Bankole asks Ecowas to sanction corrupt leaders

By Inalegwu Shaibu

ABUJA—The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole has charged the Economic Communities of West African States (ECOWAS) to sanction corrupt leaders within the sub-region.

Bankole gave the charge at the West African Regional Roundtable Meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, following the admission by heads of governments of ECOWAS that corruption is the biggest obstacle militating against development in the sub-region.

He said, “As a responsible, responsive and people-oriented Parliament, we must continue to entrench the ideals of rule of law, transparency and accountability in governance, prime ourselves and institutions to the challenges of climate change and the global economic meltdown, as well as relentlessly combat corruption.

“We must summon the moral authority to caution those leaders whose actions continue to undermine Africa’s strived for an enduring democratic culture. This is why we stand by the decision of ECOWAS to sanction some of the leaders in our sub-region.”