Let's leverage on our advantages for development and growth - Alban Bagbin

• Speaker Bagbin has met with a Kenyan parliamentary delegation in Ghana

• He told them to make good use of the opportunities presented to them as lawmakers to change the lives of their people

• The leader of the Kenyan delegation stressed the need for deepening democracy on the continent

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called for Parliaments in Africa to leverage on their advantages and their core mandates in meeting the hopes and aspirations of citizens across the continent.

According to the Speaker, parliament as an institution is clothed with the legitimacy and authority to make a difference in the lives of the people and urged African parliaments to wake up to that realization.

The Speaker was addressing a Kenyan Parliamentary Delegation on Defense and Foreign Relations led by Hon. Charles Kilonzo, MP, who called on him in parliament as part of a week-long working visit to Ghana, a statement from the Speaker's office said.

Speaker Alban Bagbin used the occasion to reiterate his call for increased cooperation among sub-Saharan countries and their counterparts in the East.

“I think it is true that in spite of our good relations, we have not fared well in many areas particularly trade. I think we need to do better, we need to start looking more at each other rather than outside. There is nobody than can make you better than yourself, and I think that African countries should start looking within Africa rather than looking outside for any aid”, he said.

On his part, the leader of the Kenyan delegation commended Ghana for the role it played in the liberation struggle for their country’s independence, which led to entrenching democracy in most parts of the continent.

Charles Kilionzo said Kenya and Ghana share a lot in common which must be directed at benefiting the citizens of both countries.

He also stressed the importance of deepening parliamentary democracy.