A Joint Committee of the ECOWAS Parliament, led by Nigeria’s House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, is holding an oversight meeting in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The five-day event includes several of the Parliament’s standing committees, including those on Administration, Finance, Budget, Public Accounts, Macroeconomic Policy, and Economic Research.
The theme of the event is “The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament in Community Budget Formulation and Monitoring.” The Joint Committee has been tasked with executing crucial oversight activities related to their respective mandates, as outlined in the community policy framework.
The primary objective of the delocalized committee meeting is to provide Members with a deep understanding of the issues at hand, facilitating more effective parliamentary deliberations on budgeting. Additionally, the meeting aims to equip Members with the necessary tools to carry out oversight functions over the programmes and activities of ECOWAS, as mandated by the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of the Parliament.
It is expected that Members of the Joint Committee will receive briefings from resource persons and stakeholders, particularly those from relevant technical directorates of the ECOWAS Commission, on recent developments in the sectors under review. Resource persons from organizations such as civil society groups will also present to the Joint Committee, offering parliamentarians a well-rounded perspective on the issues.
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The Committee on Administration, Finance, and Budget is responsible for matters related to the adoption of the community budget, examining the draft annual budget of the Parliament, and monitoring financial and administrative management within the Parliament. It also assesses the effectiveness of various community financing mechanisms, notably the implementation of the protocol relating to the community levy, and coordinates various financial instruments.
Additionally, the committee evaluates the cost and effectiveness of implementing policies financed by the Community and oversees the execution of the Parliament’s budget. It is tasked with verifying accounts and balance sheets related to decisions concerning the closure, presentation, and auditing of the Parliament’s revenue and expenditure, as well as measures accompanying or implementing these decisions.
The ECOWAS Parliament consists of 115 seats and 14 Standing Committees, with each of the 15 member states guaranteed a minimum of five seats. The remaining 40 seats are distributed proportionally based on the population of each country. Nigeria holds the highest number of seats with a total of 35, followed by Ghana with eight seats. Côte d’Ivoire is allocated seven seats, while Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal each have six seats. The remaining ECOWAS Member States, namely Benin, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo, each hold five seats.
