ECOWAS GIVES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BLOODY NOSE, REJECTS NEWLY ELECTED PARLIAMENT REPRESENTATIVES
March 11, 2025
Monrovia: Days after conducting what the Majority bloc speaker described as successful election for new members of ECOWAS, the Parliament has rejected those newly elected members.
According to the majority bloc members, those elected under embattled speaker J. Fonati Koffa were not duly elected by members of the House of Representatives thereby initialing an election that brought on broad new members to serve at the ECOWAS parliament
But in an official response, ECOWAS said, article 18.1.2 of the supplementary Act on the enhancement of the power of ECOWAS parliament States that, the mandate of the community parliamentarians set fixed term of four years, once designated and sworn in, members Cannot be removed or replaced before expiration of their term except in the following cases.
Non-re-election of member at the national level, death, resignation through written notification to the president of the ECOWAS parliament and certified mental or physical incapacity to perform duties. Others resigned due to incompatibility or dismissal by parliament for misconduct as provided in the rules of procedure of the ECOWAS parliament.
Those recently elected by the House and rejected by ECOWAS are Sampson Wiah, of Sinoe and Augustine Chiewolo. While Maxima Briggs Mensah was re-elected.
ECOWAS noted that the Honorable members, Samuel R. Enders, Moima Briggs Mensah and Taa Z. Wongbe do not fall under any of the circumstances, therefore their replacement cannot be affected.
“I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 25, 2025 regarding the recall of three members designated by the House of Representatives of Liberia to serve in the ECOWAS parliament but the honorable members of ECOWAS parliament will continue to serve their mandate until it’s expiration in line with the International commitments of the Republic of Liberia” K. Bertin Some’ acting Secretary General parliament of ECOWAS said.
The Parliament Denied Majority Bloc Request to Recall Designated Members of the ECOWAS Parliament from Liberia.
