A VISIT TO THE PARLIAMENT OF GHANA

Our Resident Director, Mr Johann Ivanov, paid a courtesy call on the newly elected Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban S. K. Bagbin, on Wednesday 21st April 2021. The discussions recounted the progressive partnership and enormous support FES gave to the First and successive Parliaments of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. Also, some possible areas of engagements in the quest to deepen the role of Ghana’s Parliament for the development of Ghana were advanced.

Ghana’s 8th Parliament is regarded by many as a hung Parliament. It is indeed a novelty in Ghana’s politics today to have (1) an equal number of MPs from the major political parties - NDC & NPP - with an independent MP who has indicated doing business with the NPP, and (2) the Speaker of Parliament emerge from the largest opposition party. This means the business of the house is ordinarily not expected to be as it used to be in the previous Parliaments. Hence, there is a need for progressive partnerships and synergy building in championing the work of Parliament to advance Ghana’s democracy.

During the visit, Mr Ivanov also donated a set of Readers on Social Democracy to the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament.