Parliament divided on who leads delegation to ECOWAS Parliament

Accra, Nov 4, GNA - Parliament on Wednesday approved Ghana's representatives of the ECOWAS Parliament but the two sides of the House collided over who leads the delegation.

Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, had proposed Mr Michael Teye Nyaunu, Member for Lower Manya, who was a former deputy leader of the previous ECOWAS Parliament to lead Ghana's delegation.

But the Minority disagreed because they preferred Mr Frederick Opare-Ansah, the current Minority Chief Whip.

The Minority argued that Mr Opare-Ansah as front bencher could not be an ordinary member of the delegation for a back bencher to lead.

They vied for Mr Opare-Ansah to lead the group.

According to the Majority, the norm was that the leader must be part of the Ghana's Parliamentary leadership more especially from the Majority side of the House.

However, the Majority found Mr Nyaunu as experienced enough to lead the group and the Majority's argument that the House should approved him pending further discussions was rejected by the Minority.

Mr Avoka settled the matter when he said the question of who lead the delegation be put to hold for further consultation as the House approved the members.

The members include; Mr Micheal Teye Nyaunu, Member for Lower Manya, Mr Dominic Azimbe Azumah, Member for Garu/Tempane, Mr Francis Yaw Osei-Sarfo, Member for Krachi West, Mr Alfred Kwame Agbesi, Member for Ashaiman, Mr Frederick Opare Ansah, Member for Suhum, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, Member for Bosomtwe, Mr Stephen Yakubu, Member for Binduri and Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku, Member for Evalue/Gwira.

They were advised to project themselves as a non-partisan delegation representing the Parliament of Ghana and shall submit a report to the Parliament of Ghana at the end of each session of the sub-regional Parliament.