Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, has delivered a warning at the High-Level Regional Convening on the Financialisation of Politics in Africa, held today in Accra. Speaking at the Kempinski Hotel, Bagbin declared that democracy across the continent is under siege, arguing that when money becomes the primary measure of political success, public office is no longer a “public trust” but an “investment to be recovered.” He warned that opaque campaign financing, vote buying, and state capture are eroding public trust and driving citizens away from the political process. The Speaker described the situation as a crisis of democratic integrity that requires urgent, practical solutions—not just diagnosis.
Speaker Bagbin proudly highlighted Ghana’s pivotal role in securing the adoption of UN Resolution 11/7 at the Conference of State Parties (CoSP 11) in Doha, December 2025. Co-sponsored with Norway and Mongolia, the resolution demands transparency in the funding of political parties, candidates, and election campaigns. Bagbin specifically praised Ambassador Matilda Osei-Agyeman for her diplomatic leadership, noting that the resolution marks a historic milestone in the global fight against corruption. However, he stressed that the real work begins now: translating this international commitment into enforceable national laws and oversight mechanisms.
The Speaker announced major institutional reforms under his leadership, including the creation of a Legal and Governance Services Division with dedicated departments for Anti-Corruption, Investigations, and Human Rights, as well as a new Ethics and Standards Committee supported by an independent Commissioner. As President of APNAC and Vice President of GOPAC, Bagbin challenged fellow parliamentarians to lead the charge, posing tough questions about fairness, transparency, and public confidence. He concluded with a powerful call to action: “Strengthening integrity in political finance is not just an anti-corruption objective—it is a democratic imperative.” He urged African nations to collaborate through peer learning, insisting that no country has all the answers, but together, democracy can be saved.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
