*ECOWAS Parliament Confronts Crisis of Citizen Safety as Deputy Speaker Condemns Killings and Xenophobia Across West and Southern Africa* The ECOWAS Parliament opened its first ordinary session of 2026 under a shadow of grief and urgency on Monday, as Ghanaian delegate and Third Deputy Speaker Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin delivered an impassioned intervention demanding immediate regional action over the killing of West African citizens in Burkina Faso and a wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa. Invoking Rule 71 of the Parliament’s Procedure of Compensation, Afenyo-Markin told fellow lawmakers that the bloc’s founding promise of free movement and mutual protection is collapsing under the weight of insecurity and impunity. “A regional community that cannot protect its own citizens in transit has not yet earned its name,” he said to a chamber that fell silent. The most immediate trigger for his address was the February 14 ambush in northern Burkina Faso, where militants lin

Minority Demands Urgent Reforms at Bank of Ghana Over GH¢44 Billion Loss The Minority in Parliament has renewed calls for major reforms at the Bank of Ghana following the central bank’s reported GH¢44 billion operating loss for the 2025 financial year. Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Minority spokespersons criticized the leadership of the central bank as well as the governing Majority for allegedly ignoring warning signs raised as far back as 2023. According to the Minority, concerns about the financial health of the Bank of Ghana were previously highlighted when the bank recorded a GH¢13 billion loss in 2023, a situation they then described as “near policy insolvency.” They argue that the latest GH¢44 billion loss now points to what they call “actual policy insolvency.” The opposition further stated that earlier calls for the resignation of Governor Ernest Addison were dismissed, despite what they describe as worsening financial conditions at the central bank. “There is no

Condemnation of Xenophobic Attacks on Foreign Africans in South Africa: The Trans Africa Tourism and Unity Campaign unequivocally and strongly condemns the recent xenophobic attacks targeting fellow Africans in South Africa. These acts of violence, looting, and intimidation against our brothers and sisters from across the continent are not only criminal but represent a profound betrayal of the spirit of Pan-African unity and solidarity that our forebears fought so hard to establish. Africa is one family. From the shores of Ghana to the highlands of Ethiopia, from the deserts of the Sahel to the waters of the Limpopo, we share a common heritage, common struggles, and a common destiny. The targeting of African migrants, many of whom are hardworking entrepreneurs, traders, professionals, and contributors to the South African economy, under the guise of frustration with local challenges is unacceptable and must be brought to an immediate end. As the leader of the Trans Africa Touri

*Johannesburg erupts in applause as Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings makes history in the Pan African Parliament chamber* The gavel had barely fallen before the room broke into a sustained ovation. By 131 to 51, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has secured the role of 2nd Deputy President of the Pan African Parliament, becoming the first woman from the West African Caucus to hold the position since the institution was established in 2004. The 2nd Deputy President functions as the equivalent of a 2nd Deputy Speaker. In practice, that puts Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings on the Parliament’s presiding bureau alongside the President and two other deputies. She will help set the legislative agenda, chair sessions when the President is absent, and oversee committee coordination across the 55 African Union member states represented in Midrand, Johannesburg. The position carries weight in shaping policy debates on trade, peace and security, and regional integration. For decades, the West African bloc h

Majority Caucus Defends BoG Over GH¢15.6 Billion Operating Cost The Majority Caucus in Parliament has defended the Bank of Ghana over its reported GH¢15.6 billion operating cost for 2025, insisting that the expenditure does not affect the central bank’s core mandate of regulating Ghana’s economy. Addressing a press conference in Accra parliament on Thursday, the Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Issah Atta, stated that the authority of the central bank is grounded in law and not determined by the strength of its balance sheet. According to him, central banks across the world have recorded losses while still maintaining effective control over inflation and economic stability. He cited the European Central Bank, which reported losses in 2023 and 2024, as well as the Federal Reserve System in the United States, which has faced continuous income shortfalls since September 2022. The MP also referenced the Czech National Bank, noting that it operated with negative equity for 17 consecu