Afenyo-Markin replaces O. B. Amoah at ECOWAS Parliament

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu constituency, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has been appointed by the Parliament of Ghana to represent the country’s interest at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament.

He replaces the honourable Member for Akuapem South, Osei Bonsu Amoah, who by virtue of his resignation and subsequent deputy ministerial appointment joins the Executive arm of government and therefore, cannot be part of the Community Parliament.

With this appointment, Hon. Afenyo-Markin joins seven other MPs from the country’s legislature namely; Hon. Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh (Leader), Frederick Opare-Ansah, Hon. Ama Pomaa Boateng, Hon. Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah, Hon. Clement Kofi Humado, Hon. Mahama Ayariga and Hon. Sampson Ahi.

His appointment comes after the House, Friday, April 7, reviewed Ghana’s eight-member delegation to the Community Parliament following the resignation and subsequent appointment of Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah as deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.

Hon. Afenyo-Markin made the headlines when the Extra Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament opened in Abuja on January 10, 2017.

Ghana’s eight-member Ghanaian delegation that had travelled to participate in the decision process of the Community Parliament suddenly changed to nine, with the additional member being Hon. Frederick Opare Ansah, MP for Suhum.

The former British Colony met this avoidable embarrassment when the Speaker of the Community Parliament, His Excellency Honourable Moustapha Cisse, at the commencement of the Extra Ordinary Session refused to swear in the Ghanaian delegation for not properly represented.

He insisted that the delegation sought themselves out as to who among them has the right to represent Ghana.

Due to the embarrassment, the MP for Effutu, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin who was part of the delegation pulled out but the Community Parliament insisted on further clarifications from Accra before swearing in the Ghanaian delegation.

Mr. Opare Ansah had been a member of the Community Parliament since the life of the Sixth Parliament of Ghana.

According to the ECOWAS Protocol, a Member is entitled to four-year tenure unless that Member loses his or her seat in his or her home country or becomes a Member of the country’s Executive and subsequently resigns.

Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu,received a barrage of criticisms for causing this avoidable embarrassment for refusing to contact Hon. Opare-Ansah over the issue.

When contacted to comment on the incident, Hon. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who is also the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, described the situation as a betrayal of trust.