Expert calls for enforcement of anti-corruption protocol domestication in W/Africa

By Linda Ike

The Executive Director and Founder, Gambia Participates, Mr. Marr Nyang has called on ECOWAS Parliamentarians to enforce the domestication of ECOWAS Protocol on the fight against corruption signed on 21 December 2001 in Dakar , on member states.

Nyang made the call during his presentation on the Implementation and Domestication of Community Texts- ECOWAS Protocol on Fight Against Corruption with Topic “Anti-Corruption, Legislation and Agency” at the ongoing delocalized meeting of the joint committee of the ECOWAS Parliament in Banjul, Gambia.

He said, the Parliament has ECOWAS Protocol on the fight against corruption signed on 21 December 2001 in Dakar , Republic of Senegal.

“Now it is incumbent on the parliamentarians to ensure that member states domesticate this ECOWAS protocol against corruption in our domestic laws and ensure the implementation

“In practice, the domestication of ECOWAS law against corruption is ineffective. So, what ECOWAS Parliament need to do is to be pushing the member states to implement these laws .When they use their powers and influence in making member states to implement it , you are now addressing the root cause of corruption. it is not good for us to be reacting to the consequences of the problem rather than addressing them

“ECOWAS sub-region is a victim of corruption , if you actually go through borders of ECOWAS states, you will actually going to see massive corruption going on at this border level

“Corruption is also undermining security in ECOWAS member states. Most of the insurgency we have seen are also burn out of a corruption and there are some situation whereby this insurgency is actually supported by government . They give them information and they actually give them materials like arms . These are some of the things affecting the advancement of ECOWAS as a state

“Another things is the need to have a single unified currency that ECOWAS has talked about for years. ECOWAS has been talking about this currency since when I was very young until today they could not actually realize this ECO currency. The European Union are using the euro and advancing their economic plans, what is wrong with us? Having one unified currency that ECOWAS citizens can use will ease free movement and services . So, without this it will actually affect the economic development of the region.”

“Until today they have not concluded the ECOWAS currency plans. What is wrong with our leaders? So, I think there are so many things that the ECOWAS member states including the head of states have to do to advance the economy of ECOWAS region,” he said.