Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and Rt. Hon. Lord Boateng of the International Relations and Defense Committee of the UK House of Lords has expressed concern over the security situation in the Sahel region and the possibility of its spread into other parts of West Africa.
During a private meeting at the UK Parliament in Westminster, London, the two leaders discussed various areas of cooperation and collaboration. They called on the UK Parliament, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and the parliaments in Africa to work together to prevent the potential impact of the current insecurity in parts of the continent to give growth and development a chance in Africa.
Rt. Hon. Bagbin spoke about the current security situation in Burkina Faso and Togo, saying that the safety and protection of citizens in the two countries appear to have been compromised due to what is believed to be a huge infiltration by extremists and other elements.
He said the situation in the Sahel and in West Africa poses serious threats to Ghana's security and democracy. He stressed that Ghana needs the right strategies and structures that will make it proactive and preemptive when it comes to security and the integrity of its borders.
Rt. Hon. Lord Boateng expressed concern that conflicts in Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and others have the potential to fuel migration and its attendant dangers and risks. He added that if steps are not taken to mitigate these conflicts, they will deal irreparable damage to Africa and hold the continent back.
Lord Boateng said the UK was looking to use the framework of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and work through other institutional arrangements to enhance trade with Ghana and other African countries and to support efforts at improving intra-continental trade. He stressed the importance of removing trade barriers, especially non-tariff barriers within Africa and between Africa and Europe, and the safety and security of the countries in Africa.
The Speaker and Lord Boateng commended each other for their outstanding work in their respective parliaments. They also noted the strong relationship between Ghana and the United Kingdom and expressed optimism that it will continue to grow from strength to strength.
The Speaker was accompanied to the meeting by the Clerk to Parliament, Mr Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, the Assistant Deputy Clerk, Mr Ebenezer Djietror, Legal Counsel to the Speaker, Hon. Magnus Kofi Amoatey, the Director of Communication of the Speaker's Secretariat, Mr Gayheart Mensah, and the Deputy Director of Parliamentary Relations, Mr Charles Dery Tenzagh.
