By Augustus Acquqye
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin is in Freetown, Sierra Leone as leader of Ghana’s delegation to the 52nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Region Conference.
The Freetown meeting is looking at building an inclusive society to counter growing insecurity in Africa, with a view to explore and share ideas and perspectives on how to strengthen democracy on the Continent.
African Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA comprises 63 national and sub national legislatures with a mission to promote and protect the interests and perspectives of African Parliaments and countries, into the Commonwealth and beyond, and to promote gender equality, emancipation of women, and respect for human rights, freedoms, democracy and good governance.
The conference being hosted by the Parliament of Sierra Leone brings together 400 delegates, observers and other participants from CPA Africa Region Member States including; Ghana, Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Mauritius, Nigeria and South Africa.
The Conference officially opens Monday, May 6, 2022.
Key among Ghana’s delegation are the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
The CPA was founded in 1911 at a meeting of Heads of Government in Westminster Hall as the then-Empire Parliamentary Association.
The original members were Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
The conference ends on Thursday, June 9, 2022.