GRi in Parliament Ghana 20 - 10

GRi in Parliament Ghana 20 - 10 - 2001

Accra (Greater Accra) 20 October 2001 - The African Parliamentary Union (APU) at its 39th executive meeting in Abuja in Nigeria acknowledged the damaging effect of corruption on the economy of the African continent.

The meeting noted that corruption has undermined development effort of African countries and thus affecting the very core of society. The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey on his return from the meeting told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that corruption was also linked to poverty, due to the massive and persistent mal-administration of some African leaders.

Mr. Agyare Koi-Larbi, Mr. Adjei-Mensah and Mr. Solomon Kwabina Safo accompanied him, all members of parliament.

Mr. Ala Adjetey said the meeting also noted that the fight against corruption had not been easy because most African societies hailed corrupt rich people, therefore, making it difficult to fight the vice.

It was suggested that a special conference on corruption in Africa should be convened to work towards a convention to fight corruption.

This, he said, would enable Africans to put pressure on developed countries to repatriate stolen monies stashed away in foreign banks by corrupt leaders. "It will also help apprehend and extradite such leaders to Africa to be tried". Mr. Adjetey said the programmes of the World Bank to alleviate poverty on the continent was discussed.

He said the meeting urged African countries to critically examine such programmes rather than accepting any package, which rather make their economy worse of. "We agreed that solution of the problem of poverty lies in the hands of Africans themselves and we must work towards that," he added.

The meeting accepted Ghana's offer to host the 2003 executive meeting in Accra Other topics discussed include the role of Parliament, laws and regulations and shortcomings in the implementations of laws.

GRi../

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