ECOWAS Parliament appeals to Nigeria to reopen borders – TheNigerialawyer

The ECOWAS Parliament on Monday appealed to the Nigerian
government to reopen its closed borders as it hampers on the
implementation of free trade movement within the ECOWAS region.

Speaker of the Parliament, Hon. Moustapha Cisse Lo, made the
call in a statement at the opening of the 2nd Extra Ordinary
Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Monrovia, Liberia.

He added that the border closure poses a threat to the
implementation of the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons at a
time when Africa need to intensify efforts for effective abolition
of barriers within the Community.

Cisse Lo, however, urged the government to find a permanent
solution to the challenge of smuggling, rather than closing the
borders, which was not a lasting solution.

“In the same vein, the closure of the Nigerian borders with
Benin more than a month ago and Niger more recently is a hindrance
to the achievement of the Community’s main objective, which is to
achieve the creation of a prosperous, borderless West African
region where peace and harmony prevail.

“The ECOWAS Parliament calls for compliance with Community
provisions and thus calls for the reopening of borders and a
coordinated fight against smuggling in the region;

“The root causes of this recurrent situation must be studied
with a view to finding a permanent solution.” he added

He also condemned the Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South
Africa, saying that it had constituted real threats to African
integration.

“At the time of our session, serious events are taking place on
our continent and should be given special attention.

“Indeed, in South Africa, in recent weeks, we have witnessed an
upsurge in extremely violent xenophobic acts.

“These sad images of Africa, these painful events and the
tensions they generate challenge us as elected representatives of
our peoples, we are extremely concerned and deeply outraged.

“The ECOWAS Parliament calls on the South African authorities to
assume their responsibility by guaranteeing all their foreign
nationals the right to life, physical integrity and free
movement.

“We also call on all African States and the African Union to
adopt diligent initiatives to restore peace and security and ensure
a return to calm in South Africa and all other States.

Cisse Lo, however, expresses the readiness of the Parliament to
discuss the 2020 budget of the ECOWAS Community.

He said that the agenda of the extra ordinary session was to
adopt Parliament’s draft Budget for 2020 financial year, as well as
the revision of Rule 13 of the Rules of Procedure of the Fourth
Parliament devoted to the Inaugural Session.

He said that an Ad Hoc Committee was set up to prepare a
preliminary draft of Parliament’s Budget for the year 2020.

According to him, the report of the said Ad Hoc Committee was
transmitted and examined by the Bureau of Parliament at its last
meeting held in Monrovia.

“Parliament’s competent committee, in particular the
Administration, Finance and Budget Control Committee, after
approval by Parliament will report to the Plenary.

“This is an opportunity for each of us, honourable colleagues,
to impose a rigorous discipline on ourselves in order to examine
the preliminary draft Budget 2020 carefully and objectively.

” I remain convinced that we will be diligent and punctual, so
that the full treatment of our agenda can be accomplished under
good and fruitful conditions,” he said.

(NAN)