Deputy Majority Leader of Parliament and leader of Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, has called for stronger regional cooperation and political dialogue to address West Africa’s complex challenges.
He said climate change, environmental degradation, population displacement and insecurity transcend national borders and cannot be effectively tackled by individual countries acting alone.
Mr Ricketts-Hagan made the call at the joint opening ceremony of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Second Parliamentary Seminar and Second Extraordinary Session in Accra on Tuesday.
The seminar is themed “Climate Change, Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Growing Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”
He said the gathering comes as West Africa faces interconnected challenges requiring collective action, political engagement and stronger cooperation among member states.
Welcoming ECOWAS Parliament leaders, members and delegates from other member states to Ghana, he described their participation as a demonstration of shared commitment to ECOWAS ideals and parliamentary democracy in advancing regional integration.
Parliamentarians, he said, occupy a unique position in democratic systems: they are legislators, representatives of citizens and key actors in promoting dialogue, accountability and good governance.
He added that they also have a responsibility to support the peaceful resolution of differences and promote positive socio-economic and environmental development.
“The ECOWAS Parliament therefore has an important role to play in bringing the voices, aspirations and concerns of our citizens closer to the regional decision-making process,” he said.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/EcowasNewsOnline.com
