Ghana Is Committed to Promoting Peaceful Co-Existence – Speaker

Ghana is committed to collaborating with the In­ter-Parliamenta­ry Union (IPU) to fight intolerance and promote peaceful co-existence in societies, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has assured.

In the view of the Speaker, fighting intolerance and promoting peace remained the surest way for the world to attain true peace and prosperity.

Addressing the 146th IPU Assembly in Manama, Bahrain, on Monday, Mr Bagbin touted the values of good democratic gover­nance and said Ghana’s parliament was pursuing same for the utmost benefit of citizens.

“The Parliament of Ghana will partner with the IPU and all members to fight intolerance and promote peaceful co-existence and inclusive societies. The Parliament of Ghana is translating the values

and principles of good democratic governance into concrete benefits for the people.

“This explains why a large gender parity delegation of four ladies, four men, three of whom are from government and three from the opposition, led by the Speaker from Ghana, is here to work with the IPU and its members to craft out resolutions that will further the course of the theme and humanity as a whole,” the Speaker said.

The pursuit for tolerance and inclusiveness, Mr Bagbin said should be driven by legislators worldwide through the laws they promulgate.

As lawmakers, the Speaker said they have the mandate of the peo­ple to hold their governments to account and they must not renege on that responsibility.

He said “As legislators, it behoves us to encourage toler­ance and inclusive development through the laws we make and, particularly, through the tools of our oversight of the Executive to ensure that our respective coun­tries are set on the paths of peace, security and sustainability.

“We have to commit ourselves to holding governments of our countries to contain corruption, eliminate waste, ignorance and greed. This is the smooth road to building fair, just and prosperous societies.

“We must, therefore, not only learn to co-exist in peace, but we must also work to promote inclusive growth and development by consciously working to prop up the development of the least developed nations.”

Mr Bagbin explained that this is because underdevelopment and poverty have been identified as the major drivers of intolerance, such as xenophobia, terrorism, con­flicts, amongst others.

Some 2,700 delegates drawn from more than 179 countries across the globe attended the conference under the theme, “Promoting peaceful co-existence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance.”

Ghana’s delegation also consist of the Majority and Minority leaders, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Second Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, First Deputy Minority Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, MPs for Asokwa and Ketu South, Patricia Appiagyei and Dzifa Abla Gomashie.