Afenyo-Markin hands over as head of Ghana’s delegation to ECOWAS Parliament

On Wednesday, Alexander Afenyo-Markin officially transferred his position as head of Ghana's delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament to his deputy, George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan. The transition occurred during the 2026 Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, currently taking place in Accra. Despite stepping down as head, Afenyo-Markin, who serves as the Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, will continue to represent Ghana on the regional body until 2028.

In his farewell address, Afenyo-Markin expressed his unwavering support and cooperation for the new head of delegation in order to maintain continuity and ensure effective representation of Ghana's interests. He advocated for a more people-centered approach to West African integration, emphasizing the importance of direct benefits for citizens.

Afenyo-Markin stressed that the true value of regional integration should be measured by opportunities for young people, ease of cross-border movement, and the collective ability of member states to tackle challenges beyond individual national capacities. He stressed that integration must be felt in communities throughout the region, transcending mere treaties, protocols, and institutional meetings.

The week-long ECOWAS Parliament session, held from September 21 to 27, also serves as the Second Extraordinary Session of the 2026 ECOWAS Parliament, convening ECOWAS parliamentarians, government officials, diplomats, international organizations, and civil society groups. The theme of the gathering is "Climate Change as a Factor of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Growing Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region."

Afenyo-Markin cautioned against oversimplifying regional conflicts to climate change, acknowledging that environmental pressures could exacerbate existing vulnerabilities such as poverty, competition over resources, and weakened livelihoods. He called for closer engagement with the people, highlighting previous decentralized meetings in Liberia (2019) and Winneba, Effutu (2021).

Afenyo-Markin reaffirmed his dedication to the ECOWAS Parliament's objectives and the broader goal of a more integrated, peaceful, and prosperous West Africa. The ECOWAS Parliament, or Community Parliament, is the legislative arm of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), serving as a forum for dialogue, consultation, and consensus to promote regional integration among West African nations.