The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monday inaugurated six new members of the regional parlament.
They are five Ghanaians and one Nigerian.
Senator Ajayi Borrofice is the new Nigerian member of the ECOWAS parliament.
The six parliamentarians were sworn in Freetown, Sierra Leone during the opening ceremony of the first extraordinary session 2021 of the parliament.
The Monday swearing thus complete the membership of the community parliament.
The Ghanaian parliamentarians are
Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Abdul-Aziz Ayaba Musah, Johnson Kwaku Adu, Laadi Ayii Ayamba
and Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah.
ECOWAS Parliament had earlier in a seminar with the theme, “Involvement of Members of the ECOWAS Parliament in Monitoring the application of the Protocol relating to the Community Levy” expressed their displeaure with the low flow of revenue into the regional purse.
The 0.5% imposed on goods from non-ECOWAS member states levy is meant to mobilize the funds required for the accomplishment of the missions of the parliament and other ECOWAS Institutions.
The sub-regional body revenue from the levy, which makes up about 80% of the Community’s budget revenue in the last three years has been fluctuating in the region of 30% of budgeted forecasts
Speaking at the opening of the regional parliamentary seminar, the Speaker, Mohammed Tunis said the seminar hinges on the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Community Levy.
