ECOWAS Parliament was an initiative of Ghana’s Parliament — Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament

Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Suman Bagbin has revealed that the formation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament was through the initiative of Ghana’s Parliament led by the first Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament under the fourth Republican constitution Rt. Hon Daniel Francis Annan.

He made this revelation on the floor of the House when the re-composition of the lists of the Ghanaian delegation to the sub-regional Parliament was to be adopted by the House and the first Deputy Minority whip Ahmed Ibrahim raised red flag over the Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin being the leader of the Ghanaian delegation and not allowing her Deputy Patricia Appiah Adjei which is the normal convention.

But Majority Leader clarified and gave reasons why he was leading the delegation that put matters to rest.
Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin further pointed out that at the inaugural stage, Ghana was asked to nominate representatives in the year 2000, and it was then difficult but the delegation was led by a deputy Speaker that was Hon Kenneth Dzirasah. “So that is our baby, Ghana’s baby, we had a representative from the NCP who was a lady from the Western Region of Ghana who was in the same party with the late Numa Donkor, then Minister of Health and Alice Bum, they were the first.”

After that, they were able to agree on a formula for the membership of ECOWAS Parliament. But usually it is left to leadership in 2001. “When we were to constitute the membership, the draft was done by our respected late J. H. Mensah. He had the concept that initially the leadership of the House should lead the delegation and be there, so his name was first. He was then leader of government business, and my name was second because I was the Minority Leader”.

He explained that when the names were taken to the late Speaker, then Peter Ala Adjetey, “I raise the issue that it was not in the interest of Ghana that leaders of the House to be part of the ECOWAS Parliament and so our names should be removed from the list and it should be given to our deputies to go and J. H. Mensah saw the wisdom in it and stood down after that left the meeting and did not want to continue in the discussion. That was how we started”.

Speaker Bagbin wanted leadership of the House to have a discussion on the issue raised by the first deputy Minority whip on how the Majority side could make a way for a female to be part of the delegation of the 6th ECOWAS Parliament to have two female representations as the Minority maintained the only female from their side.

He pointed out that he did not want to be part of the discussion, but the intervention of the Majority Leader put the whole issue into perspective and rest.

Again the Speaker further pointed out that he has had discussion with leadership to try and create opportunities for other members to be part of international delegations to expose them to the global world and arena otherwise their thinking would be around Majority and Minority.

“Our image out there is not too bright because of the number of female MPs we have. Many a time, we are lacking behind when it comes to numbers of women. As a result of that many of the parliamentary associations have resolved that for any delegation, if you do not get women in there you lose some votes; you lose some entitlements as a country so let us take these things on board”, he pointed out.

Source: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso