Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called for the progressive realisation of the direct election of Members of the ECOWAS Parliament to strengthen the institution’s democratic legitimacy and deepen regional integration.
Delivering an address on his behalf at the joint opening ceremony of the ECOWAS Parliament’s seminar and Second Extraordinary Session in Accra on Tuesday, September 22, Second Deputy Speaker Andrew Amoako Asiamah said Ghana supports stronger democratic participation by citizens in the regional parliamentary process.
Mr Bagbin said the future of regional integration must be anchored in stronger democratic participation by the people, stressing that direct elections would strengthen the legitimacy of the ECOWAS Parliament and deepen citizens’ shared ownership of the integration process.
He also emphasised the importance of closer cooperation between national parliaments and the ECOWAS Parliament to ensure that regional integration translates into practical benefits for citizens.
The seminar and Extraordinary Session began on Monday, September 21, and are being held in Accra under a theme focused on climate change, environmental degradation, population displacement and growing insecurity in the ECOWAS region.