West African parliament imminent From Segun Ayeoyenikan, Abuja Guardian; 4 Feb., 2000 DEMOCRATIC states in the West African sub-region are to establish a common parliament to be known as "West African Parliament" before the end of this year. The Ghanaian minority leader, Mr. J.N. Mensah who insisted the Minister of Cooperation and Integration in Africa, Prof. Jerry Gana in Abuja yesterday, said the take off of the parliament would be in phases. According to him, the first structure would be made up of speaker from the national assemblies of the 16 countries that constitute the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He added that the second phase would later involve all legislatures from while the legislature would be regarded as a special arm to discuss issues of common interest affecting the sub-region. Mensah who said he had served as a finance minister in Ghana between 1965 to 1969 lauded Nigeria's role in the sub-region and emphasised the need for the country's support for the initiative. He added that he was part of the initial initiative that culminated in the eventual establishment of ECOWAS in 1975 and expressed satisfaction with the creation of a ministry of co-operation and integration in Africa by the Obasanjo administration. Mensah said the establishment of the ministry was in the best position to facilitate the much desired co-operation among African countries particularly in the West Africa sub-region. He added: "Considering the backwardness of Africa in virtually all spheres of human endeavour and general economic development, Africa needs to co-operate more than ever before". Mensah advocated the eradication of all laws and state policies which he described as "parochial, myopic and obsessive patriotic drive" which, over the years, have served negatively to inhibit increased economic activities in the sub-region. He expressed his country's revulsion at the recent coup in Cote d'Ivoire describing it as "unfortunate and retrogressive to the desire for a full democratic rule in Africa". He, however, warned that the era of set-tight leadership was over. The people, he said, should be allowed to choose their own leaders not by imposition or any other special arrangement. While responding to questions from journalists on the recent prominence placed on integration in the sub-region over a larger African unity, the minority leader said "the objective of a United Africa is golden and ultimate but African unity has to start from the sub-region. The sub-regional efforts are therefore necessary to build a strong and virile federation of Africa". He pointed out that the present efforts by ECOWAS were in consonance with similar ones put in place by other sub-regional blocs in Africa. Prof. Gana thanked Mensah for what he called "an inspiring visit" which he added would go a long way to strengthen the newly found spirit of genuine co-operation among West African countries as spearheaded by both the governments of Nigeria and Ghana. Gana said ECOWAS in the Bamako extral-ministerial summit agreed to sponsor a West African parliament and also establish s West African Court of Justice which would be constituted by six judges to be selected from the sub-region. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------