RESTORE CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER IN TROUBLE REGION, SPEAKER TELLS REGIONAL LEADERS.

Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States Parliamentarian Hon. Sidie Tunis has again decried the rising political maneuver rocking the region, saying they’re threats that require urgent attention.

Tunis made the expression while delivering his welcome address at the 2022 First Extraordinary Session in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital. He said in less than three years the region has faced a series of coups in the Republic of Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso as well as the failed coup in the Republic of Guinea Bissau, thus calling for stringent actions in order to surmount threats.

The first Extra-Ordinary session of the ECOWAS Parliament for the year 2022, had a presentation on the Revised Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

Aimed at addressing pitfalls to regional democracy while seeking to restore hopes to avert reoccurring coups.

Highlighting some causes of these political crises, the Speaker of the Parliament harps on direct election of members of the parliaments in order to tackle issues being debated at the national level to achieve a stable regional democracy.

“We believe that direct election is the first step to achieve a full legislative content, and we can eradicate issues occasioned by the dualism of membership.

The paramount being of the inability of members to perform their duties at ECOWAS parliament, especially on the critical issues is being debated at the national level.

We also strongly believe that with directly elected members much more can be achieved.”

Speaking further on the actualization of political progress, Tunis commends the Africa Continental Free Trade Area initiative stressing that thinking out of the box is paramount to eradicating hardships, hence calling on the ECOWAS to enhance engagements to foster integration.

“We call on ECOWAS to initiate more simple engagements with the aim of fostering intercountry to solve challenges.”

While declaring the event open, The President Of Liberia Dr. George Weah emphasized the importance of restoring constitutional order in countries that are threatened by coups

He added that supporting the vision of direct election of MP’s will strengthen citizens’ perception of democracy and good governance in the sub-region.

‘Liberia has zero-tolerance for any form of the unconstitutional takeover of power and that is why we are prepared to support every move that will enhance the quick return of power to these countries through constitutional means.” 

On her part, the Vice President, ECOWAS Commission,

Finda Koroma laments setbacks brought by coup d’etat even as she pledges to continually work with all institutions to promote good governance and security of member states.

“The coups in these three countries remain a challenge for all of us. ECOWAS is aware of the persistence of many challenges including security, poverty, good governance, and many other issues which hinder peace and development in our member states.

It is, for this reason, we will continue to work with all member states, institutions in the region to promote good governance, security and the development in the member states.”

The extraordinary session had experts from various fields aimed at drawing knowledge that will help in tackling challenges that seek to undermine regional democracy.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here