The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is making strides to strengthen its connection with African citizens, improving visibility, relevance, and credibility, according to Dr. Mrs. Ndidi Abanno, Acting Head of Division for Committees, Research, Documentation, and Library.
Speaking at the Data for Governance Alliance (D4GA) Continental convening in Accra, Ghana, Dr. Abanno highlighted initiatives aimed at enhancing public engagement. “We are livestreaming all PAP sessions in AU languages and sharing session themes with national parliaments to broaden accessibility,” she said.
The Parliament has also partnered with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to facilitate consultations, fact-finding missions, and the dissemination of parliamentary outcomes. PAP maintains a YouTube channel where proceedings are available in major African languages.
Acknowledging room for improvement, Dr. Abanno added, “We need to reduce delays in sharing parliamentary data online and expand structured citizen forums for meaningful participation.”
Media partnerships have been central to PAP’s outreach. Mr. Gilbert Borketey Boyefio, Secretary General of the African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN), said, “Through PAP TV and media briefings, more Africans are becoming familiar with the Parliament and its impact locally.”
Both leaders emphasized the role of MPs as ambassadors of PAP at the national level and called on citizens to engage actively with the Parliament’s work.
