VP-Howard-Taylor Wants ECOWAS Devote Greater Attention to Women Issues as She Declares Open a Weeklong Delocalized Meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament'
Monrovia-Liberia - Vice President Chief Dr.
Jewel Howard-Taylor has called on the ECOWAS Parliament to devote greater
attention to issues of women empowerment in the West African Sub-region.
VP Howard-Taylor stressed the need for more participation of women in politics
consistent with confirmation by demographers that female population slightly
exceeds the male population in the Region.
According to VP Howard-Taylor, devoting attention to women issues requires the
Regional Parliamentarians to strive in implementing Article 18 of the
Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of the Parliament.
The Act, according to a release from the VP’s office states that each MemberState
shall ensure at least 30% female representation in their Parliamentary
Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament.
The Liberian Vice President was speaking Monday, August 27, 2018, at the start
of a weeklong delocalized meeting of the Joint Committee of the ECOWAS
Parliament Committee, which is focusing on the contributions of Information and
Communications Technology (ICTs) make to the regional integration process of
the Sub-region.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee comprises the Communications and
Information Technology Committee, the Education, Science and Technology
Committee, and the Labor, Employment, Youth, Sports and Culture Committee.
The Liberian Vice President, who on behalf of His Excellency Dr. George Manneh
Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, declared the DELOCALIZED MEETING
Office of the Vice President
rd Floor, Senate Wing, Capitol Building, Tel: (+231) (0) 778723759, Email: vpoffice@emansion.gov.lr
OF ECOWAS open, noted that it was incumbent upon each nation in the Subregion
to take advantage of the opportunity ICT tools provide as they continue
the forward march for greater regional integration and development.
She averred, “Governments will be cognizant of the many benefits this
offers and hence provide the full support needed to not only
operationalize this tool but make it an efficient and effective part of the
integration of peoples of the region.”
VP-Howard-Taylor has meanwhile commended Ambassador ‘Tunde Ajisomo,
Special Representative of the President of the ECOWAS Commission and his Team
for ensuring that the systems for security monitoring and communications are
fully operational, in spite of looming challenges of financial support urgently
needed.
She also praised the ECOWAS Parliament for again hosting its Delocalized
Parliamentary meeting in Liberia, stressing that this is indicative of the
recognition of Liberia’s role in the Sub-region.
“Equally important to emphasize is the laudable role of the ECOWAS
Parliament in conflict resolution and election monitoring in the subregion,
among others. We are pleased that the ECOWAS Parliament,
under the able leadership of the Speaker, recently mediated in resolving
the Parliamentary crisis in Sierra Leone, following the keenly contested
Presidential election in the country”, the VP remarked in her opening
address.
According to her, as a Parliamentarian with more than 12 years’ experience in the
Liberian Senate as well as the incumbent President of the Senate, she was
pleased to congratulate the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, and all the
ECOWAS Parliamentarians and the officials of the Parliament, on the adoption of
the Supplementary Act on Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS.
The meeting is being held under the Theme, "Contribution of ICTs to the
Regional Integration Process – Status of Implementation, challenges and
prospects of an ECOWAS Community Radio and Television Station.”
