The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has expressed worries over the continuous political crises rocking the region, saying a fact-finding team will be sent to Sierra Leone to unravel the cause of the crisis and also investigate the level of damages brought by the violent situation.
The anti-governmental protests are said to have turned to violent extremism resulting in the loss of lives and property in Sierra Leone.
Addressing the media in Banjul, Gambia on the heels of the ECOWAS Parliament’s delocalized meeting the Chairman, Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Hon. Edwin Melvin Snowe expressed optimism that the parliament will clamp down on the situation as well as bring a lasting solution to the crisis.
“The situation in Sierra Leone is very incredible, the ECOWAS Commission has condemned the situation, and the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament also a Sierra Leonean has also condemned the situation. There is an ongoing investigation. we will not hesitate as this committee will recommend once we have additional information we will dispatch a small team there to do the fact-finding that borders on the lives and property destruction over the recent crisis there.”
Hon. Snowe further harps on the need to intensify effort to address the lingering crises, particularly as the speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament is from the region.
Adding that this is critical considering the Sierra Leone 2023 polls.
“The life of every human being is very important. We saw on social media how the police were killed and some people have also been killed. It is a very real situation. We take this no more at ECOWAS and we can’t sit with folded arms and watch the situation or allow it to escalate before we react.
“So, for the situation in Sierra Leone, we are very concerned about it but like I said before, the president of ECOWAS Commission has issued a statement and the ECOWAS Parliament Speaker has also issued a statement and the Speaker was very magnanimous.
“When you come to Sierra Leone, he is a member of the ruling party and he had a meeting with the opposition and they have agreed on the way forward.
“So, that is commendable because he bridged all the gaps as a member of sierra leone’s parliament and a member of a ruling party and put on a cap as a speaker of the community parliament.
The lawmaker expressed worry over the crisis rocking some west African countries adding that the parliament is determined to work in ensuring that the region is free from crisis taking cognizance of the unborn generations to come.
“Peace is extremely important and our region is very fragile. we are concerned about the situation in the region. Today, we have crises in Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso .so, is no fun that our region out of fifteen member states, three member states are in crisis. We are very concerned about it.”
Meanwhile, other lawmakers reiterate commitments to end all forms of military coups to ensure the safety of the region’s future generations.
