By Nasratu Kargbo
Following concerns raised by Members of the Sierra Leone Parliament regarding the ratification of an Air Service Agreement with the Government of Mali which has been suspended from all ECOWAS activities, Acting Leader of Government Business, Bashiru Silikie and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Segenpoh Solomon Thomas have assured their concerned colleagues that it will not breach ECOWAS protocols.
Silikie during debate on the said agreement last week which was eventually ratified by parliament, assured colleague MPs that they have been advised by the Attorney General Mohamed L. Tarawally that there will be no legal implications as planes still fly into Mali, because there is no sanction on their airplane traffic.
He said the agreement is good for the development of the aviation industry and that it helps in meeting certain bench marks.
The Deputy Speaker Thomas said they all know that the country has been suspended, but it has nothing to do with the agreement.
The Opposition Chief Whip Hassan Sesay who had asked the question as to whether there is no legal implication going into an agreement with a country that is suspended, noted that the timing of the ratification was not good.
The Acting Leader of the Opposition Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said Sierra Leone is part of ECOWAS and that the organization’s Parliamentary Speaker is a Sierra Leonean, and that Malian MPs were not even allowed to partake in ECOWAS’s deliberations, something he said the government should have taken into consideration.
Kargbo said they support the agreement, stressing that the only concern was ensuring that they do not go against ECOWAS protocol.
The Speaker of Sierra Leone Parliament, Dr.Abass Bundu drew the attention of the house to dates in the agreement, explaining that the agreement had been signed in Bamako since 17th August 1974. He further explained that article 16 of the agreement states that it comes into force on the date of signature, stressing it will not contravene ECOWAS.
“This agreement pre-dated the suspension of Mali” said the Speaker.
Responding to the concerns raised, Deputy Minister of Transport and Aviation, Rex Bonapha said that they had done due diligence to ensure that they’re on the right track.
He said he does not think that ratifying the agreement will be in contravention of any embargo levied on Mali, adding that he was not aware of any sanctions.
The Minister explained that the agreement seeks to expand the Sierra Leone air transport industry with other airport-related benefits for both countries. Speaking of the economic benefits of the agreement, Bonapha said this will immensely help boost culture and tourism in the two nations.
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