Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has reiterated Ghana’s commitment to collaborate with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to fight intolerance and promote peaceful co-existence in society.

This, the Speaker noted, was the only sure way for the world to know true peace and prosperity.

A statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Speaker Bagbin gave the assurance in his address at the ongoing 146th IPU Assembly in Manama, Bahrain.

The Speaker touted the values of good democratic governance, which the Ghanaian Parliament was translating for the utmost benefit of its people.

He noted that this was evident in the large gender parity delegation the Ghanaian parliament sent to the conference to further the course of the theme and humanity.

“The IPU can rely on the Parliament of Ghana to achieve the theme of this Assembly. The Parliament of Ghana will partner with the IPU and all members to fight intolerance and promote peaceful co-existence and inclusive societies,” Speaker Bagbin stated.

“The Parliament of Ghana is translating the values and principles of good democratic governance into concrete benefits for the people.

Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin (middle) and other participants at the conference
“This explains why a large gender parity delegation of four ladies, four men, three of whom are from government and three from the opposition, led by the Speaker from Ghana, is here to work with the IPU and its members to craft out resolutions that will further the course of the theme and humanity as a whole,” he added.

Speaker Bagbin also charged legislators worldwide to encourage tolerance and inclusive development through the laws they promulgate.

“As legislators, it behoves us to encourage tolerance and inclusive development through the laws we make and, particularly, through the tools of our oversight of the Executive to ensure that our respective countries are set on the paths of peace, security and sustainability.

We must commit ourselves to holding governments of our countries to contain corruption, eliminate waste, ignorance, and greed. This is the smooth road to building fair, just and prosperous societies.”

He also urged participants and the world at large to be mindful of the need to co-exist.

“We must, therefore, not only learn to co-exist in peace, but we must also work to promote inclusive growth and development by consciously working to prop up the development of the least developed nations. Underdevelopment and poverty are some of the main drivers of intolerance, such as xenophobia, terrorism, and conflicts.”

Some 2,700 delegates drawn from more than 179 countries across the globe have gathered in the Kingdom of Bahrain for the conference under the theme, “Promoting peaceful co-existence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance.”