We remain equally concerned about the Security situation in
Mail. Mali’s political future remains unclear, as it is subject to conflicting
tensions. It has become very important that we strengthen our mediation efforts
and consensus-building process and push for political reforms that will lead to
presidential and legislative elections."
"Two
weeks ago, I headed a delegation of the ECOWAS Parliament for a study visit to
the Republic of Niger. We held discussions with His Excellency the President of
the Republic and the Assistant Chief Advocate for the direct elections of
Members into the ECOWAS Parliament. We brainstormed on the possibility of
attaining this democratic reform and setting the Parliament up as a truly
democratic body. We also used the visit to sensitize the Nigerien Authorities
on the mode of election and facilitated deliberations on the strategy to have
it achieved. This quest is not only a democratic quest; it’s a requirement that must be fulfilled to establish sustainable
democracy in the region."
Apparently,
the opening session also considered and adopted the draft agenda and work
program of the Second Ordinary Session, the draft work programme of Standing, Joint, and Ad hoc Committees,
and the draft report of the Second Extraordinary Session of the
ECOWAS Parliament for the year 2021.
The
Session continues tomorrow with the expectation of a presentation by the President of the ECOWAS Commission on the
implementation of the Community Work Programme which is to be followed
by presentation of Country reports which are to be discussed by
the Community Parliament's lawmakers
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