By Valentia Tetteh
The Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiah-Agyei, has formally declined her inclusion in Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament.
In a memorandum addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, dated Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Appiah-Agyei expressed concern over the process by which her name was added to the reconstituted delegation, stating that she was neither consulted nor did she consent to be nominated.
“I respectfully write to express my objection and hereby decline to be included in the reconstituted list of Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament as adopted on the floor of the House today, an action that was taken in the absence of my good self and the Minority Leader,” the Deputy Minority Leader indicated.
She noted that the Minority Caucus had earlier agreed that Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin would continue to serve on the ECOWAS Parliament. She raised procedural and legal concerns about his replacement, emphasizing that Afenyo-Markin’s tenure as a sworn Member and Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament is still valid.
“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 but also politically regrettable. I respectfully pray that the Minority Caucus’ original nominees to the ECO WAS Parliament be maintained, namely:
- Hon Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin-Member
- Hon Kwame Anyimadu Antwi -Member
- Hon Bryan Acheampong –Member”
She further referenced ECOWAS protocols that require a member’s voluntary resignation, removal from office, or disqualification before a change in representation can occur, none of which, she stated, applies to the Minority Leader.
While acknowledging the importance of increasing women’s representation in regional bodies, the Deputy Minority Leader stressed that such efforts must be rooted in due process and consensus.
“True inclusion must be built on transparent dialogue and not imposed at the expense of established norms or the integrity of leadership structures,” she added.
She has requested that her name be withdrawn from the list of nominees and urged Parliament not to communicate her inclusion to the ECOWAS Parliament.
The matter is expected to receive further attention in the coming days as the House considers the concerns raised.
