Efforts are underway to transform the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament from an advisory body to a legislative body.
A statement by the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) in Abuja, said the transformation was the focus of a three-day high-level workshop in Lome, Togo.
The statement was signed by NILS Communications Adviser, Kanayo Nwajei.
“The high level workshop/seminar with the theme: ‘Africa as An Emerging World Giant -Actualizing the Enhanced Powers of ECOWAS Parliament, the Place of Budget and Oversight’ was part of efforts to ensure that budgetary goals are achieved at national and regional levels, among ECOWAS member-states.
“It deliberated on how to integrate national objectives and resources into regional goals; deepen democracy and promote people’s Parliament for good governance,” the statement read in part.
Nwajei stated that the President of the Togolese Republic and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Faure Gnassingbe stressed that such move would develop the region through relevant legislation.
“The Supplementary Act is to enable the ECOWAS Parliament to better commit their time to make developmental legislation for regional development,” the statement quoted Gnassingbe as saying.
According to the statement, Gnassingbe was represented by the Prime Minister, Komi Selom Klassou.
Nwajei said that NILS Director-General, Ladi Hamalai, made a presentation on how the resource needs of parliaments can be enhanced and appropriated for the development of institutional benchmarks and good governance.
He said that Hamalai, while acknowledging the capacity deficit in most African parliaments, called for continuous education and training.
The Communications Adviser said that Hamalai spoke on the imperatives of professional developments through parliamentary institutes.
“Establishment of parliamentary institute though a relatively young phenomenon in Africa, with origins from mature democracies such as Canada, they are increasingly being viewed in many countries as a solution to the challenge of poor parliamentary performance,’’ the statement quoted Hamalai as saying.
She said that the workshop provided an opportunity to enlighten members of parliaments and participants from ECOWAS institutions and agencies on the expanded role of the Parliament and discussed strategies for effective implementation of the Supplementary Act
The Communications Adviser said the workshop had in attendance 150 participants from ECOWAS Parliament, ECOWAS Commission, NILS, civil society organisations in Togo among others.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
