The speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, said that African parliaments can influence national discourse and generate public debates for development.
Gbajabiamila stated this during the official handover of the leadership of the conference of speakers and heads of African parliaments, COSAP to the speaker of the parliament of Ghana Dr Alban Bagbin, in the National Assembly, Abuja
According to him, “African countries would survive only ingenuity, through the efforts of the people and sustained cooperation with one another.
He said, “The continent is now on its own, especially in the era of global uncertainties due to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, wars and accelerating effects of climate change.
The speaker of the parliament of Ghana Dr. Alban Bagbin, in his remarks, said that COSAP was established to facilitate increase deliberation, collaboration and cooperation between speakers, heads of parliaments and national assemblies across Africa.
This he said, would provide the opportunity to address common challenges, offer joint solutions and mobilize political action to advance the continent’s development.
Dr. Bagbin stressed the need for African parliaments to take decisive action to end the unconditional overthrow of governments in Africa.
He therefore called for the need to strengthen parliamentary oversights on Africa’s rising debt profile.
