African Parliament to Harmonize Continent

(BuaNews)- There is a need to move the Pan African Parliament from its current advisory role to a legislative body to speed up the development of Africa through common laws.

President of the Pan African Parliament, Dr Gertrude Mongella, said that as the body stands now, it has only advisory responsibilities but cannot continue with that role since it needs legislative functions and powers to harmonise national laws across the continent by giving legal backing to decisions taken by African Heads of State.

Dr Mongella, who was speaking during a courtesy call Monday on the first deputy speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament, Freddie Blay, praised Ghana for entrenching democracy and said the country was a "big brother" in democracy.

She expressed the hope that Ghana would maintain its lead in ensuring a peaceful 2008 general election.

Mr Blay also touched on the need to harmonise national laws across Africa to ensure free trade and common ties in various areas of cooperation to push the development of the continent forward.

Alhaji Alhasan Malik Yakubu, the second deputy speaker, who is also a member of the Pan African Parliament, said a strong continental parliament was needed to deal with conflicts and bad governance across the continent.

He praised Dr Mongella for pushing hard to make the Pan African Parliament meet its desired target of becoming a body with legislative powers to entrench democracy across Africa.

Dr Mongella is expected to call on President John Agyekum Kufuor, who is also the current African Union chairman, to brief him on developments within the Pan African Parliament.

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