NIGERIAN NEWS BLOGGERS

...As experts charged ECOWAS Parliament on exercising its Parliamentary Powers… Some Members of the ECOWAS Parliament have harped on the encroachment of its powers by the ECOWAS Commission. The outcry was made at the Parliamentary Seminar organized by the Parliament on the Application of the Supplementary Act on the enhancement of the powers of the Parliament in light of the restructuring of the ECOWAS Commission. Proponents of this position amongst the MPs insisted it was imperative for the Parliament to start executing its powers as enshrined in its Supplementary Act which indicates the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament to include a law-making role among other functions. Speaking on the floor of the Parliament, Sen. Ali Ndume, (Nigeria) stated that it is worrisome to discuss the enhancement of Parliament’s power when these powers have been overly restricted. He said, “It is odd to discuss the powers of the parliament at this point, I think we need to look at the whole process...

Ifeanyi Valentine, Frederick Idehai, Lome As Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia prepare ahead of its national elections, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament has called for a early mechanism to address likely election issues. Dr. Sidie Tunis while addressing Parliamentarians at the opening of the ECOWAS Parliament Parliamentary Seminar with the theme “Application of the power of the Parliament in light of the restructuring of the ECOWAS Commission, holding in Lome the capital city of Togo stated that the past glory of the Parliament is being threatened by numerous crisis. Speaking, he said, “In endeavouring to boost our understanding of the institutional role and powers granted to us by the Supplementary Act, it is very important that we remain sensitive to the challenges confronting our achievements in regional integration, especially those brought upon us by the global economic crisis and internal conflicts. These include economic hardship and increase in the cost of living, cl...

In line with Article 27 (2) of the Supplementary Act A/SA.1/12/16 relating to the Enhancement of Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament which provides that an Extra-Ordinary Session may hold at the initiative of either, the Chairman of Authority, Speaker, President of Commission or at the express request in writing of an absolute majority of Members to the Speaker, the ECOWAS Parliament is set to discuss approach towards the newly restructured ECOWAS Commission. This was contained in a Press Release received from the Communication Division of the ECOWAS Parliament. The Seminary is scheduled to take place from the 29th - 30th of September in Lomé, the capital city of Togo.

A professor of International Relations at Kaduna State University , Professor Usman Mohammed has called on members of Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, to prevail on the authorities at the national levels to domesticate laws that will be useful in reducing religious intolerance in the region. He made the appeal in a paper presentation at a delocalised meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament on committees on Education, Science and Culture; Health as well as Telecommunications and Information Technology seating in Cabo Verde. In his paper, entitled Religious Tolerance and Stability: key factors to peace and development in the ECOWAS region, Professor Mohammed explained that due to human behaviour, it would be practically impossible to eradicate religious intolerance , hence , the need for the implementation of appropriate laws could put such tendency in check. He said although states could differ when it comes to the issue of guaranteeing equal treatment...