The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Mohamed Tunis, has addressed the opening of the first ordinary session of Parliament of the republic of Guinea, by calling on the Assembly to make laws that will lead to revitalization of the country and strengthening of public institutions in a way that ensures greater coordination, efficiency and the capacity to deliver. He said deliberations in the Guinean Parliament should set the debate and vision for a fair and democratic country which embraces the most diverse ideas and create space for economic prosperity.
Tunis challenged the Guinean legislators to execute their duties with utmost honesty and diligence, describing their role as sacred.
Touching on the challenges facing young people, he said that could be exploited by militant groups that would conscript the youths to perpetrate violence in communities. Tunis therefore reminded the lawmakers about the need for employment opportunities for young people to discourage the many youths from travelling across risky waters, sometimes losing their lives on the way to reach Europe in search for greener pastures.
“We must secure a future for our younger generation as no excuse will be adequate enough to compensate for our failure to do so. Young people have aspirations, they want to work, they want to have a future, and it is our job to let them achieve this”, the ECOWAS Parliament Speaker noted.
Acknowledging the ravaging of economies by COVID-19 and the foreseeable post- pandemic challenges globally, Tunis was hopeful that the parliamentarians in Guinea will address the problems confronting especially the vulnerable population. “Access to education, healthy food and a loving and peaceful environment are among the challenges you must face. You can only meet these challenges and play your part by firstly engaging in a broader dialogue with all stake holders and being fully representative of the people you serve,” he entreated the legislators.
The Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament took particular note of the existing political climate in Guinea and acknowledged the “rising fears of political unrest in the build up to the Presidential elections’’ and said ‘’at the moment, the most important issue at stake is the Peace and stability of the Republic of Guinea.”
The West African nation has seen heightened political tension in recent times with often violent clashes by opposing political groups to which Tunis asserted the regional grouping’s stance:
“I wish to re-emphasize ECOWAS’ position, calling on all sides to refrain from violence and engage in a frank dialogue. Violence is not a way forward in a democratic political process and it should be discouraged on all sides of the political spectrum. I hope all authorities will see an inclusive dialogue as the way forward and engage the political process with a sober reflection of the past’’.
He disclosed that the ECOWAS Parliament stands ready to offer its assistance to the Assembly and the people of Guinea in general for meaningful engagement “in the ensuing dialogues surrounding the perceived tension’’.
Tunis then made this passionate plea to the President of Giuinea, Alpha Conde and the Members of parliament:
“The people want real reforms and good laws and expect that their representatives in government structures, both nationally and regionally, will work to achieve this greatness. They have elected us into office because they trust that we will meet their aspirations. Let’s not betray that trust. Let’s harness the courage and confidence we need to make the change our people so desire. Let’s generate faith over fear and work together as one people. True to your Motto of ‘Work, Justice, Solidarity’, I admonish you to work together, securing justice for every citizen, especially the vulnerable and express solidarity at every level of society’’.
The ECOWAS Parliament has in recent years addressed volatile situations in member states as was in the case of the insecurity and displacement of thousands of civilians in Mali in 2019, which saw then Speaker, Moustapha Cisse Lo, leading a fact- finding team to the country. The general body of ECOWAS recently helped bring to an end the political stalemate in Mali, this time following the overthrow of the civilian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita by soldiers. There is now a transitional regime in place that was established last month, leading up to multi-party elections in eighteen months.
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