Help set up International Association of MPs for Peace - Speaker urged

The National Coordinator of the United Peace Federation-Ghana, Dr Mrs Helen Osei, has appealed to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, to support efforts toward the setting up of the Ghana chapter of the International Association of MPs for Peace (IAPP).

The initiative, she said, was to help promote the development of humankind along the path of coexistence and mutual prosperity for future generations.

She said efforts made in the 7th Parliament to set up the association in the country proved futile and affected Ghana’s image and commitment to promoting global peace and development.

Mrs Osei made the appeal when she led a delegation of the United Peace Federation-Ghana to call on the Speaker on Thursday, 20 May 2021.

The International Association of MPs for Peace is an international network of parliamentarians created to take on crucial issues of territorial disputes, religious conflicts, climate change, violent extremism and poverty through the common solidarity and cooperation of the parliamentarians of the world.

Mr Bagbin commended the federation for its dedication to building a world of peace centred on universal spiritual and moral values.

He expressed regrets for the federation’s inability to see through the setting up of the Association of MPs for Peace during the 7th Parliament and tasked the protocol department to ensure that all the necessary structures are put in place to advertise the association when the second meeting of the first session of the 8th parliament commences next week.

Mr Bagbin, who said he had similar challenges in the past, noted that Ghana, and Africa, for that matter, must be able to clearly re-define what their priorities are in order to reconscientise the citizenry.

Peace, he said, can only exist where justice is made to prevail and, therefore, charged the federation and its leadership to do more to promote global dialogue and mutual coexistence.

The United Peace Federation is an NGO in general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and supporting the work of the UN achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).