Time has come for all these organizations (AU, ECOWAS etc.) to take a center stage in the world. Since the establishment of all these organizations, Viewers Corner has not seen any real benefits which they have brought to all the citizens of Africa. Everywhere in Africa, there is corruption, some countries in Africa are not following the democratic principles and also lots of human right abuses. We expect these organizations to stand firm, come in and stop these evils completely. Again, almost all the countries in Africa have failed their citizens, the leaders of all the African nations that are supposed to be the true representatives of their people are not doing what they are suppose to do instead they keep on holding meetings as many times as they could in the Union (AU, ECOWAS etc.) and as soon as these meetings are over, whatever issues that were discussed in these meetings go into the trash box.
Viewers Corner is appealing to all the leaders in Africa to kindly have a change of heart by doing the right thing for their citizens and any discussion carried out either in the African union or in the parliament of various individual countries, please if agreement is reached on any of those issues discussed, it should be implemented immediately. Africa as a continent is very rich but the citizens of various countries in Africa remain the poorest because of poor leadership, corruption, greed and wickedness, these are the problems facing the continent.
Another important fact we would want to make known to the leaders in West Africa is about the new International Passport for West African States, which is in use now. This is very good because it promotes unity among nations but the five-year-life span of ths International passport is too short. Normally it should have been ten years duration, this is normal International standard and not five years because the West African citizens holding the International passport are facing all sorts of inconveniences during renewal period.
However, Viewers corner understands that one of the reasons for this five year period may be for economic gains. That is if it expires within five years, the holder will come and get it renewed which will bring some cash gain to the government in question. We know all that but before planning this sort of system, the ECOWAS should also take the welfare and comfort of its citizens into consideration, the inconveniences the citizens are encountering during renewal period is too much.
Therefore, Viewers corner is suggesting that the duration of the International passport for West African states be changed to ten years period (normal International Standard) instead of the five-year-period. This is a fair deal and will happily be welcomed by all the West African citizens using this international passport. This suggestion made here is based on Viewers corner’s findings on public opinion. Let all the African leaders start now by doing the right thing on how to better the lives of all their citizens.
Another horrible aspect is the nature of prisons in African continent. Prisoners should be given the opportunity to re-build their lives while in prison and also when they are released from the prison, so as to fit in properly into the society.The point Viewers corner is trying to make here is that technical/vocational institutions should be established right inside the prisons where the prisoners can learn a trade/handiwork while serving their sentences so that when they are finally out of prison, they can be useful to themselves and to the society because prison should be seen as a rehabilitation home with difference. Another important duty for all the African leaders should be the welfare, comfort and benefits of their citizens. Let us not forget that people in the prison are human beings like us even in some countries in Africa majority of suspects have no access to counsel, therefore all the African leaders should ensure that their citizens have fair representation during court trials. Somehow because of high cost of hiring a lawyer in some African countries, cases that would not have carried an individual to the prison will at the end take the person there because of no money to get a lawyer that will represent the suspect, this is too bad. Therefore, at this point it should be the responsibility of the government to provide a lawyer for the less privilege persons so that his or her voice will be heard.
In conclusion, Viewers Corner is appealing to the West African union to make the life span of the West African International passport to ten year period instead of the normal five year period because all the citizens of West African states holding this International passport are stressing themselves during renewal period and in general public opinion, ten year period is more appropriate.
Source: Viewers Corner News .