Mr Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has been elected as the new President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association International (CPA).
A statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday said Mr Bagbin was unanimously elected the President of the CPA, an organization of over 180 member Parliaments of the Commonwealth of Nations, at the just ended 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) hosted by Canada in Halifax.
It said Mr Bagbin, until his election as President, was the Vice-President of the CPA.
“As President of the CPA, Ghana has been allowed to host the 66th Conference of the CPA in Accra from the 30th of September to the 7th of October 2023.
“The election of Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin as President of the CPA makes him the head of the CPA and he will preside over the next CPC in Ghana while also serving as the Chair of the Elections Committee of the Association,” it said.
According to the statement, Mr Bagbin is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Association whose other roles and duties are constitutionally bestowed on him.
It said at the conference, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Majority Leader was also elected the Vice Chairman of the Association, adding that by this election, he holds the second most important position of the Executive Committee and the Coordinating Committee of the Association.
“He thus becomes the Deputy Spokesperson of the CPA and will assist the Chairman of the Association, Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP, Member of the House of Commons, UK, in providing leadership for the running of the Executive Committee of the Association,” it said.
It said: “Rt. Hon. Alban S. K. Bagbin, undoubtedly, the most experienced MP of the Parliament of Ghana with the support of one of the second most experienced legislators of the Parliament, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu comes in handy at a time the Association has been making epileptic programme at transforming itself from a Charity Organization under UK Law into an international, inter-parliamentary organization.”
“Tried and tested leadership is needed to consummate this aspiration and the hopes of the over 180 branches from both Anglophone and Francophone countries are very high and expectant from the leadership of Speaker Bagbin and Ian Liddell-Grainger.
“With the indomitable spirit and support of Ghana and all Ghanaians, these Parliamentary icons will not only lift high the flag of the country but lead in marketing the culture, traditions, governance and the rich wealth and hospitality of our people, at the 66th Conference of the CPC next year,” it said.
The statement, therefore, called on all compatriots to rise to the occasion and lend a helping hand to celebrate this historic achievement of the Country.
“Success can only be guaranteed, in this regard, when Ghanaians work together,” it noted.
The statement cited amendments to the Constitution of the Association to make Parliaments in the Commonwealth more relevant, accessible, technologically savvy, gender-sensitive, balanced, and inclusive of the youth, and the marginally, especially persons with disabilities as some of the major issues discussed at the annual conference.
The Parliament of Ghana was represented at the 65th CPC in Halifax, Canada by a team led by the Speaker, and included the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minority Leader,
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Deputy Minority Whip, Mr Thomas Mbomba, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, Deputy Majority Whip, Madam Comfort Cudjoe-Ghansah Doyoe, Second Deputy Minority Whip, and Madam Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, Member of Parliament (MP) of Akwapim North.
The others were Mr Cyril Kwabena Nsiah, Clerk to Parliament and some members of staff.
