‘Pan African Parliament needs more powers to function better’
Togo has joined the list of countries calling for the granting of legislative powers to the Pan African Parliament (PAP).
H.E Kwesi Seleagodji Ahoomey-Zunu, the Prime Minister of Togo, said that PAP would play a more important and significant role in uniting Africa, if granted full legislative powers.
“There is need to amend the Protocol and grant PAP full powers. It should also be based on universal adult suffrage,” he said.
The Prime Minister represented the President of Togo, H.E Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, at the opening of the Third Ordinary Session of the Third Pan African Parliament held at the Gallagher Centre, in Midrand, South Africa on Monday, October 21, 2013.
The Pan-African Parliament was established in March 2004, under the Constitutive Act of the African Union. It is one of the nine organs of the African Union.
PAP was set up to “provide a common platform for African peoples and their grass-roots organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent.”
The Presidents of Ghana and Chad together with the Presidents of the Assembly have on different occasions called on the African Union member states to grant PAP legislative powers. The decision has been on the AU Heads of Government Summit agenda for some time now, having been approved by the Permanent Representatives Council.
H.E Kwesi Seleagodji Ahoomey-Zunu said that PAP chaired by Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi, a from Nigeria had discussed several issues of importance to Africa including the financial crisis, climate change and campaigned against terrorism; but needed more powers to act as a link between the African people.
Uganda’s delegation to the continental body including Hon. Cecilia Ogwal (FDC, Dokolo district), Hon. Onyango Kakoba (NRM, Buikwe North), Hon. Barumba Rusaniya (NRM, Kiruhura district), Hon. Amooti Otada (Ind., Kibanda) and Hon. Jacqueline Amongin (NRM, Ngora district) are in Midrand to attend the Session.