Skip to main content

Sierra Leone Crisis: Ecowas Parliament to embark on fact finding mission

As the situation in Sierra Leone become worrisome, which has led to loss of lives and property, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has concluded plans to send a fact finding team to unravel the cause of the crisis and to investigate the level of damage. It could be recalled that some protesters and police officers were killed as anti-government protests in Sierra Leone turned violent. Hundreds of people took to the streets on Wednesday in a public display of anger over economic conditions in the country and to protest the perceived failure by the government to cushion the effect of rising prices. Speaking to the press in Banjul , Gambia on the sidelines of the delocalized meeting of ECOWAS Parliament, the Chairman , Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Hon. Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr said the parliament is very worried about the situation and vowed not to delay in wading into the crisis. “The situation in Sierra Leone is very incredible, the ECOWAS Commission has condemned the situation, 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 an 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 .” The chairman revealed that the ECOWAS Parliament speaker who is from Sierra Leone has given a nod to the parliament to send a team to his country on a fact finding mission. According to him, there is a growing wave of intense concerns over the situation especially as Sierra Leone will go to the polls next year. He said,” 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 parliament and a member of a ruling party and put on a cap as a speaker of the community parliament . "And the speaker absolutely has no objection to that. I discussed with him this morning and I discussed with him day before yesterday including yesterday and he has no objection with the parliament sending a small team to speak to the stakeholders and speak to the parliament to see how best we can ensure that such does not repeat itself for that matter or any other member states." 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 crisis 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. "In Sierra leone we saw the violence , we saw the military coup in Guinea Bissau . So, we are very concerned about the situation in our region. We want to ensure that our region is safe and sound so that not just our generation but the unborn generations can enjoy the fruit of our labour so that our region will be in peace," the concerned Legislator explained.

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