Accra, Sept 1, – The Speaker of Parliament today charged legislatures in the sub-region to devise means to prevent, contain and properly manage conflict situations that hinder the progress of their peoples. ”Conflict situations, like what happen on and off in the countries of our sub-region, mar our progress towards the achievement of democratic governance,” Mr Justice Daniel Francis Annan, told the opening session of the fifth West African Inter-parliamentary seminar in Accra. The seminar with the theme, ”re-inforcement of democracy and resolution of socio-political crisis in Africa – role of Parliament,” is being attended by about 80 members of parliament from 12 legislative assemblies in west Africa. The Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German non-governmental organisation, is sponsoring the three-day seminar. Mr Justice Annan proposed three values to help manage the socio- political conflicts that plague Africa in general. He said the reform should aim at greater social justice, more widely distributed economic welfare and policies to reduce actual or imminent conflicts. Civic education, particularly among the youth, should also be promoted through social integration, as well as making information a crucial factor in national life. The speaker urged other countries within the sub-region to democratise to broaden the scope of future seminars. Mr Justice Annan said despite the gloomy situation within the sub-region, there is good progress by some countries to establish and sustain democratic values and institutions. These countries, he said, need to be assisted with resources to keep to this path. Mrs H. Behrendt Kigosi, a representative of the sponsors, said the seminar is being held in Accra to enable participants share in Ghana’s evolving democracy. ”Ghana has far advanced in the decentralisation of political and administrative authority which is the cornerstone for the democratisation process, Mrs Kigosi said. Another representative of the foundation in charge of civic education programme in West Africa, Dr Holger Dix, said the seminar would serve as a basis for the formation of a proposed sub-regional parliament. The German ambassador, Mr Christian Nakonz, said the most significant aspect of the seminar is the fact that the Francophone, Anglophone and Lusophone MP’s have come together to contribute to further regional co-operation and integration. gri
