ECOWAS urges national parliamentarians to rededicate selves to ensuring good governance, fighting corruption
Governance
By Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni
Ouagadougou, Aug. 6, 2019 (NAN) Speaker of the ECOWAS Paliament, Moustapha Cisse-Lo has urged national parliamentarians to rededicate themselves to promoting good governance and fighting corruption toward the realisation of agenda 2020 of ECOWAS.
ECOWAS Vision 2020 is aimed at setting a clear direction and goal to significantly raise the standard of living of the people through conscious and inclusive programmes that will guarantee a bright future for West Africa and -shape the destiny of the region for many years to come.
Cisse-Lo said this on Tuesday Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, during the opening ceremony of the delocalised Meeting of the Joint Committee on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and APRM, Gender, Women Empowerment, Social Protection, Legal and Judicial Affairs.
The theme of the event which is “Status of Implementation of ECOWAS Protocol A/P3/ 12/ 01 on the Fight Against Corruption: ECOWAS Parliament’s contribution thereto” is to give an overview of the implementation of the Protocol which was adopted in Dakar, in Dec. 2001.
He said that the meeting was holding in Burkina Faso because the government of the country had shown constant commitment to regional integration and the promotion of democracy and good governance.
According to him, the recommendations and resolutions of the meeting will guide the parliament in resolving some of the challenges faced in the region.
“ECOWAS communities have adopted an important document to promote good governance and fight against corruption,” he said.
Cisse-Lo commended the Commission, Speakers of the Parliament and all Members of Parliaments for the relevant topics addressed by the Parliament during the deliberations which covered the issue of a single currency for the sub-region, the fight against corruption, migration, security, and human rights.
“So we can see that the Parliament is on track on the agenda 2020 of ECOWAS, which is the ECOWAS of the people.
“In addition, the various recommendations and resolutions have enabled us to guide the decision in managing the challenges our countries are faced with,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Alassane Sakande, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Burkina Faso, commended the delegation for choosing the country to host the meeting.
Sakande, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Barr. Benewende Sankara, said that the sub-region recognised the country’s commitment to fighting terrorism and insecurity.
He said that the theme of the meeting showed the role that needed to be played by the parliament in terms of the implementation of development policies especially the instrument put in place by the community to fight corruption.
Sakande said that corruption was creating havoc in ”our daily lives”, adding that it was for that reason that the international community and the ECOWAS Parliament should remain committed to dealing with the curse through the various instruments by Africa Union.
However, Hon. Moussa Badiaga, the Co-Chair of the Joint Committee expressed gratitude to the government of Burkina Faso for hosting the meeting and creating a conducive environment for the people.
He said that the fight against corruption was very important in the economic development of the region.
He added that the meeting would enable the committee to assess the level of implementation in the region.
“Parliament has decided to hold this meeting to ensure that the fight against corruption is committed also to the representative of the people in the community as a whole and there will be a statement on the level of Implementation.
“The theme of our meeting dwells on the fight against corruption, one cannot over-emphasized its importance for economy development.
“The main objective of this meeting is to give an institutional overview of the ECOWAS Protocol on the fight against corruption and also to assess the impact on improving good governance and I need the Parliament to contribute to it,” Badiaga said.
“The fight against corruption cannot succeed if the central authorities do not show the necessary political will to sustain it through the separation of powers between the judiciary and the legislature.
“The Paliament as the representative of the people must ensure that they prosecute its agenda in the fight against corruption through the passage of Anti-corruption laws.”
Badiaga, however, said that the Civil Society had a vital role to play in ensuring good governance as it had the power to cross check the actions of government.
He then called on all stakeholders to join in the fight against corruption in the sub-region to fulfill the mandate on the implementation of ECOWAS Protocol A/P3/12/01.(NAN)
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(Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka/Emmanuel Yashim)