Parliament has called on legislators across Africa to strengthen partnerships with anti-corruption institutions, including Transparency International and national audit bodies, to improve accountability, governance oversight, and monitoring systems.
Speaking at the African Open Government Conference in Rabat, Morocco, the Vice Chair of Parliament’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus and MP for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, stressed the need for stronger collaboration between governments and civil society organisations to advance transparency and open governance.
He noted that the Open Government Partnership framework must move beyond symbolism, with civil society playing an active watchdog role in promoting accountability.
Hon. Acquah made the remarks during the launch of the African Network of Open Parliaments, held alongside the three-day conference attended by delegates from 16 African countries.
He also encouraged closer cooperation between parliaments and the media to improve public awareness and understanding of governance reforms across the continent.
Highlighting reforms undertaken by Ghana’s Parliament, the Akim Oda MP pointed to the establishment of a bipartisan OGP caucus, the implementation of an Open Parliament Action Plan, live broadcasts of parliamentary proceedings, and the introduction of a digital dashboard to track governance commitments.
According to him, these initiatives could serve as models for other African countries seeking to deepen transparency and citizen participation.
At the launch of the network, Morocco’s Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives said the initiative would enable African parliaments to exchange best practices in transparency, documentation, and data management.
He added that the network would also promote the use of digital tools to strengthen democracy, improve citizen engagement, and keep young people informed about parliamentary activities.
Ghana joined the Open Government Partnership in 2011 and has since gained international recognition for its governance reforms under Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
Parliament ranked first in West Africa in the Africa Open Parliament Index in 2022 and retained the position in 2025, placing second on the continent behind South Africa.
The conference in Morocco brought together policymakers, civil society organisations, and development partners to promote participatory democracy and encourage African-led governance solutions.
