Kwaku Sakyi-Danso and Vincent Ikuonola
Attempts by some member states to withdraw duly sworn-in Members of Parliament from the ECOWAS Parliament before the end of their fixed tenure have created anxiety within the subregional body, a Liberian lawmaker has warned.
Mr. Samuel Reagen Enders, a member of Liberia’s delegation to the Sixth Parliament, insists that such moves violate the rules and must stop.
In a firm statement, Enders called for a Speaker with “bold, strong will, and tenacity” to ensure that the Community’s Supplementary Act—which governs the parliament’s operations is respected by all member states.
Speaking on the sidelines of a joint delocalized meeting in Lomé, Togo, Enders recounted his own experience as a victim of such political interference.
“It happened in Liberia, where it was said we should be removed. You cannot do that,” he stated. “Just because you feel you have political reasons, or because you are a bigger country and give more money, you cannot just decide to withdraw people. It does not work that way.”
Enders stressed that the time has come for the subregion to respect the very rules that brought the parliament into existence. He argued that members should be elected and allowed to focus on their work without the threat of being recalled.
“You cannot recall people who have been sworn in already,” he emphasized. “The Community Parliament backed us in our case, and we are still here.”
He called for the principle to apply uniformly across all member states, warning that any decision to unilaterally withdraw MPs would be a wrong one.
“Whoever makes that decision is making a wrong decision. This should apply to all member states and not only one country,” Enders concluded.