Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has warned that democracy in Africa is backsliding due to the growing influence of money in politics, saying public office risks becoming an investment rather than a public trust.
Speaking at the High-Level Regional Convening on the Financialisation of Politics in Africa in Accra.
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Rt. Hon. Bagbin said opaque campaign financing, vote buying, and state capture are eroding public trust and discouraging citizens from participating in the democratic process. He described the situation as a crisis of democratic integrity that requires urgent and practical reforms.
The Speaker highlighted Ghana’s role in securing the adoption of United Nations Resolution 11/7 at the Conference of State Parties in Doha in December 2025. Co-sponsored by Ghana, Norway and Mongolia, the resolution calls for greater transparency in the funding of political parties, candidates and election campaigns.
Rt. Hon. Bagbin commended Ghana’s Ambassador, Matilda Osei-Agyeman, for her role in the adoption of the resolution, describing it as an important milestone in the global fight against corruption.
He, however, stressed the need to translate the international commitment into effective national laws and oversight mechanisms.
He also announced institutional reforms in Parliament, including the establishment of a Legal and Governance Services Division with departments for Anti-Corruption, Investigations and Human Rights, as well as a new Ethics and Standards Committee supported by an independent Commissioner.
Rt. Hon. Bagbin, who serves as President of the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) and Vice President of the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), urged African countries to strengthen integrity in political financing through collaboration and peer learning, describing it as a democratic imperative.
