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The
Deputy
Speaker
of
the
ECOWAS
Parliament,
Alexander
Afenyo-Markin
has
urged
the
body
to
embrace
radical
reforms.
In
an
address
at
the
closing
session
of
the
parliamentary
meeting
in
Abuja
on
July
13,
2024,
the
Majority
Leader
in
Ghana’s
Parliament
noted
critical
shortcomings
in
the
current
structure
of
the
ECOWAS
Parliament
and
proposed
sweeping
changes
to
its
role
and
effectiveness
in
driving
regional
integration.
The
Economic
Community
of
West
African
States
(ECOWAS)
Parliament,
established
as
a
forum
for
dialogue,
consultation,
and
consensus
for
representatives
of
the
people
of
West
Africa,
has
long
been
viewed
primarily
as
an
advisory
body.
However,
Afenyo-Markin’s
speech
on
Saturday
challenged
this
perception,
advocating
for
a
more
empowered
and
influential
parliamentary
role
within
the
regional
bloc.
“Parliament
was
not
just
created
as
an
organ
of
ECOWAS
to
play
a
mere
advisory
role,
a
deliberative
chamber
without
powers,”
Afenyo-Markin
asserted,
setting
the
tone
for
his
reform
agenda.
The
Effutu
MP
said
a
more
robust
parliament
would
accelerate
the
achievement
of
ECOWAS’s
goals
and
serve
as
a
vital
link
between
the
organization
and
the
citizens
it
represents.
The
Deputy
Speaker,
who
presided
over
Saturday’s
session
of
the
6th
legislature
of
the
regional
bloc,
identified
two
critical
issues
hampering
ECOWAS’s
effectiveness:
a
widespread
lack
of
awareness
about
the
organization’s
activities
and
a
concerning
absence
of
synergy
and
collaboration
among
its
various
organs.
These
problems,
he
argued,
have
led
to
a
disconnect
between
ECOWAS
initiatives
and
the
people
they
are
meant
to
serve.
Drawing
from
his
background
in
the
private
sector,
Afenyo-Markin
shared
a
personal
revelation:
“Until
recently,
I
did
not
know
a
lot
of
the
interventions
that
some
development
financial
institutions
established
by
ECOWAS
have
for
the
ordinary
citizen
of
ECOWAS.”
“There
are
a
lot
of
businesses
in
the
agri-sector
who
are
looking
for
chief
funding,
but
how
to
tap
the
[ECOWAS
Bank
for
Investment
and
Development
(EBID)
facility
is
a
problem
they
don’t
even
know.”
The
Deputy
Speaker
criticized
the
current
organizational
structure
of
ECOWAS,
stating,
“There
is
a
commission
sitting
somewhere
and
parliament
sitting
somewhere.
We
are
acting
in
silos.”
He
called
for
a
more
integrated
approach,
suggesting
that
the
parliament
could
serve
as
“the
best
mouthpiece,
the
PR
organ
of
the
community
body.”
Afenyo-Markin’s
vision
for
reform
extends
to
the
parliament’s
role
in
addressing
political
crises
within
the
region.
With
several
member
states
threatening
to
leave
the
bloc,
he
argued
that
“a
strong
parliament…
would
give
meaning
to
the
community’s
aspiration”
and
could
play
a
crucial
role
in
maintaining
regional
stability.”
Recounting
a
recent
emergency
meeting
of
ECOWAS
heads
of
state,
Afenyo-Markin
noted
that
the
Speaker
of
the
ECOWAS
Parliament
was
relegated
to
a
back
seat
and
denied
the
opportunity
to
address
the
gathering,
unlike
other
commission
heads
and
even
a
UN
Special
Envoy.
This
incident,
he
suggested,
underscores
the
urgent
need
for
“radical
reforms…
in
terms
of
the
protocols.”
As
the
meeting
adjourned,
Afenyo-Markin
laid
out
the
next
steps
for
the
parliament,
announcing
an
upcoming
interactive
session
with
the
ECOWAS
Commission,
focusing
on
the
implementation
of
programs
in
economic
affairs,
agriculture,
infrastructure,
energy,
and
digitalization.