Ghana’s Parliament delegation to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has hinted that the delay of member countries in ratifying the Protocol which seeks to extend the powers of PAP into a fully-fledged legislative organ is affecting their work in various ways.
According to the five-member delegation, PAP cannot force any member country to strictly go by their rules because it is an advisory body and the best they can do is to make model laws to guide any member country.
The delegation led by the First Deputy Speaker Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu, made this known when they briefed the Parliamentary Press Corps and members of the African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN) about the just ended Second Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament held in Midrand, South Africa.
The Pan-African Parliament requires a minimum of 28 countries to ratify what is also known as the Malabo Protocol to give it the power to become a fully-fledged legislative organ but only 15 countries including Ghana have signed the Protocol.
Addressing the media, Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu noted that most people do not know the work of the Pan-African Parliament even though Ghana has ratified the Protocols because that aspect of visibility in terms of making the public know the work they do is missing. He urged the media to help publicise the activities of PAP.
The Member of Parliament for Asawase, Hon. Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, who also chairs the Finance Committee of PAP, noted that despite all the challenges such as lack of funds, high attrition rate affecting members and absenteeism of member countries confronting PAP, it has been able to achieve some positive results.
He was of the view that if many industrial players, businessmen and individuals decide. to use the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) it will generate some revenue to support the work of PAP.
PAPSS is a centralised financial market infrastructure that enables the efficient and secure flow of money across African borders. It also minimises risk and contributes to the financial integration across the regions and is linked to complement trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Executive Director of PNAfrica and Head of Secretariat of APPN, Mr. Sammy Obeng, briefed the media on the need to take keen interest in the work of PAP, stressing that his organisation in collaboration with the Media Relations Department of Ghana’s Parliament will intensify efforts to educate the public on the activities of PAP.
Other Members of the PAP delegation are Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Hon. Collins Dauda, MP for Asutifi South and Hon. Ophilia Mensah Hayford, MP for Mfantsiman.
