By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Monrovia, Liberia, May 8, 2026 – Liberia’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament is facing sharp criticism after a member of the regional body accused its representatives of failing to address critical national issues during recent parliamentary deliberations.
Scrutiny erupted after Liberia’s report to the ECOWAS Parliament reportedly omitted key national concerns, including the alleged expulsion of Representative Yekeh Kolubah and the ongoing Sulumba border dispute—issues subsequently flagged by Nigerian parliamentarian Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante.
Abiante criticized Liberian representatives, including Samuel Enders, Taa Z. Wongbe, and Moima Dabah Briggs-Mensah, for failing to mention two of Liberia’s most contentious issues: the Guinea-Liberia border dispute and Kolubah’s alleged expulsion from the House of Representatives.
According to Abiante, the delegation’s silence amounted to a dereliction of duty, depriving the subregional body of crucial context regarding Liberia’s sovereignty and democratic challenges. He emphasized that the ECOWAS Parliament exists to address regional stability and governance, and that Liberia’s omission of these developments undermines accountability and collective response.
The Guinea-Liberia border dispute has caused widespread concern in Liberia, with reports that Guinean soldiers raised their flag on contested territory in Lofa County. Meanwhile, Kolubah’s removal from the House has been denounced by student groups, civil society organizations, and opposition figures as politically motivated and unconstitutional.
Liberian economist, policy analyst, and former government official George Gyude Wisner described Liberia’s omission as “disappointing” and “embarrassing,” arguing that it creates the impression that the country is hiding something. Wisner pointed to the ECOWAS Parliament’s core objectives, promoting regional peace and security and strengthening representative democracy, as reasons to report such issues transparently.
He warned that the border dispute extends beyond bilateral tensions and could have broader regional implications, noting that although the issue has been widely reported in the media, the government’s official position remains unclear. Wisner also referenced Kolubah’s alleged expulsion for expressing dissenting views, further underscoring the need for transparency.
Speaking on OK FM’s flagship program, OK Morning Rush, on May 7, 2026, Wisner said the ECOWAS Parliament has a critical early-warning responsibility, making Liberia’s omission of these significant issues “inexcusable.”
Some observers have speculated that Liberia may have deliberately excluded the border dispute from its report because diplomatic negotiations are ongoing, and authorities may have wanted to avoid provoking Guinean lawmakers, who also sit in the regional parliament.
However, Representative Taa Wongbe downplayed the controversy, describing it as standard parliamentary practice and claiming that countries sometimes withhold sensitive information from such reports.
Wisner rejected Wongbe’s assertion, insisting that matters involving international peace and security between member states must be disclosed to the regional body. “What is there to hide when it is everywhere? Why would it be excluded when it is all over the news? Our actions would even undermine the ECOWAS Parliament and the purpose for which that body exists,” Wisner said, calling for an investigation into the omission.
Abiante’s criticism highlights growing concern within the ECOWAS Parliament about member states downplaying critical domestic issues in regional forums. His remarks have intensified pressure on Liberia’s representatives to ensure the country’s most pressing challenges are fully addressed in subregional discussions.
