ECOWAS Parliament mulls PPP to bridge infrastructure funding gap

By Odimmegwa Johnpeter/ Abuja

Against the backdrop of the growing infrastructural funding gaps among ECOWAS Member states and the dwindling payment of community levies, the ECOWAS Parliament is examining Public Private Partnership, PPP initiative as a panacea.

Speaking at the Opening Session of the ongoing ECOWAS Parliament Delocalized Joint Committee Meeting on Private Sector Customs, and Free Movement, in Accra, Ghana, the Speaker of the Parliament, Moustapha Cisse Lo revealed that, the community is examining the idea of Public Private Partnership as a means militating against the shortfall in the implementation of developmental projects in the sub region.

The speaker maintained that theme of the meeting- Public, Private Partnership: an alternative source of funding for community prohtammes and projects is apt, as most Member countries have started using the PPP initiative in meeting up the challenge pose by inadequate fund for critical infrastructures.

“The Delocalised meeting is an opportunity for members of parliament to gain idea, experience and knowledge from experts and stakeholders in the Public Private Partnership to enable them formulate desired legislative approach to improve on the use the PPP model, Cisse said.”

“In the last few years, collection of revenues from Member countries has been facing some challenges, and this situation has affected the implementation of projects and programmes, which is why there is an urgent need for means of funding projects.”

Also speaking, the Head of the Ghana Delegation of Members of ECOWAS Parliament, Hon Kwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, observed that the theme of this discussion is germane to the community, especially; in these days that national development budget continues to shrink in our respective countries. Partnership with the private sector is therefore, a must.

We are aware of the commitment of ECOWAS to the implementation of multi model transport infrastructure and policies to stop coercion among member states that will facilitate the movement of people, goods and services within the community. The principal activity in the road sector has been the continued implementation of ECOWAS regional road transport and transit facilitation programme.

Some member states, including Ghana have already taken steps including introducing national policies and passing laws to institutionalize public, private partnerships. To leverage on the financial capital of the private sector to provide critical infrastructures for our respective countries and our people.

Experts say Public Private Partnership is an opportunity for Africa, when compared with other arrangements for funding infrastructure projects. The initiative began in the United Kingdom in 1992, and was introduced in Nigeria in 2005.