The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliamentarians have been charged to prioritize the domestication of the ECOWAS Protocol in the fight against corruption to enable the utilization of the community’s resources in a transparent manner.
The Executive Director and Founder of, Gambia Participates, Mr. Marr Nyang gave the charge while presenting his report on the Implementation and Domestication of Community Texts- ECOWAS Protocol on Fight Against Corruption titled “Anti-Corruption, Legislation, and Agency” during the delocalized meeting of the joint committee on Political Affairs, Peace and Security and APRM, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Social Affairs, Gender and Women Empowerment in Banjul, Gambia.
He said the law against corruption has been ineffective since its signing on 21 December 2001, thus suing for its enforcement and implementation so as to address corrupt practices in the region.
“In practice, the domestication of ECOWAS law against corruption is ineffective. So, what ECOWAS Parliament needs to do is to be pushing the member states to implement these laws. When they use their powers and influence in making member states implement it, you are now addressing the root cause of corruption. it is not good for us to be reacting to the consequences of the problem rather than addressing them.
“ECOWAS sub-region is a victim of corruption, if you actually go through borders of ECOWAS states you will actually going to see massive corruption going on at this border level, ECOWAS region is a victim of corruption.”
Nyang added that “Corruption is also undermining security in ECOWAS member states. Most of the insurgencies we have seen are also burned out of corruption and there is some situation whereby this insurgency is actually supported by the government. They give them information and they actually give them materials like arms. These are some of the things affecting the advancement of ECOWAS as a state.”
Speaking further on the ECOWAS single currency, the expert opined that much is needed to achieve the set target in order to curb corruption and boost economic development. “Another thing is the need to have a single unified currency that ECOWAS has talked about for years. ECOWAS has been talking about this currency since when I was very young until today they could not actually realize this ECO currency. The European Union are using the euro and advancing their economic plans, what is wrong with us? Having one unified currency that ECOWAS citizens can use will ease free movement and services. So, without this, it will actually affect the economic development of the region.
“So, I think there are so many things that the ECOWAS member states including the head of states have to do to advance the economy of the ECOWAS region.”
However, the ECOWAS Parliament has the constitutional obligation to enforce the Protocol on the fight against corruption signed on 21 December 2001 in Dakar, the Republic of Senegal for its full implementation.
