By: Kebba AF Touray, Reporting from ECOWAS Parliament, Abuja
Gambian Lawmakers and other legislators in ECOWAS have been sworn in as representatives of their various countries at the ECOWAS Parliament.
The swearing-in ceremony was held yesterday, Thursday 4th April 2024, at the inaugural session of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, which is currently underway in Abuja, Nigeria.
The regional lawmakers during the opening ceremony, took oath to serve with due diligence in the interest of the sub region without fear or favor, affection or ill to best of their ability.
The swearing in of the said regional lawmakers as representatives at the ECOWAS Parliament is in accordance with the dictates of the provision of the Supplementary Act Relating to the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.
The said provision provides that the life span of each Legislature shall be four years from the date of inauguration by the Chairperson of the Authority.
Having exhausted that period on 9th March 2024, it’s time to say goodbye and officially turn over the baton of the sacred responsibility to the newly sworn in members.
The Gambia will now be represented at the ECOWAS Parliament by the following lawmakers;
Hon. Billay G Tunkara
Hon. Alhagie S Darboe
Hon. Amadou Camara
Hon. Sheriff Sarr
Hon. Maimuna Ceesay
The Gambia, Benin, Cabo Verde, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Togo and Sierra Leone each have five members as representatives, Senegal has six members, Ghana has eight members, Guinea has six members whilst Nigeria has a total of 35 members.
The ECOWAS parliament, also known as the community parliament, is one of the institutions of ECOWAS. It is the assembly of the peoples of the community, serving as a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for representatives of the people of West Africa, with the aim of integration.
The initial protocol establishing the parliament was signed in Abuja on 6th August 1996, and it provided for the structure, composition, competence and other matters relating to the parliament.
The parliament is composed of one hundred and fifteen seats, and each member state has a guaranteed minimum of five seats, whilst the remaining forty seats are shared based on population.
The objectives and vision of the ECOWAS Parliament are as thus;
Strengthening representative democracy in the community;
Contribute to the promotion of peace, security and stability in the West African Region;
Inform and sensitize the population on the issue of integration;
Promote and defend the principles of human rights, democracy, the rule of law, transparency, accountability and good governance;
Promote practices of accountability; and
contribute to the efficient and effective implementation of objectives and policies of the community.
