The Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, has expressed strong support for the Political Inclusion and Consensus Building Project launched by the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), describing it as a strategic step towards deepening Ghana’s democratic culture.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, February 18, the legislator said he was honoured to attend the official launch of the initiative.
The project was officially launched by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who emphasised the need for structured dialogue and inclusive political engagement within Parliament.
According to Mr Opoku, the Speaker underscored that the initiative is intended to strengthen democratic practice beyond partisan lines.
“As Vice Chairman of the Young Parliamentarians Forum, I was particularly encouraged that the engagement centred significantly on young Members of Parliament,” Mr Opoku stated.
He noted that the initiative recognises that “strengthening Ghana’s democracy requires deliberate investment in the next generation of parliamentary leadership.”
He further quoted the Speaker as saying the project is “not merely a training programme, but a democratic investment” aimed at strengthening cross-party engagement, encouraging issue-based collaboration, promoting inclusive participation—especially among women and youth—reducing political polarisation, and institutionalising dialogue mechanisms beyond election cycles.
Mr Opoku stressed that young lawmakers must lead efforts to reshape political culture.
“For us as young MPs, this project presents an opportunity to model a new political culture, one grounded in respect, dialogue, evidence-based debate and national interest,” he said.
“If we are to secure the future of our democracy, consensus-building must not be occasional. It must be intentional and institutional.
Source: Ernest K. Arhinful, My Joy Online
