Monrovia, Liberia, February 21, 2025, --The Plenary of the House of Representatives has deferred election of Liberia's representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament to next Tuesday, allowing more time for lawmakers to engage in intense lobbying.
The decision was reached during Thursday's session to ensure a fair and transparent process by giving aspirants more time to consolidate their support before the final vote.
Liberia's previous representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament included Moima Briggs Mensah (Bong County District# 6), Taa Wongbe (Nimba County District# 9), and Rev. Samuel Enders (Montserrado County District# 6), but the House of Representatives recalled them.
According to insider reports, Moima Briggs Mensah is expected to retain her seat, while Augustine Chiewolo of Lofa County District# 5 and Samson Q. Wiah of Sinoe County District# 2 are likely to replace Wongbe and Enders.
While an official confirmation is yet to be made, these emerging names indicate a shift in Liberia's delegation, with lawmakers actively lobbying to secure votes.
With the election now set for next Tuesday, aspirants are intensifying their lobbying efforts, reaching out to colleagues for support. The process is expected to be highly competitive, as Liberia's representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament play a key role in regional decision-making on economic, political, and security matters.
Speaking after the deferment, Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah emphasized the importance of electing capable representatives who can effectively advocate for Liberia's interests at the regional level.
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"We want to ensure that those we send to the ECOWAS Parliament have the full backing of their colleagues and can represent Liberia's interests effectively. This extension allows more engagement among lawmakers".
Liberia's representation at the ECOWAS Parliament is crucial, as members contribute to policy discussions that impact the entire West African region. The selected lawmakers will be responsible for voicing Liberia's stance on key issues, including trade, security, governance, and regional integration.
The ECOWAS Parliament consists of representatives from all 15 member states, and Liberia, like other countries, seeks to ensure that its delegation remains influential in regional affairs.
Recently, during the 8th-day sitting under the gavel of Majority Bloc Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, the plenary ruled that Representatives Moima Briggs Mensah, Taa Wongbe, and Samuel Enders be withdrawn from the ECOWAS Parliament. The decision followed a formal request from Representatives Johnson S.N. Williams and James Kolleh, who argued that the appointments were made unilaterally by embattled Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa without plenary's approval.
They further contended that the selections did not reflect appropriate political representation and violated ECOWAS protocols.
However, Senator Edwin Snowe, the most senior Liberian lawmaker at the ECOWAS Parliament, has pushed back against the recall attempt. He emphasized that the ECOWAS Parliament operates independently and is not bound by Liberia's internal legislative decisions. According to Snowe, efforts to recall the lawmakers will not be enforced at the regional level.
