The Vice-president of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has tasked the commonwealth Parliamentary Association(CPA) to put proper mechanism in place to help curb terror attacks and threats of attacks in some areas of the continent.
According to him, resent military interventions in countries such as Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Chad are evidences of decline in the National reconstruction efforts in the region.
Speaking at the 82nd Executive Meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association(CPA), Africa Region, Dr Bawumia urged the legislatures not to loose sight of the fact that Africa continues to be Weakest link in the world economic order.
He said the convergence of our currencies, at least on sub regional basis, and the easing of national border restrictions are some of the ways we can create a more homogeneous political and economic unit for our economies.
“It is this regard that I consider the opportunity offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) very unique for us to begin to adopt home grown policies to vigorously promote trade among ourselves. This agenda, if well pursued, would not only boost Africa’s trading position in the global market but also strengthen Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiation, a key factor which appears to be missing in our engagement in world trade and economic order.”
He stressed that “It is important to remind ourselves that, as Political leaders, we have the responsibility to rebuild the confidence of our People in Democratic governance by demonstrating selfless leadership,” he added.
The Vice president continued that the current composition of Ghana’s Parliament is not exclusively unique to us is certainly indicative of a vote population that desires consensus building for a unified political force, rather than the divisive, overly partisan, vinner-takes-all intolerant political system which obtained and, unfortunately, still obtains in many African countries.
To him, this emerging trend close-to-party in numbers of seats in Parliament between majority and Minority parties as obtains also in Sierra Leone behooves us to perhaps, begin to adopt in our procedures and processes, new ways of doing business with focus on a collective approach to delivering the requisite public goods and services for which the citizenry have entrusted us with their mandate.
Touching on the Women and the vulnerable, Mr. Bawumia said practice that affect women, children and the marginalized in society should no longer be considered as economic or social issues but as issues that have direct correlation with democratic government.
It is a democratic imperative that, we promote the representation of women and the marginalized in governance.
According to it is heartwarming to note that the trend of under representation of women in legislature is changing across the global and this must be sustained.
In conclusion, the vice president of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, urged CPA committee to continue to champion the resolution of constitution issues facing the CPA, including, in particular, the key issue of its status as a charity organization.
“It is my conviction that the resolution of this matter will pave the way for more flexibility in raising the necessary resources to run the affairs of this group. As a group of Parliamentarians, the CPA, Africa Region, is also in a unique position to contribute to the resolution of challenges on security and related currently facing the continent.”
On the other hand,Vice Chair, CPA-West Africa also the majority leader of Ghana’s Parliament,Hon Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said African countries need as a matter of urgency to promote diversity growth and job creation with the focus on the youth,women and the poor in marginalised areas.
According to the leader,constant efforts must be made in a structured manner to increase domestic revenue mobilisation and improve the quality of public expenditures and the strengthening of debt management.
He added that the commonwealth Member States should view the crisis and the increasing demand from their people as an opportunity to map up a different developmental trajectory that is more sustainable, and more inclusive.