By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has prostrated to human faliure and therefore, gone spiritual by praying to God to halt the ogre of military coup in the sub region with a view to preventing the imminent extinction of democratic culture in the community.
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Dr. Side Mohamed Tunis, who who led the Parliament to God, during the official opening of the Second Extra Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Parliament in Ghana, prayed the unseen Forces to preserve Democracy in West Africa.
While declaring the Session open, Speaker Tunis said: “This Second Extraordinary Session of the Community Parliament is dedicated to the consideration and adoption of the 2024 Draft Budget of the Parliament. The Budget, in concrete terms, is the financial expression of our participation and commitment to the development
and integration process of our region. The Parliament’s Budget provides the means to implement our actions contained in the institution’s strategic plan. It also contributes, in a meaningful way, to the preservation of democracy and peace, which are the fundamental
precursors of economic development and integration. As you carefully examine the chapters and headings of the draft budget that will be submitted to you, I challenge you, Hon. Members, to pay close attention to the context in which we find ourselves as a region. We have the moral obligation, like never before, to work towards protecting the dividends of democracy, including freedom and justice, peace and security, accountability and economic prosperity”
In his prayers, he pleaded that, “It is my belief, hope, and prayer that democracy will be allowed to prevail in the West African sub-region to propel the level of development we so desire for ourselves and our people. There is, also, the compelling need for democratically elected governments to serve in the interest of the people by ensuring that the benefits of democracy, which we so cherish, spread across the length and breadth of our nations for the people to feel the effect of the democracy we continually advocate”.
Leaders, he said, must understand that
constitutional engineering to perpetuate themselves in power is an infringement on the sovereign will of the people, a clear violation of their mandate to rule, and a setback in democratic development and consolidation.
He added that leaders in the sub-region must respect the rule of law and constitutionalism by strengthening the democratic institutions and agencies that facilitate these; promote, and protect the inalienable human rights of the people, educate the masses on the importance of democracy, and ensure that the strong democratic institutions hold the military accountable to civilian rule.
Bragging that democracy holds the key for the development of the subregion, even when available statistics probes otherwise, the speaker, said: “I must indicate that I hold an extraordinary belief in the progress and development of this Community, that we will turn the tide and return to the path of democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law, which are ever so predictable and hold the key to our common good as a
people”.
Stressing that notwithstanding the challenges that democracy is facing
around the world and in our sub-region, Rt. Hon. Tunis said, that he truly hold that democracy is still the only system that offers opportunities for growth and prosperity.
He averred that it is in interest of the community to align with, defend and promote the sacred values of democracy.
He concluded that the key components of the budget will be directed towards supporting women and youth development.
