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A law lecturer at the GIMPA Law School, George Baffour Asare-Afriyie has made a strong case for a supranational government within the West African sub-region to pursue a common agenda for the good of the people.
Key among his proposals include the establishment of a common market, a single currency, and a common central bank for security and economic independence.
Speaking at a workshop series at the GIMPA Law School, Mr. Asare-Afriyie said a supranational government is the surest way the sub-region could become industrialised and compete with the EU.
The workshop was dubbed Giving ECOWAS a teeth: a case of supranational government for the West African sub-region.
Asare-Afriyie called on contemporary African leaders to commit to the cause of a sub-regional government by ceding part of their sovereignty for the realisation of a supranational government.
“Various governments have to cede some of their sovereignty to this body because I am of the opinion that ECOWAS does not have the teeth to bite because, regarding most of these policies (ECOWAS policies), they are not able to implement. But if we have a body that is very powerful and neutral, so that this body will see to enforcement for the realisation of all these issues that we have in ECOWAS, and that if you fail to comply, punitive action will be applied”.
Beyond the potential military and defence cooperation, Mr. Asare-Afriyie believes the economic architecture of member countries would be strengthened if they are successful at implementing a sub-regional government.
“Single market is another feature of this supranational (body) that exists in the European Union. The single market is a cornerstone of the European Union. It allows goods, services and capital and people to move freely through member states which has helped to promote trade and investment within the EU”. A single market according to Mr. Asare-Afriyie is crucial for the realisation of economic independence.
He also called for the elevation of the authority of the ECOWAS Court of Justice and make it the judicial organ of the sub-regional regional block to manage disputes, issue binding judgments, and sanction states that will fail to comply in a supranational government
He says the countries may as well scrap existing regional blocks if they are unwilling to pursue a sub-regional government.
The next step, for Mr. Asare-Afriyie, is to make copies of the presentation available to the ECOWAS Commission and other relevant organisations.
