The UK’s Minister for International Development, Baroness Jennifer Chapman, has praised Ghana for safeguarding its parliamentary and national democracy for 33 years without interruption.
She gave the commendation when she paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, and a number of Civil Society Organisations in Parliament on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
The meeting created an opportunity for both parties to share experiences and explore ways to strengthen parliamentary democracies in their respective countries.
“Over here in Ghana, you have open-based, successful elections, you have peaceful transfers to government. These things ought not to be taken for granted,” Baroness Chapman said.
She lauded Ghana’s efforts at building a strong legislature.
“The work that you have done over the years to build a strong parliament is something that we admire and we commend because no parliament stands still.
“We [in the UK] are changing and adapting all the time as well in response to social media and young people’s desire to be more engaged.
“Each new election brings new MPs who want different things. Things are changing over time. But we have a tradition that keeps us grounded.”
Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, also commended Speaker Bagbin’s leadership for holding Ghana’s parliament together during the era of the 8th hung parliament.
He noted that Bagbin’s experience and guidance were crucial at a time when both the Majority and Minority had 137 MPs each, with one independent deciding to do business with the governing NPP.
“Mr. Speaker has often said that we have some political disagreements, and that is rightfully so because we can’t always agree.
“But I want the records to reflect that he has set such a high standard in parliament, and it will be difficult for anybody to meet in many years,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
On his part, Speaker Bagbin emphasised the benefits of the UK-Ghana parliamentary relationship.
He recalled the UK Parliament’s support in expanding the work of Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee in 2007 and assisting in drafting new standing orders that created additional committees and diversified leadership.
He assured that the two parliaments would continue to deepen their cooperation and contribute to the growth of democratic governance in both countries.