Linda Akrasi Kotey
Vice President John Dramani Mahama says the ongoing efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament to get its powers enhanced and given legislative powers are legitimate and progressive.
He said, “If we ultimately succeed in advancing the sub regional parliament to the next level of its evolution, it will promote our integration process, and enhance further participation of the people in the process.”
The Vice President said this when he officially opened a seminar for members of the ECOWAS Parliament. It was on the theme: ‘The role of the ECOWAS Parliament in the West African integration process.’
He expressed his support for the enhancement of the powers of the Parliament, adding that Ghana would work towards attaining that feat.
According to Vice President Mahama, the enhancement of the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament alone was not enough, unless it would lead to the promotion of the overall interest of the people.
“As long as the people are not the beneficiaries of the process, then it will remain an effort not worth pursuing.”
He challenged the parliamentarians to remain committed towards the welfare of the people in all ramifications.
“As members of parliament, you need to bear in mind that you are the voices of the voiceless.”
The Veep mentioned that the protocol establishing the ECOWAS Parliament provides that the Parliament is not a law making organ, but an advisory one, is however, restricted to the current transition period.
He maintained that it was tradition in every ideal setting to expect that a parliament should not only represent the people, but should also make laws and embark on oversight functions, but the parliament is limited.
He stressed that the European Parliament has long attained the status of law making, and that had tremendously enhanced the process of European integration.
“We in West Africa need to emulate that example of Europe, by empowering our Parliament to have the full powers of a normal parliament.”
The Vice President said the seminar was relevant, because as the legitimate representatives of the people, their role was clearly to defend the interest of the people, and by so doing, democratise the integration process.
On her part, the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Rt. Hon. Joyce Bamford Addo, said as a continent, the future holds bright for us to integrate now than ever, because the establishment of the community parliament was a major landmark in our quest for sub regional integration.
She added that as members of the community parliament, they had a task to talk and walk the people through the quest of integration, because, for the sake of future generations of West Africans, they cannot afford to fail and break their part of the social contract.
