Alban Bagbin, Speaker of the Ghana Parliament, has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament to consider allowing citizens in member states to directly elect their representatives to the regional body. Bagbin said that a direct electoral process would provide a stronger democratic foundation for the institution and enhance public participation in the regional integration process.
During the 2026 Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament held in Accra, Second Deputy Speaker Andrew Amoako Asiamah spoke on behalf of Bagbin, stating that Ghana supports the gradual introduction of direct elections for members of the regional legislative body. He added that the proposal aligns with the broader goal of making regional integration more participatory and responsive to the needs of West African citizens.
Asiamah explained that direct elections could strengthen the legitimacy of the ECOWAS Parliament by giving citizens a meaningful role in choosing the individuals who represent them at the regional level. He said, “The Parliament of Ghana believes that the future of regional integration must be anchored in stronger democratic participation backed by our people. For this reason, we support the progressive realisation of direct election of members to the ECOWAS Parliament.”
The proposal, if adopted, would bridge the gap between citizens and ECOWAS institutions by allowing people to directly determine who represents their interests at the regional level.
