Ghana’s Parliament has approved a reshuffle in the country’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, replacing Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin with Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei.
Afenyo-Markin, who served as Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, will be succeeded in that role by Deputy Majority Leader George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, who currently leads Ghana’s delegation to the West African legislative body.
The decision has sparked controversy, with Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, criticizing the Majority Caucus for acting unilaterally and failing to consult the Minority on the changes.
Nitiwul argued that the leadership should not impose decisions without proper consultation, stating, “It’s wrong for the Majority to use its numbers to force decisions on the Minority regarding representation”.
However, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga defended the decision, noting that it aligns with parliamentary tradition, which typically assigns ECOWAS parliamentary roles to Deputy Leaders of the House.
This tradition is based on the understanding that Deputy Leaders are well-suited to represent Ghana in the ECOWAS Parliament.
*Key Points:*
– *New Delegation Members:*
– Patricia Appiagyei replaces Alexander Afenyo-Markin as a member of Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament
– George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan succeeds Afenyo-Markin as Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament
– *Controversy Surrounding the Decision:*
– Dominic Nitiwul criticizes the Majority Caucus for acting unilaterally and failing to consult the Minority
– Nitiwul argues that the leadership should not impose decisions without proper consultation
– *Parliamentary Tradition:*
– ECOWAS parliamentary roles are typically assigned to Deputy Leaders of the House
– This tradition aims to ensure effective representation and leadership in the ECOWAS Parliament
