Africa-Press – Ghana. Parliament has approved the composition of Ghana’s Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament delegation with some last-minute amendments to ensure compliance with the 30 per cent female quota.
The approved list included Mr. George Ricketts-Hagan, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast South, as a Leader.
The new members of the delegation are Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, NDC MP for Ho West; Madam Laadi Ayii Ayamba, NDC MP for Pusiga; Mr. Eric Afful, NDC MP for Amenfi West; Mr. Dominic Napare, NDC MP for Sene East; Madam Patricia Appiagyei, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Asokwa; Mr. Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, NPP MP for Asante Akim Central; and Mr. Bryan Acheampong, NPP MP for Abetifi.
Madam Millicent Yeboah Amankwah, a first-term NDC MP for Sunyani West, was proposed and accepted as an observer.
“The choice of Honourable Patricia Appiagyei was arrived at due to her designation as deputy minority leader,” Speaker Bagbin said on the Floor of the House on Tuesday.
The amendment, which was proposed by Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader, replaced Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, with Madam Patricia Appiagyei, ensuring the delegation met the required female representation quota.
Despite opposition from some members, the Speaker guided that the motion must be taken on the same day.
“Take the list back and resolve those lingering issues,” Mr. Dominic Nitiwul, NPP MP for Bimbilla, urged.
The ECOWAS Parliament, also known as the Community Parliament, is one of the institutions of the ECOWAS.
It serves as the representative body of the peoples of the ECOWAS region and is composed of 115 representatives from the 15 member states.
The Parliament’s role is to contribute to the effective implementation of ECOWAS’s objectives and policies, promote democracy, human rights, and regional integration, and inform and sensitize the population on integration issues.
The Parliament consists of 115 representatives from the 15 ECOWAS member states.
The member states include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Parliament aims to strengthen representative democracy, promote human rights and good governance, inform citizens about regional integration, and contribute to peace and security.
The ECOWAS Parliament was established under the Revised Treaty of 1993 and its Protocol, which was signed in 1994 and entered into force in 2002.
The Parliament has an Administrative Secretariat that includes the Office of the Speaker, the Office of the Secretary General, and directorates for Administration and Finance, and Parliamentary Affairs and Research.
The Parliament has several standing committees that focus on various areas such as agriculture, health, infrastructure, and human rights.
The Parliament has been working towards enhancing its powers from an advisory role to a co-decision-making body.
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