Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called for urgent intervention by Economic Community of West African States over rising insecurity in the Sahel, xenophobic attacks in South Africa and restrictions affecting free movement across West Africa.
Speaking in Parliament under Rule 71, which allows lawmakers to address issues of public importance, the Effutu MP described the situation as a major threat to regional unity and the safety of West African citizens.
He referenced a deadly February 14, 2026 attack in Titao in northern Burkina Faso, where Ghanaian tomato traders were reportedly ambushed by militants linked to Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin.
According to him, the attackers reportedly separated men from women, killed the men and set their vehicle on fire, leaving survivors to bury the victims because security conditions prevented authorities from accessing the area.
He said the victims played a vital role in regional food distribution and were later mourned at Techiman Central Market.
Mr Afenyo-Markin warned that the attack highlights growing risks to regional trade, particularly as major food routes pass through conflict-prone areas such as the Liptako-Gourma region.
He also raised alarm over renewed violence in Mali following a major April 25 offensive, which he described as the country’s biggest attack since 2012.
The Minority Leader further condemned xenophobic violence in South Africa, where migrants from Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia have reportedly faced attacks, looting and displacement.
While acknowledging remarks by Cyril Ramaphosa condemning xenophobia, he insisted stronger measures were needed to bring perpetrators to justice.
He also criticised ECOWAS for failing to fully enforce its free movement protocol, saying travellers still face extortion and harassment at illegal checkpoints across the region.
According to him, these barriers undermine regional integration and weaken efforts under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He urged Ghana, which hosts the AfCFTA Secretariat, to fast-track ratification of the African Union’s free movement protocol and lead regional reforms.
“The safety of our people must never be negotiable,” he stressed.
