Speaker Bagbin endorses the Leadership of Sammy Obeng and PNAfrica in the PMO Space

The Parliamentary Network Africa (PNAfrica) and its Executive Director, Sammy Obeng, have received a significant endorsement from the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Sumana Bagbin, for their outstanding leadership in the Parliamentary Monitoring space and their tireless efforts to promote an Open Parliament across the African continent.

Delivering the Alumni Lecture for the Legon Alumni Association at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana on Friday, September 6, under the theme “Thirty Years of Parliamentary Democracy: The Journey Thus Far,” Speaker Bagbin lauded the impactful work of PNAfrica and its Executive Director. He emphasized the importance of parliamentary openness by borrowing a quote from Sammy Obeng’s speeches on Open Parliament, highlighting the crucial role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in advancing democratic principles.
The Speaker cited Mr. Obeng’s powerful words: “Together with Civil Society members, activists, and change-makers, we illuminate a path towards more participatory, accountable, and just democracy. One where the Parliament of Ghana does not become just an institution but a living embodiment of the hopes and dreams of its people.”

Recognition of the Open Parliament Index (OPI)
The Speaker further endorsed PNAfrica’s flagship initiative, the Open Parliament Index (OPI), which evaluates and ranks African parliaments based on their openness and governance practices. The OPI, released every two years, provides valuable insights into parliamentary transparency, civic participation, and accountability.

In the latest edition released in 2022, Ghana’s Parliament was ranked as the most open in Africa, followed by Cape Verde and Sierra Leone. Speaker Bagbin expressed pride in this achievement, saying, “These efforts have earned Ghana a place of pride as being the most open Parliament on the continent, according to the Open Parliament Index initiative. We won the first place in 2022. We are being assessed this year, and I want to assure you that we will not allow any country to take it away from us.”

About the Open Parliament Index (OPI)
The OPI is a comprehensive assessment tool that evaluates parliamentary openness across 13 West African countries using 44 indicators based on global best practices in transparency, civic participation, and public accountability. The 2022 results showed that the average level of parliamentary openness in West Africa was 44.59%, with more than half of the countries assessed performing below average. The OPI serves as a vital instrument for tracking progress, fostering collaboration between civil society and parliaments, and identifying best practices in promoting open governance.

About PNAfrica
PNAfrica is a civil society organization with a mission to promote open parliaments across Africa. By working with parliamentary institutions, citizens, CSOs, and the media, PNAfrica strives to foster transparency, accountability, civic participation, and inclusion in African parliaments. The organization operates across the continent with a strong presence in Western, Eastern, Southern, and Central Africa, implementing projects across four thematic areas: Parliamentary Institutions Strengthening and Support, Media and Access to Information, Convening PMOs for Knowledge Management, and Bringing Parliaments Closer to Citizens around themes of accountability, livelihoods, and inclusion.
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Serving as the Secretariat of the Africa PMO Network (APMON) and coordinating the Africa Parliamentary Press Network (APPN), PNAfrica brings together civil society organizations and journalists reporting from over 25 African national/subnational parliaments, promoting peer learning and exchange. Additionally, PNAfrica publishes the Africa Open Parliament Index every two years, which ranks national parliaments on dimensions of openness.

Headquartered in Accra, Ghana, PNAfrica also has a physical presence in Sierra Leone and The Gambia, with a growing influence across the African continent.

Source: Clement Akoloh || PNAfrica Communications