The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has called on Speakers of Parliament, especially African Legislatures to come together as a common unit, to fight a common enemy, which is ignorance and poverty.
Mr. Bagbin asserted that, the challenge of poverty and deprivation among African Countries cannot be address by a single country, hence the need for a collective front to overcome these challenges.
“As Africans, we share a common destiny and face the common enemies of ignorance, poverty, and deprivation. Let us remember that no single country can address these challenges alone. We are politically, culturally and economically interconnected, and collective action is therefore necessary to overcome these challenges”, he added.
He made this admonition when Parliament of Ghana, under the distinguish leadership of it’s Speaker, hosted the second General Assembly of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL ) over the weekend.
The second General Assembly brought together one hundred and twenty (120 ) participants including fifteen ( 15) Presidents who themselves are also Speakers of their various National Legislatures, thirty (30) Deputy Speakers or Presidents, Clerks, Secretary Generals and supporting staffs of the various Parliaments and Assemble Nationales across Africa.
The Conference is the first permanent platform that seek to mobilize and unite Speakers and Presidents of various Legislatures across the continent. This is aimed at supporting the agenda for Africa’s growth and sustainable development.
In his opening Remarks, the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin emphasized and assured all stakeholders that CoSPAL was not formed to rival or compete with any existing organisation, but instead, support and complement the works of all parallel existing organizations, with the unique perspectives of African Speakers and Presidents.
The Speaker further stated that, one of CoSPAL’s core objectives is to expand the frontiers of parliamentary diplomacy, by working in close collaboration with the executive arms of governments and with other regional and international inter-parliamentary organisations, civil society groups, other key stakeholders, and most importantly, align and closely cooperate with the African Union.
On her part, the Speaker of Malawi, who is also the Chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Africa Region Rt. Hon.Catherine Gotani said, Africa’s destiny rests in it’s own hands, and that Parliaments in Africa must rise in shaping these destinies.
She also added that the forum serves as a beacon of hope for driving collective action for Africa.
According to her, it further empowers related Legislatures to become agents of progress, stability and prosperity across the African continent.
Source: Deborah Dzivenu/ AGN News
