The ECOWAS Parliament has opened its Second Parliamentary Seminar and Second Extraordinary Session for 2026 in Accra, with a strong focus on climate change, environmental degradation and regional security.
The joint opening ceremony, held on Monday, September 22, 2026, was led by the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Hon. Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, on the theme: _“Climate Change as a Factor of Environmental Degradation, Population Displacement and Growing Insecurity in the ECOWAS Region.”_
In her opening remarks, the Speaker stressed that climate change is no longer just an environmental concern, but a development, humanitarian, migration, peace and security challenge confronting West Africa — affecting livelihoods, displacing populations and increasing pressure on natural resources.
She called on Parliamentarians across the sub-region to ensure that international climate commitments are translated into funded policies, effective national legislation and tangible results for citizens, emphasizing that parliamentary oversight of climate resilience budgets is critical.
The session also paid tribute to Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, whose birthday fell on September 21, with speakers noting that his vision for African unity and Pan-Africanism continues to inspire the regional integration agenda.
Later, the ECOWAS Parliament delegation paid a courtesy call on the Vice President of the Republic, Her Excellency Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Majority Leader and MP for Builsa North, Hon. James Agalga, said anything that gives meaning to the vision of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah will always be embraced and supported. He thanked the Vice President for hosting the delegation and for her inspiring address at the opening session.
Hon. Agalga expressed hope that the programme would be successful and that resolutions adopted would have meaningful impact on climate change, peace and security in the sub-region.
He also thanked President John Dramani Mahama and Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Bagbin, for hosting the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra.
