Commonwealth values must elevate the citizenry – Prez Akufo-Addo tells members
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has emphasized the crucial role that members of the Commonwealth Parliament must play in upholding the core principles and values outlined in the Commonwealth Charter.
His call to action aimed at fostering the creation of fair, inclusive, and prosperous societies for the diverse populations within the Commonwealth.
Highlighting the significance of these principles, President Akufo-Addo underlined the importance of good governance, the rule of law, the safeguarding of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the advancement of international peace and security, and the preservation of the environment. He stressed that these values must go beyond mere rhetoric, translating into tangible and quantifiable outcomes to ensure the security and well-being of individuals.
Speaking at the opening of the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Accra, on Wednesday, 4th October, 2023, under the theme, “Commonwealth Charter, 10 Years On: Values and Principles for Parliament to Uphold”, the President Akufo-Addo charged Commonwealth legislators to identify the conference as a “unique opportunity to reflect on the progress made in upholding the values and principles projected in the Commonwealth Charter since its adoption a decade ago.”
In the face of the hurdles strewn across the democratic journeys of member states in the course of the last ten years, he said, these challenges “do not just put to test our commitment to the principles of the Commonwealth Charter, but also call into question the effective application of these principles in responding to the needs and aspirations of citizens.”
Proceeding on the necessity of ensuring that the concept of democracy becomes truly meaningful to the citizenry, he stressed that “it is important to remind ourselves that part of the legitimacy of democracy lies in its capacity to produce tangible developmental outcomes, such as good healthcare, quality education, and affordable housing, and to create opportunities for individuals to explore, develop and realize their God-given potentials.
Speaking on what he described as “hegemonic acts” by bigger nations that seek to subject the will of smaller nations to those of their bigger and stronger neighbors, President Akufo-Addo, amidst resounding applause in recognition of unanimous condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, called on all, “to promote peace between the two nations, and find an end to the conflict based on acceptable, established principles of international law” adding that, “it is in everybody’s interest that this is done.”
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin maintained that democracy will remain elusive if there are no deliberate efforts to ensure the independence of parliaments.
“We can strengthen parliaments if we empower our oversight committees to effectively review government actions, budgets, and policies. We can strengthen parliament through civic education programs that inform citizens about their rights and the need to protect parliamentary democracy.
Indeed, Parliaments must leverage the strong relationships they have with civil society and the media to facilitate public participation in parliament’s work and to expose infractions on democratic principles.”
Mr. Bagbin also noted that parliaments in this sub-region and Africa, in general, must try to understand the reasons for the loss of trust and confidence in the leadership of democratic processes and institutions that has characterized the recent spate of military incursions into governance, “We should be able to pick the signals should there be any, and steer our democracies away from such incidents.
High-level corruption, nepotism, neglect of the hopes and aspirations of the electorates in pursuit of personal and parochial interests and policies that only deepen poverty and deprivation levels, whilst supporting ostentation among the political elite would only generate mistrust among the electorates.”
“That explains why in some of our countries, election into public offices has become highly transactional between candidates and voters, with instant personal gratification as the currency. This only serves to accentuate the cycle of mistrust that is fueling the dissatisfaction with political leadership and institutions in the sub-region.”
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also outlined the objectives and areas of interest during the conference.
He indicated that delegates would participate in eight workshop sessions focusing on wide-ranging issues such as the role of Parliament in combatting the threats of terrorism; the role of the Commonwealth in international security and peacebuilding; and environmental approaches in tackling energy, poverty, and gender issues.
The Secretary-General of CPA, Stephen Twigg stated that the gathering provides members with an opportunity to review the relevance of its values and principles, as well as assessing how the Commonwealth is progressing against these pledges.
“Commitments to democracy, human rights, and good governance are the cornerstone of the CPA’s work and these Charter principles play a part in everything we do as an Association,” he said.
