In August 2024, under the leadership of the 2nd Chair of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL), Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin, the Parliament of Ghana, constituted a committee to support efforts aimed at expanding CoSPAL’s membership.
The high-level Ghanaian delegation was hosted and coordinated by Mr. ’Dapo Oyewole, Chair of the CoSPAL Technical Working Group, who received them in Abuja.
As part of this process, the committee undertook an advocacy mission to Nigeria, the originating Parliament of CoSPAL, beginning with a courtesy call on the Founding Speaker of CoSPAL, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, CFR, Speaker of Nigeria’s 9th House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
During the visit, the delegation also held strategic meetings with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by the Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, and the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON.
In addition, the delegation visited the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), where they met with representatives of the Director General, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, as well as the National Assembly Library, where they engaged with the Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, Hon. Henry Nwawuba.
Discussions throughout the visit centred on expanding CoSPAL membership, fostering regional integration, advancing democratic governance, and deepening parliamentary collaboration across Africa. All the institutions and personalities engaged during the Abuja visit reaffirmed the importance of CoSPAL and pledged their support for its ideals and objectives, underscoring a shared commitment to strengthening parliamentary leadership for peace, prosperity, and sustainable development across Africa.
This advocacy mission forms part of CoSPAL’s broader objective of building a strong network of Speakers and Presidents of African legislatures to share best practices, enhance legislative capacity, and collectively address pressing issues facing the continent.
