Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has been removed from Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, despite his initial nomination by the Minority Caucus.
Although he currently serves as the Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, the longstanding parliamentary practice excludes caucus leaders from representing Ghana at both the ECOWAS and Pan-African Parliaments.
These regional roles are traditionally assigned to the Deputy Majority and Deputy Minority Leaders.
The removal was effected on the floor of Parliament when Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga moved to amend the list of Members of Parliament slated for the ECOWAS body.
The revised submission replaced Afenyo-Markin with his deputy, Patricia Appiagyei. The move marks a significant reshuffle, reinforcing the unwritten norm of excluding frontline parliamentary leaders from regional representative duties.
However, the decision sparked opposition from former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul, who referenced previous occasions where dropped members still reported for duty.
Reacting to this, Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak issued a stern warning, stating that punitive measures should be applied if Afenyo-Markin defies the amended list and attempts to represent Ghana at the ECOWAS Parliament.
