Skip to main content

ECOWAS Parliament bemoan low remittance of Community Levy

ECOWAS Parliament bemoan low remittance of Community Levy
The Legislative arm of the Economic Community Of West African State (ECOWAS Parliament) has lamented low remittance of Community Levy by member states. Speaker of The ECOWAS Parliament, Rt Hon Sidie Mohammed Tunis said the levy is meant to mobilize the funds required for the accomplishment of the missions of the parliament and other ECOWAS Institutions. He explained that the 0.5% levy, imposed on goods from non-ECOWAS Member States, is intended to cater for around 80% of the Community’s budget revenue. Speaker Tunis expressed his displeasure on Tuesday in Freetown, during the ECOWAS Parliament’s Seminar with the theme, "Involvement of Members of the ECOWAS Parliament in Monitoring the application of the Protocol relating to the Community Levy”. He said: "The theme to which we are invited today, as you have noted, hinges on the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Community Levy. "In this regard, I recall that the Community Levy is a mechanism set up by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government and has been operational since 2003. "Sadly, we are witnessing a low mobilization of the said resources which has been around 30% of forecasts over the past three years. "In addition, the import receipts on which the Community Levy is based have also dwindled due to the impact of the health crisis on the global economy. "Faced with such a difficulty and with the peril which threatens the implementation of community projects and programmes, as well as the execution of the activities of the Community institutions, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, on the occasion of our Second Extraordinary Session for year 2020, held via video conference, in July 2020, requested the assistance of the Parliament in the implementation of the ECOWAS Protocol on the Community Levy. Continuing he said "This seminar therefore forms part of the continuation of Parliament's efforts to make a significant contribution to the resolution of this priority challenge. "It, therefore, offers all of us the opportunity to make relevant and innovative proposals and thus provide the full complement of the effectiveness of parliamentary action. "We are therefore entreated during our discussions, to define an intervention framework for parliamentarians in the strategy of mobilizing the said resources and to find the means to achieve the effective application of the ECOWAS Protocol, because, the Community Levy is the very expression of the solidarity and responsibility of our respective Governments in the process of integration and in the achievement of the regional agenda". He said that ECOWAS ambition to build a prosperous and peaceful community space is irreversible, adding that the results obtained in the common market is very appreciable.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LIBERIA JEWEL TAYLOR CHALLENGE ECOWAS PARLIAMENT ON GENDER EQUALITY

The vice President of Liberia has challenged the ECOWAS Parliament to push for appropriate implementation of the community protocol on gender and human equality across regional and local governments. Vice President Jewel Taylor made this request while concluding her keynote address presented before the Plenary at the official opening of the First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament seating in Abuja. Jewel stated that Gender equality is a fundamental human right, yet women are underrepresented in power and decision making roles, women around the region do not fully experience equal rights and their potential as economic, social and sustainable change-agents remains untapped. She said “Excellency, special guest, distinguish members of the ECOWAS Parliament, as I close, permit me to say I will be remiss if I remain silent at this august gathering of regional leaders about the perennial issue of the lack of gender inequality in our local and regional body politics;
Post a Comment
Read more
Abuja Bank Robbery: Police Arrest Alleged Mastermind source: Channels The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested the mastermind of the foiled robbery of a first-generation ba nk in the Mpape area of Abuja last Saturday. The suspect, a barman identified as Ernest was nabbed at his hideout by police detectives and is presently being held at the command headquarters by old CBN building, Garki, Abuja. The police had earlier arrested four suspects and gunned down the fourth member of the robbery gang identified as Patrick during the operation. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, had on Tuesday paraded the gang members including a bank employee, Larry Ehizo, 30, Timothy Joe, 21, Princewill Obinna, 24 and Elijah David, 19. Ehizo who allegedly drove the gang members to the bank claimed he was blackmailed by Ernest to carry out the heist. Narrating how the failed heist was executed, David said Ehizo informed the gang members that the r
Post a Comment
Read more

[JUST IN] Eid-el-Kabir: FG declares Thursday, Friday public holidays

The Federal Government has declared Thursday 30th and Friday 31st July 2020 as Public Holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir Celebration, the Islamic festival of sacrifice. Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola announced this in a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja and signed on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Georgina Ehuriah. The minister while making the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated Muslim faithful and all Nigerians both at home and abroad on the occasion. He called on Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love, peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country especially as the world is witnessing global health challenges caused by Covid-19 pandemic. Aregbesola who “assured that the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is fully committed to battling the scourge wi
Post a Comment
Read more