Bagbin Urges African Parliament Speakers to Unite Against Poverty

Accra: In a call for collective action, Ghana's Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged his counterparts across Africa to intensify efforts to combat poverty, emphasizing the interconnected nature of the continent's challenges. Speaking at the Second General Assembly of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL) in Accra, Bagbin highlighted the need for unity in addressing the shared adversities of ignorance, poverty, and deprivation. According to Ghana News Agency, Speaker Bagbin stressed that no single African nation can tackle these issues in isolation, pointing out the political, cultural, and economic ties that bind the continent. CoSPAL, established as a permanent platform to unite African legislative leaders, aims to support the continent's growth and sustainable development. During the two-day conference, attendees are expected to consider and adopt a Draft Constitution prepared by the Interim Technical Working Group, a task set during the first General Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria, in May 2022. Bagbin reassured stakeholders that CoSPAL is not intended to compete with existing organizations but rather to complement their efforts from the perspective of African legislative leaders. He underlined the organization's objective to enhance parliamentary diplomacy in cooperation with governmental and international bodies, including the African Union. Highlighting the role of parliaments in socio-economic development and governance, Bagbin noted the challenges posed by global economic conditions, climate change, and security threats, which necessitate active parliamentary involvement. Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, former Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, and Vital Kamerhe, President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo, echoed Bagbin's sentiments. Oquaye urged African leaders to leverage the continent's natural resources for development, while Kamerhe advocated for peace as a prerequisite for progress.