PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT, H.E. HON. BETHEL AMADI CALLS FOR THE RATIFICATION, DOMESTICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AFRICAN UNION (AU) LEGAL INSTRUMENTS.


The President of Pan African Parliament (PAP), His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi has called on African countries to take immediate steps to ensure the ratification, domestication and implementation of The African Union Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; The African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration; and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.
Declaring open a two-day regional conference of PAP which took place at the Rivers State House of Assembly, Port Harcourt Nigeria on December 5 and 6, 2012, Hon Bethel Amadi who represents Mbaitoli/ Ikeduru Federal Constituency in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, stressed that the ratification, domestication and implementation of the above treaties will help to ensure the enthronement of sustainable democracy in Africa, promote good governance and human rights, free movement of goods and services in the continent, as well as the re-integration of African countries.
Speaking on the theme “Promoting Good Governance in Africa” Hon. Bethel Amadi said that the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and the African Governance Platform (AGP) championed by PAP is meant to enhance greater synergy to foster sustainable peace, forestall conflicts resulting from electoral misconducts in member countries as well as make provisions for robust and critical debates at both national and international levels to to achieve democratic governance which anchors on the principles of the rule of law, separation of powers, and free and fair elections, even as he maintained that for Africa to attain its full potential, corruption must be confronted and combated.
Hon. Bethel Amadi lamented the state of leadership in African countries noting that up to 90% of African countries will not meet the MDG target by 2015 which is sad, considering the fact that Africa is a resource-rich continent. He called on African countries to embrace the values and principles of public service, advising that African people must demand service from public servants not as a privilege but a right, stressing that ratification, domesticating and implementation of The African Union Charter Democracy, Elections and Governance; The African Charter on Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration; and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption will help to create the right environment for the proper functioning of our public service. He noted that with 54 countries and numerous border crossings, Africa lags behind in inter-African trade noting that improved trade relations among Africans will do more good than relying on donor countries for assistance. Hon. Bethel Amadi condemned a situation where foreign reserves of African countries are lodged in European and American banks which are in turn loaned back to us at the so called “concessionary rates”.
Hon. Bethel Amadi further expressed concern that based on 2002 World Bank report, 25% of $148 billion of Africa’s resources and 50% of tax revenue and $30 billion Aid for Africa ended up in corruption hence the need for domestication of the AU legal instruments which will help to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate corruption and related offences in both public service and private sector.
Also addressing the regional conference, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Political Affairs, H.E. Dr. Aisha L. Abdullahi stressed the need for the ratification, implementation and domestication of the “shared value instruments” as it would promote the rule of law and strengthen democratic governance. Dr. Aisha Abdullahi observed that the mandate of her office include coordinating and evaluating the implementation of the Charter on Human Rights and pledged to work together with the Pan African Parliament to ensure the ratification and domestication of these shared value instruments which if implemented, would enthrone viable democracy and good governance.
Others who spoke at the two day conference included the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, H.E. Mrs. Dupe Atoki; the President of the Economic, Social and Cultural  Council, H.E. Barr. Akere T. Muna; Mr. Brian Tamuka Kagoro of the UNDP Regional Service Centre for Eastern and Southern Africa; Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree.

 PHOTO OF CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

 ABOVE SHOWS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT, H.E. HON BETHEL AMADI PRESENTING HIS WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS.
  PRESIDENT OF THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT, H.E. HON BETHEL AMADI OF NIGERIA LISTENING TO CONTRIBUTIONS.
  PRESIDENT OF THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT, H.E. HON BETHEL AMADI (NIGERIA) WITH THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSIONER FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS, H.E. DR. AISHA L. ABDULLAHI
THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT, H.E. HON ROGER NKODO DANG (CAMEROON) WITH THE THIRD VICE PRESIDENT, H.E. HON. LOIDE L, KASINGO (NAMIBIA).

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