MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The ECOWAS Parliament has rejected an attempt by Liberia’s House of Representatives to recall three members of its delegation. Despite the request to withdraw Samuel R. Enders, Sr., Moima Briggs-Mensah, and Taa Z. Wongbe, the regional legislative body ruled that the lawmakers will continue to serve their full term.
In a letter addressed to Mildred N. Sayon, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, and dated March 7, 2025, the Acting Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Parliament, K. Bertin Somé, stated that the mandate of ECOWAS Parliamentarians is fixed for four years. According to him, once members are designated and sworn in, they cannot be removed before the completion of their term unless under specific conditions outlined by ECOWAS regulations.
The letter cited Article 18 of the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament, which only permits the removal of members under limited circumstances. These include non-re-election at the national level, death, resignation, certified mental or physical incapacity, or dismissal for misconduct. Somé confirmed that none of these conditions applied to the three Liberian delegates, making their recall invalid.
“The Honorable Members Samuel R. Enders, Sr., Moima Briggs-Mensah, and Taa Z. Wongbe do not fall under any of the aforementioned circumstances. Therefore, their replacement cannot be effected,” the letter stated.
This decision means the three lawmakers will remain in their positions until their four-year term expires, reinforcing the independence of ECOWAS institutions from national political decisions.
The House of Representatives has not yet issued a public response to the ECOWAS Parliament’s decision, but the rejection highlights the limits of national legislative bodies in controlling their representatives once they are sworn into regional positions.
