By Iddi Yire/Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, July 24, GNA – Mr Adama Bictogo, the President of the National Assembly of the Ivory Coast on Wednesday called on Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin at Parliament House in Accra.
The visit, which is a reciprocal one to an earlier visit by Speaker Bagbin to the Ivory Coast is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two sister West African nations.
Speaker Bagbin said the relations between Ghana and the Ivory Coast was real; saying “our friendship is deep and dependable”.
He said the name of the President of the Ivorian National Assembly, Mr Adama Bictogo cuts across the whole of West Africa.
Speaker Bagbin reiterated that the people of West Africa were one people and that he had been installed as a Development Chief of the Jaman people by the Paramount Chief of Suma Traditional Area, and so his (Speaker Bagbin’s) area of development runs between the Ivory Coast and Ghana.
He noted that he was an active player in the annual festival of the Suma Traditional Area, and that chiefs from the Ivory Coast and Ghana jointly celebrated that festival.
Speaker Bagbin said, he had also been installed as the Development Chief of Takpo Traditional Area, a border community in the Upper West Region, which also cuts into Burkina Faso.
He said during his last visit to Takpo, a great delegation came from Burkina Faso; and that Members of the delegation happened to know the President of the National Assembly of the Ivory Coast, Mr Bictogo.
He lauded Mr Bictogo for being a politician and at the same time creating wealth for the benefit of the people.
The Speaker mentioned that he had also been installed as a Development Chief for the Awudome Traditional Area in the Volta Region and that the Awudome Traditional Area cuts into Togo and the people of Awudome Traditional Area across both countries had festivals together.
Speaker Bagbin said although Mr Bictogo stood up first to represent West Africa at the International Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, when without the knowledge of his candidature, Nigeria put up the President of their Senate, Mr Godswill Akpabio for the same position, and that he (Speaker Bagbin had to intervene to bring them together.
“So, we said no, we don’t want our brotherly friendship countries to go to contest over this, and he (Mr Bictogo) opted to step down for the Senate President of Nigeria,” Speaker Bagbin said.
He urged West African nations not to allow artificial boundaries or language to divide them; declaring that they were all one people.
He said recently the representatives of the Border Commissions in West Africa had a meeting with him in Accra, during which they discussed these issues and that they had been in touch with him to be one of their patrons in this direction.
The Speaker said Ghana had a lot to learn from the Ivory Coast in terms of the economy, the political structure and the way they do investment in infrastructure.
Speaker Bagbin in his response to an invitation by Mr Bictogo, for him to visit the Ivory Coast, said he would be going to the Ivory Coast with a powerful delegation in October 2024 and Ghana would be having a national election later this year, and, Members of the House would partner him to pay the visit to the Ivory Coast.
He said Ghana’s Parliament would intend after the December 7, general election, invite Mr Bictogo and his delegation to come and address the House early January 2025 and noted that early January would signal the end of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and a transition into the Ninth Parliament.
He said the address would enable Mr Bictogo to share his wise counsel with members of Ghana’s Legislature.
On his part, Mr Adama Bictogo, the President of the National Assembly of the Ivory Coast, underscored the need for the creation of a common platform for Members of Parliament from both countries to be sharing ideas.
He also reiterated the need to promote trade among African countries.
Mr Bictogo wished Ghanaians a peaceful general election in December and urged them to remain united.
Members of the Leadership of the Parliament of Ghana at the meeting include Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business and his Deputy, Mrs Patricia Appiagyei.
Others are Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minority Leader and his Deputy, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah.
GNA