The leaders of the Executive and Legislative Arms of Government, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Speaker of Parliament, Right Honourable Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin have showcased Ghana to the admiration of all.They promoted the brand Ghana on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at the opening of the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, ongoing in Accra.
President Akufo-Addo, the Guest Speaker, garnished his speech, which centered on security on the continent and the fundamental principles and values of the Commonwealth Charter, with a bit of accolades for Ghana.
He was delighted that after several decades of dedicated membership, Ghana was hosting the conference.
Welcoming guests by way of his opening address, President Akufo-Addo said: “For those of you coming from beyond our shores, especially members of parliaments of the Commonwealth, I extend a hearty ‘Akwaaba’, our word of welcome. Enjoy your stay amongst the people justifiably famed for their hospitality.”
Speaker Bagbin, on the other hand, divided his address into two parts, with the first part wetting the appetite of the participants from 56 Commonwealth nations, about the host country, Ghana.
“Distinguished participants, this is Ghana, the land of gold, inhabited by some of the hospitable descendants of the King of gold – the legendary wealthiest person that ever lived on earth, the great Emperor, King Mansa Musa, of the ancient Sudan Empire.
“Ghana now occupies the state of gold, being the highest producer and exporter of gold in the world. Ghana is the center of the world, where longitude zero meets latitude zero. The Greenwich Mean Time, which we always refer to as GMT, is calculated from this point in the territory of Ghana. Ghana is the home of the impossible. The oasis of peace and the model of democracy,” he remarked.
INTROSPECTON
The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Bagbin, who is the President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, called on member countries to take a deep introspection into the cause of the incessant reversal of the democratic process on the African continent.
Speaking on the theme of the conference: “The Commonwealth Charter; 10 Years On: Values and Principles for Parliaments to Uphold”, he explained that it was only when the reasons were well understood and the right signals were picked that adequate measures could be put in place to steer democracies on the continent far from instabilities.
He said, “Parliaments in this sub-region and in Africa in general should try to understand the reasons for the loss of trust and confidence in the leadership of democratic processes and institutions that have characterized the recent spate of military incursions into governance.”
The address of the former member of parliament for Nadowli/Kaleo, former minority and majority leader Alban Bagbin, preceded the speech of the former member of parliament of the Abuakwa constituency and later Abuakwa South, President Akufo-Addo.
JARA DANCE
In between the addresses of the two, was a cultural display by the Ghana Dance Ensemble, which treated the visitors to a dance from the north called Jara. The co-moderator of the ceremony, Alhassan Suhuyini, told the gathering that according to folklore, the dance was discovered when hunters went to the bush to hunt in the middle of the night, and came across dwarfs who performed the jara dance. And when the hunters returned to the house the next day, they taught the community people the new dance.
HEGEMONIC ACTS
President Akufo-Addo called on the participants to promote peace and find an end to conflict on the basis of acceptable, established principles.
He described “hegemonic” acts by bigger nations that seek to subject the will of smaller nations to those of their bigger and stronger neighbours.
Amidst resounding applause in recognition of the unanimous condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he called on all “to promote peace between the two nations and find an end to the conflict on the basis of acceptable, established principles of international law,” adding that “it is in everybody’s interest that this is done.”
He was hopeful that the 7-day conference would provide a solid platform for reflection on past achievements, engage in thoughtful discussions about present challenges and chart a course towards realising the hopes and aspirations of citizens under the noble goals of the Charter.
President Akufo-Addo was given the position of vice patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which he accepted.
Background Information
In September 2019, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), at its 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) held in Kampala, Uganda, adopted a request from Ghana among those from other Commonwealth nations to host the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association, which metamorphosed into the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in 1948.
The Association, which had five (5) branches at its inception, currently has one hundred and eighty-one (180) national and sub-branches across the nine (9) regions of the Commonwealth. The Association has a number of organs, including the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, the CPA Small Branches Network, the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities, and the Commonwealth Youth Parliament.
