In a move that underscores the strengthening democratic partnership between Ghana and India, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has revealed plans for Ghana’s Public Accounts Committee to visit India to learn from its century-old parliamentary experience.
Speaking during a special session in Accra on Thursday, coinciding with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to Ghanaian lawmakers, Mr. Bagbin highlighted India’s long-standing tradition of parliamentary oversight, noting that India’s Public Accounts Committee has operated since 1921 and recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Expressing appreciation for the Indian Prime Minister’s insightful address, the Speaker underscored the importance of this exchange as a vital opportunity for Ghanaian parliamentarians to observe the robust democratic practices that have sustained the world’s largest democracy, a nation boasting 2,500 political parties and 22 official languages.
Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to enhancing parliamentary collaboration with Ghana, spotlighting the newly formed Ghana-India Parliamentary Friendship Society as a symbol of growing bilateral ties.
He invited Ghanaian legislators to visit India’s new Parliament building, where bold reforms—such as reserving one-third of parliamentary and state assembly seats for women—are being implemented to promote inclusivity and strengthen democracy.
Modi also drew parallels between the spirited debates in the Indian Parliament and Ghana’s passionate political culture, likening parliamentary discourse to the energy of Ghana’s beloved Black Stars football team.
The Prime Minister lauded the role of electoral commissions in both countries, emphasizing the importance of free and fair elections as the “soul of any democracy,” and expressed readiness for India’s Election Commission to share its expertise in managing the world’s largest elections with Ghana’s electoral body.
Highlighting shared aspirations, Modi said, “India and Ghana envision a future where every child has opportunity, every voice is heard, and nations rise together, not apart.”
The diplomatic relationship between Ghana and India, dating back to 1953, is now entering a dynamic new phase focused on strategic partnership, trade, and South-South cooperation—signaled powerfully by this high-level parliamentary engagement.
