West Africa's worsening climate, migration, and security challenges have sparked renewed calls for stronger legislative powers for the Parliament of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Parliament). Nigerian lawmakers, Senators Ali Ndume and Awaji N. Abiante, raised these concerns on the sidelines of the 2026 Second Extraordinary Session and Seminar in Accra, Ghana. They emphasized that the parliament's limited power as an advisory body hinders its ability to hold the executive arm of government accountable.
The lawmakers highlighted climate change as a driving force behind environmental degradation, population displacement, and growing insecurity in the region. They stressed that the parliament's consultative role limits its effectiveness in responding to these problems. Senators Ndume and Abiante called for strengthening the parliament to enable its recommendations to carry greater legislative weight. They suggested amending the legal framework to give ECOWAS more legislative powers and enhance the ECOWAS judiciary's authority.
Senator Ndume questioned the practical impact of an institution whose recommendations depend on decisions by other ECOWAS organs. He asked, "Do we have powers outside of advisory? And how many of the pieces of advice rendered have honestly been considered?" Ndume described climate change as a governance test and emphasized the need for a stronger parliament to make regional lawmakers more directly accountable for the issues they debate.
The week-long meeting focused on increasing climate-related pressures on migration, food security, pastoralism, land use, and regional security. The seminar examined how environmental degradation and changing conditions contribute to population displacement and the implications of population movements across borders on communities and governments. Ndume linked the movement of pastoral communities from environmentally stressed areas to farmer-herder tensions, particularly in Nigeria.
Ndume attributed the crises largely to the failure of governments to effectively engage communities and herders on the implications of their actions. He recalled a failed ranching program and lack of political will to take necessary actions, insisting that the absence of good laws and order leads to crisis. Ndume called for clearer legal frameworks for livestock movement, land use, and resource management.
The ECOWAS Parliament's legal framework already gives it responsibilities in regional integration, peace, security, and the enactment of Community Acts. Its 2016 Supplementary Act provides for parliamentary opinions and mandatory assent in specified areas. However, the distinction between having parliamentary functions and possessing full legislative authority remains important. The parliament can adopt resolutions and exercise oversight, but some resolutions must pass through other ECOWAS institutions before becoming legal texts for implementation.
Lawmakers argue that responsibility and accountability should go together. Senator Ndume stated, "Until you give a man responsibilities, you cannot question him on what he has done. So, a stronger Parliament will make regional lawmakers more directly accountable for the issues they debate." This, he said, is the essence of being a member of parliament, to represent people, advocate, speak to issues, and hold institutions to account.
Key points
- Nigerian lawmakers call for stronger ECOWAS Parliament powers to address climate change and regional challenges.
- ECOWAS Parliament's limited power as an advisory body hinders its effectiveness in responding to regional problems.
- Lawmakers propose amending the legal framework to give ECOWAS more legislative powers and enhance the ECOWAS judiciary's authority.
