Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has indicated the urgent need for countries on the African Continent to come together to fight terror and extremist attacks which continue to threaten the people of the sub-region.
He said “We just want democratic advancement to enhance peace and security both in Ghana and the West African sub-region.”
The Speaker made these comments when the United States Ambassador to Ghana, Mad. Virginia Palmer paid a courtesy call on him at Parliament in Accra.
He noted the need for a second look at Ghana's current hybrid system which does not enhance strict separation of powers, adding, that the time has come for a review of the 1992 Constitution to remedy these challenges.
Speaker Bagbin said Ghana enjoys an appreciable amount of soft power which needs to be harnessed in a leadership drive to steer Africa to achieve economic and political success.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, emphasized the importance of the Legislature as the true embodiment of democracy which must be accorded the requisite respect in the political space. She commended the Speaker for being an exceptional leader and noted that he makes the oversight role of Parliament more meaningful.
Ambassador Palmer noted that she is intrigued with information about Ghana's security, democracy, and how the country has worked over the years to increase inclusive economic growth.
Ambassador Palmer assured Ghanaians of her country's preparedness to help Ghana in conflict resolution endeavors and to secure the country against extremist terror attacks.
Ambassador Palmer also mentioned the need for a holistic approach to handling issues related to proper sexual beahavior in a context of human rights, adding that Ghana must be mindful of how the world is handling such issues.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said the composition of Ghana's Parliament at the moment, has led to many useful lessons on consensus building and negotiation in the business of politics, drawing an analogy of the US Senate, which has a similar composition as Ghana.
He expressed concern about the threat to security in the sub-region, citing Libya and Mail as poignant examples. He mentioned that recent skirmishes at some of the Ghanaian borders have been of major concern to government and Parliament.
He called on the United States to help countries in the sub-region and Ghana in particular in the efforts at preventing terrorist attacks.
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, appealed to Ambassador Palmer to help strengthen Ghana's democratic structures by facilitating the works of such bodies as the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Media Commission.
He emphasized the need for strengthened political and trade ties between Ghana and United States, adding that initiatives like AGOA remain relevant for maintaining active trade relations between the two countries.
The delays in Visa processing was discussed with the Ambassador promising that the US Embassy has put measures in place to clear the backlog caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.