SPEAKER ANIEKAN BASSEY RECEIVED AS MEMBER OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF CPA AFRICA REGION

-


 PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME ADDRESSES THE 17TH COMMONWEALTH SPEAKERS AND PRESIDING OFFICERS CONFERENCE (CSPOC) OF THE COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION (CPA)


CALLS ON AFRICAN PARLIAMENTS TO BUILD RESILIENCE AGAINST HEALTH AND OTHER THREATS TO THE CONTINENT



President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has called on African parliaments to take the lead in setting an agenda of building Africa’s resilience against health, including pandemics and other threats on the continent.


Already the COVID-19 pandemic has  disrupted global supply chains and overall global demand for goods and services dropped precipitously.


Global trade declined by 3.5% during the first half of 2020; this was mostly due to the immediate shock from the global travel restrictions instituted by various countries in efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 according to the International Monetary Fund report of last year.


While African countries were initially projected to start experiencing a decline in public debt levels due to fiscal consolidation, the report indicates that COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in public debt levels from around 55% to 65% of total GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa.


“As we continue towards the path to recovery parliaments still need to be at the fore front of building Africa’s resilience against mainly health but also other threats,” Kagame said.


President Kagame was addressing the 17th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC)–Africa Region themed “African Parliaments in the 21st Century” which kicked off in Kigali on the November 17 and will be rounded up on November 28, 2021.


The President suggested  on Wednesday,  ideas that can be used to attain Africa’s resilience in the context of the pandemic and the African Union development goals of agenda 2063.


"I advise African national parliaments to ratify the African medicines agency treaty- which has already entered into force.This is a landmark agreement that will help ensure that vaccines and medications in Africa are both high quality and locally produced." The President said.


Secondly, the President advised that legislature should be a driving force for implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Paris Climate Accord.


Thirdly, he said Parliaments should prioritize enacting legal frameworks to speed up digital transformation and lastly budget allocations to be made towards attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and agenda 2063.


Kagame noted that this is particularly in the health sector where there is still too much dependence on external financing, which was seen when the pandemic exposed Africa’s vulnerability and reversed some of the gains made.


Lastly  budget allocation should be made towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) and agenda 2063.

 

Earlier, the Chairperson of the Executive Committee, CPA, African Region and Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, Rt. Hon. Justin B.N. Muturi. MP applauded the transformative leadership of Paul Kagame. "We associate ourselves with your deep commitments to promoting women empowerment and environmental awareness which has made Rwanda one of the outstanding countries in our continent." The Chairperson observed. 


Rt. Hon. Muturi highlighted that the issues for discussion at CSPOC are as diverse as the history, culture and the challenges of its membership, he therefore called on the delegates to brace up to the challenges;


"As Speakers and Presiding Officers of Africa Parliaments, it behooves on us to pass relevant legislations and formulate policies that will address Africa's political challenges."


Bearing his mind on the Conference, the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey is of the opinion that the take away from  the CSPOC  is enormous and  will help expand the horizon of legislative practice and consensus building in governance especially in  the State legislature.  


 The Vice Chairman of Conference of Speakers of the State Legislatures and recently appointed Member of Executive Committee of the CPA was formally received and given his pride of place at the Conference.


Honourable Members who accompanied the Speaker to the  CSPOC were; Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan, House Leader,  Rt . Hon. Emmanuel Bassey, Chief Whip,  Rt. Hon. Usoro Akpanuso, Rt. Hon. Asuquo Archibong and Hon. KufreAbasi Edidem.











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SPOTLIGHT

-
Image
RT. HON. ANIEKAN BASSEY A COLOSSUS SPEAKER AND LAWMAKER By Williams Akpabio - AKHA, Uyo Rt. Hon. Aniekan Bassey, the Honorable Speaker of the 7th Assembly, the 12th Speaker and a two term member of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly popularly known as "The Working Speaker"  is indeed, a  noiseless achiever.  Born on 30th August, 1978 and hails from Ekim Enen Village in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. He attended Christ the King Nursery and Primary School and had his secondary education at Uyo High School;  and Senior Science College Abak. The apt lawmaker graduated from University of Uyo with a Degree in Chemistry. He also studied and obtained another Degree in Sociology and Anthropology as well as Master’s Degree in Sociology and Anthropology; Master’s Degree in Development Studies all from the same University. As a good leader, his leadership qualities and exemplary life has been that of inspiration, development, empowerment and motivation,  As ...
Read more

AKS HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY INSPECTS PROJECT SITES AT ORON, UDUNG UKO, OKOBO

-
Image
 Williams Akpabio - Information Unit, AKHA (Uyo) ... threatened to sanction contractors handling road construction in the State for quality and timely delivery of projects .... promised to seek for temporary measures in order to save life and to avoid further devastation at the grooved and erosion ravine at Afiakurue-Oron Road, Oron. House of Assembly Committee on Works as part of their oversight function today embark on inspection tour for on the-spot assessment to ascertain work progress and quality of job done so as to enable his committee know how best contractors  manages money released to them by the State government. The team led by the committee Chairman Rt. Hon. David Lawrence member representing Eket State Constituency visited a construction site of 12.7km Road in Udung Uko with a spur to Eyoabasi Community in Oron L.G.A. constructed by Evomec Global Service LTD and was received by the Company's Project Engineer, Engr. Kenneth Odigie, Surveyor on Site Surv. Joyce Aba...
Read more

A'IBOM ASSEMBLY PASSES AMENDED TRADITIONAL RULERS LAW 2020 INTO LAW

-
Image
Williams Akpabio - Information Unit (AKHA), Uyo. Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in its plenary today Tuesday 21st September, 2021 passes amended Traditional Rulers Law 2020 into law. this follows the report presented by Rt. Hon. Uduak Odudo - Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo State Constituency on "A Bill for a Law to amend the Traditional Rulers Law 2020 and for other matters connected therewith." With the unanimous voiced vote support of members, the Bill was read the third time and passed to Law. According to the Bill, Amendment of Cap 134 LAKS 2000 is expected to correct the long title to Akwa Ibom State Council of Traditional Rulers and tenure of the Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers to pave way for second term after the first two years in office at the discreation of the Governor and on the approval of the House of Assembly. The report further said that the passage of th...
Read more