News:
July 12, 2025
The Authority of Heads of States and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has eventually become a “tea party” – a member of Ghana’s delegation Emmanual Kwasi Bedzrah has stated.
According to him the handling of events leading to the breakaway of the Sahel States (Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali) as well as the actions of and President of Guinea Bissau – a former chair of the Authority of Heads of States in which he illegally dissolved his country’s parliament leaves much to be desired.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Bedzrah pointed out that, the Authority of Heads of States and Government has become a tea party where they go and take tea. “I do not see the good thing coming out from there; it is time for us to rise. Let ECOWAS Parliament take its rightful place; let us become a legislative arm and not ordinary advisory role players”, he asserted.
Again, we should have teeth to bite and elect our own people, if you elect them they would be members; you do not have any government in the sub-region saying go and represent us, he stated.
Mr Bedzrah further added, “we should have the powers to legislate like the East African Parliament. “Why can’t we do that same thing when we have elected MPs like the EU? That is what we are advocating for”.
“I have heard recently Niger is dinning with America; and some are dinning with Russia. Africa is being divided around geopolitical lines – this would not help us, ECOWAS must bring us together.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com