African countries must work together to combat terror and extremist attacks that continue to threaten the people of the sub-region, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has said.
According to Speaker Bagbin, Ghana has a sizable amount of soft power that should be used in a leadership effort to guide Africa toward political and economic success.
“We just want democratic advancement to enhance peace and security both in Ghana and the West African sub-region,” he said
There is a need for a second look at Ghana’s current hybrid system, he stressed, which does not enhance strict separation of powers, adds, that the time has come for a review of the 1992 Constitution to remedy these challenges.
On her part, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, stressed the importance of the Legislature as the true embodiment of democracy.
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.
She 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 behavior in the 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 to 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 the 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 were 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.