Veep Opoku-Agyemang calls for stronger ECOWAS action on climate change

Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, has emphasized the urgent need for practical actions to address climate change impacts in West Africa. Speaking at the opening of the Second 2026 Parliamentary Seminar of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra, she stressed that climate change is no longer a theoretical concern but a tangible reality, manifesting in declining agricultural productivity, coastal erosion, flooding, loss of livelihoods, and forced community displacement.

Addressing the seven-day conference, which runs from September 21 to 27, 2026, Ibrahima highlighted the importance of translating climate knowledge into tangible measures to safeguard people's well-being, dignity, and security. She called for a shift from merely discussing climate statistics to understanding their real-world consequences, such as diminishing land yields, receding coastlines, inundated neighborhoods, economic hardships, and population migrations.

The Speaker stressed the significance of integrating technical expertise with the firsthand experiences of parliamentarians, who maintain direct ties to their constituents and local communities. She posited that meaningful discussions could emerge from the convergence of scientific knowledge and the on-ground insights of those most affected by climate change.

Ibrahima urged participants to leverage the expertise shared during the seminar while remaining attuned to the specific needs and circumstances of their respective territories.

The ECOWAS Parliamentary Seminar, held in Accra from September 21 to 27, 2026, will delve into various aspects of climate change, including resilience, governance, financing, security, and displacement. Discussion points will range from high-risk areas and vulnerabilities to ECOWAS's regulatory and institutional framework for climate action, drought, land degradation, food insecurity, forest conservation and ecosystem restoration, drought and freshwater scarcity, internal displacement, and farmer-herder conflicts.

The final day of the seminar will focus on the intersection of climate change, security, human security, and displacement.

Ibrahima paid tribute to Ghana's Founder's Day, coinciding with the seminar's opening, and honored Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, for his vision of a united Africa capable of charting its own destiny. She encouraged parliamentarians to approach the seminar with a focus on substance, active listening, and productive outcomes, emphasizing that the gathering should serve as a platform for substantive discussions leading to practical responses.