Patricia Appiagyei Rejects ECOWAS Parliament Nomination, Cites Procedural Impropriety

Accra: Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Deputy Minority Leader, has declined her nomination to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament delegation, citing procedural irregularities and the lack of consultation. In a memorandum to Mr. Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, she expressed concerns over the nomination process and the alleged attempt to replace Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader.According to Ghana News Agency, the memorandum stated, "I was neither consulted nor did I give my consent to be considered as a replacement for the Minority Leader. This development appears to be a calculated effort to cause division between myself and my leader." The memo emphasized that true inclusion must be built on transparent dialogue and not imposed at the expense of established norms or the integrity of leadership structures.The memorandum further stressed that Osahen Afenyo-Markin's tenure as Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament remained valid, and any atte mpt to replace him would breach internal parliamentary practice and ECOWAS statutes. It urged the House to rescind the decision and maintain the original nominees. "The Minority Leader is a duly designated member with an unexpired term, and any attempt to remove him from that position without cause or consensus is both procedurally irregular and politically regrettable," it noted.Parliament on Tuesday, July 22, approved the composition of Ghana's ECOWAS Parliament delegation with some last-minute amendments to ensure compliance with the 30 percent female quota. The approved list included Mr. George Kwaku Ricketts-Hagan, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast South, as the leader of the delegation. The new members of the delegation were 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 As okwa; 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.