Abuja — The House of Representatives yesterday endorsed the imposition of sanctions on undemocratic governments in the West African sub-region, saying African leaders must summon the moral authority to caution leaders whose actions continue to undermine the continent's strives for an enduring democratic culture.

The House also said it would support efforts geared towards fighting corruption and the challenges of climate change in Africa.

Speaker of the House, Honourable Dimeji Bankole gave the endorsement at the opening of a consultative meeting between the Pan-African Parliaments (PAP), the ECOWAS Parliament, and Heads of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Abuja. The roundtable meeting was organised to brainstorm on the role the parliament could play in promoting continental solidarity, regional integration and the common destiny of African people.

Bankole said that for the noble objectives of the Pan-African Parliament and the African Union (AU) Charter to be realised, African parliaments must continue to adopt resolutions that would enhance security, stability, peace, prosperity and good governance across every region on the continent.

"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 strive 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.

We are constantly mindful of the vision that informed the establishment of the Pan-African Parliament which is to provide a common platform for African peoples and their grassroots organizations to be more involved in decision-making on the challenges confronting the continent," he said.

Bankole lauded the commitment of members of the Pan-African Parliament in the efforts to promote peace, security and stability in the continent, but called for closer cooperation in the area of promoting democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance amongst the Parliaments of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the National Parliaments or other deliberative organs of member states.

According to him, African parliaments must work towards the harmonisation of the laws, policies, measures and programmes) of member states to achieve the lofty vision of the African Union (AU) in the area of continental integration. This, he said, will pave way for the formation of the African Union Government and the transformation of the Pan-African Parliament into a legislative body.

THISDAY learnt that besides the current consultative meeting of the West African region, three other roundtable conferences have been held for Eastern, Southern and Central Africa; while the seminar for Northern Africa has been slated for next year.

The meetings are meant to exchange ideas on the imminent transformation of the Pan-African Parliament into a Legislative Body and explore a framework for closer co-operation between the Pan-African Parliament and the ECOWAS Parliament.

The ultimate objective is to ascertain how the two consultative parliaments, and indeed other regional Parliaments, can co-operate on the integration agenda of the African Union (AU).

Other goals of these seminars include the need to exchange views and information on progress in the area of continental integration; explore prospects for closer co-operation between regional economic groupings and regional parliamentary fora; critically reflect on the potential contribution of regional groups to achieving the goals of continental integration; and to generate robust dialogue and seek ideas on the issues of regional harmonisation.

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Honourable Mahamane Ousmane, President of the Pan African Parliament, Dr. Mousa Idris Ndele, Vice President of the Pan African Parliament, Honourable Joram Gumbo as well as the Second Vice President, Honourable Bethel Amadi were among dignitaries attending the roundtable meeting holding at the ECOWAS Parliament, Abuja.