By Gloria Ikibah
Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and member of Ghana’s delegation, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has called on parliamentarians to remain close to the people they represent and ensure that regional integration delivers tangible benefits to citizens.
Afenyo-Markin made the call during the ongoing Second Extraordinary Session and Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra, Ghana, where he formally handed over his responsibilities to George Kweku-Ricketts Hagan of Cape Coast South, following the completion of his tenure. 
The outgoing Deputy Speaker said regional integration must go beyond treaties, protocols and meetings among institutions, insisting that its impact must be visible in the daily lives of citizens across West Africa.
“Regional integration must be understood beyond treaties, protocols and meetings of institutions. Its true value must be felt in our communities, in the opportunities available to our young people, in the movement of our citizens and businesses across borders,” he said.
He said no single member state could successfully confront the challenges facing the region alone, stressing the need for collective action and stronger regional cooperation.
Afenyo-Markin also drew attention to the connection between climate change, poverty and insecurity in the region.
He said climate change could intensify existing pressures, worsen poverty, increase competition over land and water resources and threaten livelihoods.
He, however, cautioned against attributing every conflict in the region to climate change, urging policymakers to understand the relationship between environmental stress and insecurity without oversimplifying complex conflicts.
The outgoing Deputy Speaker also highlighted the importance of taking parliamentary activities beyond national capitals as part of efforts to bring regional institutions closer to the people.
He recalled the parliamentary seminar held in Congo Town, Liberia, in 2019 and the decision to take parliamentary activities to Winneba, the capital of his constituency, in 2021.
According to him, the initiative demonstrated the importance of taking the parliament to communities rather than limiting its activities to traditional political centres.
“Winneba subsequently hosted parliamentary activities on four occasions by 2024,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin said the visits provided residents with opportunities to interact directly with the regional institution, including traditional rulers, members of the business community, young people and the University of Education, Winneba.
“We must from time to time, leave the familiar surroundings of our national capital and meet our citizens where they live,” he said.
He noted that the approach had subsequently been extended to other locations, including Kano and Port Harcourt in Nigeria.
The lawmaker, who took time to highlight some of his contributions to his constituency and the wider region, said greater engagement with citizens remained central to strengthening the relevance of the ECOWAS Parliament.
At the handover ceremony, Afenyo-Markin expressed confidence in his successor, describing Hagan as a worthy parliamentarian with the experience required for the responsibility.
“He is a worthy member of Parliament, who I believe will succeed me in this responsibility. He is bringing his experience in parliamentary diplomacy and an understanding of regional integration to the role.
“Leadership is ultimately about service and continuity,” Afenyo-Markin said.
He also pledged his continued support to the ECOWAS Parliament, assuring that Ghana’s delegation would continue to contribute meaningfully to the work of the regional legislature.
