Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, has extended his best wishes to Members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the Vice Chairman, CPA International, extended the goodwill message in his address at the opening of the 84th CPA Africa Region Executive Committee Meeting in Durban, South Africa.
He noted that the 84th CPA Africa Region Executive Committee Meeting was being held after the eventful Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
“In the post COVID-19 environment, countries have been struggling to weather the storm of supply chain disruptions. From nowhere the world has to confront the contagion effect of the Russian-Ukrainian imbroglio,” he stated.
“That has kept Parliaments busy in striving to partner with the Executive to take countries out of the woods.”
He said in such circumstances, Parliaments needed to be extra vigilant to ensure that the people they serve have value for money.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the axiom was that the Executive was voted to solve problems to improve the living standards and develop the countries for the Citizens to experience the dividends of democratic governance.
Unfortunately, in such situations, some unscrumptious persons tend to take advantage and that was where the oversight responsibility of Parliament should be emphasized.
He said amid these challenges, it had become necessary for the Excom of the Africa Region CPA to meet to deliberate on very important matters.
He mentioned that such important matters included but not limited to the vexed and ever present issue regarding the status of the CPA and the issue in respect of possible relocation of the Headquarters from London, in the event of failure to advance the cause of the status matter.
Others are the discussion on benchmarks that should guide all of us in the choice of host country and, by extension a host city; climate change considerations, and above all, equity and equality matters, with respect to inclusivity for women.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said these were matters that the Executive Committee of CPA International should be dealing with at the Gibraltar meeting.
“It is my wish that the Executive Committee of CPA Africa Region shall bring critical thinking to bear on these matters in order for the CPA to advance the mission and vision of the Association,” he stated.
He said it was his prayer that all eligible participants shall make space and time to be in Gibraltar in the next 10 days.
