The Member of Parliament for Bosome Freho, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, has accused the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, of sacrificing Ghana’s opportunity to secure the Presidency of the ECOWAS Commission in exchange for what he describes as a “predetermined” African Union (AU) Chairmanship for President John Mahama in 2027.
In a press release, the Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee alleged that the Minister “ceded Ghana’s right to occupy the position of the Presidency of the ECOWAS Commission in exchange for a so-called unanimous endorsement” by West African leaders to back President Mahama as the sole candidate for AU Chairperson in 2027.
According to him, Ghana did not require any deal-cutting to secure the AU Chairmanship, arguing that the arrangement had already been set in motion under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He stated that “the status of President Mahama as the next Chairperson of the AU in 2027 was predetermined as far back as 2024” due to Ghana’s election onto the Bureau of the Assembly of the AU.
He explained that under the AU’s rotational system, Ghana had moved from 3rd Vice Chairperson in 2024 to 2nd Vice Chairperson in 2025 and subsequently to 1st Vice Chairperson at the February 2026 Summit.
“It is therefore automatic that in 2027, Ghana will move up the Bureau from 1st Vice Chairperson to the substantive Chairperson of the AU,” he said.
Mr Asafo-Adjei Ayeh concluded that the Foreign Affairs Minister’s decision represented a major diplomatic miscalculation, stating, “But for the Minister’s lack of understanding of the institutional processes of ECOWAS and the AU, Ghana would have secured both positions.”