By Martin Odiete

President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmed Lawan has called on members ECOWAS parliament to come up with rock solid positions that would guide the Executives in confronting some of the challenges facing the region.

Lawan who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege during the official opening ceremony of the second ordinary session of the  Fourth Legislature of the ECOWAS parliament meeting in Abuja on Wednesday noted that the region has been identified with common problems over the year, the worst of it he stated is poverty.

He stressed that the region has also been grappling with the issue of accountability and transparency, with the effect of climate change another big challenge confronting the region.

Senate President, Ahmed Lawan applauded the role of the common agreement that has been reached towards economic integration, such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, arguing that the efforts have been steadfast.

Speaking further, he said “Now that we are moving towards combining the efforts with other African countries, we are surely stepping on higher ground. What this means is that we are moving towards the resolution of some of the challenges we are readily identified with, as a collective.

“The task before us parliamentarians is to deliberate more, so as to come up with rock solid positions to guide the Executive. Our responsibility for legislation, appropriation and over sighting are integral consequent of governance, as envisioned by the framers of not just our constitution, but in the tradition of our democracy.

“As parliamentarians, therefore, we have to be above board in the execution of these roles, not only in the spirit of the times, but most especially to deal with our common challenges as a region, and for the overall good of our people,” He concluded.  

The activities of the second session of the ECOWAS parliament was centered majorly on the presentation of the ECOWAS Commission budget which was done by a representative of the president of the Commission, He Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, Halima Hamed.

In his speech, the ECOWAS Commission president noted that the budget was presented in accordance with the Article 17 of the Additional Act, (A/SA. 1/12.16) OF THE 2016 on the strengthening of the prerogatives of the Parliament of the ECOWAS.

He maintained that the budget reflects the strategic orientation that the Heads of States of the Government of ECOWAS gave to them and was developed taking into account the following imperatives:

-Continued closed collaboration with the Parliamentarians from the region

-Ensuring that the 65/35 ration between program and administrative expenditure is achieved in accordance with the instrauctions of the Councils of Ministers, and that performance is assessed by through effective of program monitored and evaluation;

Gradually implementing the process of institutional reforms to improve the governance and management structure of ECOWAS institutions, and create a better synergy between the different Institutions of the communities while taking into account resources available in particular at the level of Community Levy, (CL)

-Take joint initiative to make their actions visible and to better impact the population and to obtain, not only the credible, but also the support of the population and the leader.