Members of Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament addressing the media
Ghana’s delegation to the Pan African Parliament (PAP) has urged the media to pay attention to PAP’s activities since it was established to enable African peoples’ full involvement in the continent’s economic development and integration.
Leader of the delegation, Joseph Osei-Owusu, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, stated that the low interest in PAP in Ghanaian public discourse is due to little or no media coverage.
Addressing the media in Parliament last Friday, Mr. Osei-Owusu stated that the national delegation’s engagement in PAP activities had been consistent, with its presentation of reports to the Ghanaian Parliament.
He added that PAP members are designated by their various African Union (AU) Member State legislatures and members of their domestic legislatures, and that the ultimate goal is for Parliament to be an institution with full legislative powers, with members elected by universal suffrage.
Until such time, the PAP has consultative, advisory and budgetary oversight powers within the AU, he noted.
Until then, he observed, the PAP had consultative, advisory, and budgetary monitoring functions within the AU.
Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, a member of the delegation and the MP for Asawase, underscored the need for individuals and businesses to use the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) in order to trade among Africans.
According to him, PAPSS is a panacea for continental unity, and he encourages Ghanaians to use the platform.
Ophelia Mensah Hayford, a member of the delegation and MP for Mfantsiman, voiced concern about coups in West Africa and how they affect women and children in particular.
She also stated that the Pan-African Parliament’s Women Caucus is overburdened with insufficient funding to engage in activities on the African continent such as lobbying, peace-building, and election monitoring.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House