Dogara urges African Lawmakers to unite to protect democracy

By; JOSHUA I. EGBODO, Abuja.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, has reiterated the need for cooperation and engagements between parliaments in Africa, saying it is the best way to ensure that democracy is strengthened in the respective countries in the continent.
Dogara made this known when he received senior members of the Ghanian parliament who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
The speaker noted that parliament is the first institution of democracy in all countries in the world, and as such, it is the responsibility of members of the legislature to ensure that democratic cultured and practices are deepened in their respective countries.
He said, “If we compare even the most benevolent military regime, we will come to an irrefutable conclusion that democracy works better than military. So, we have, as the first institution of democracy as I have spoken to, the added responsibility of ensuring that democracy taking roots in our respective countries and the only way we can do that is through this kind of interface, always meeting together like this, sharing experiences and talking about how we can further deepen democratic culture and practice in our respective countries.”
Going further, he called for the promotion of healthy competition among the two countries to advance their growth and development, while also noting that Nigeria and Ghana share a common history and many things in common.
In his remarks earlier, leader of the Ghanian parliament, deputy majority leader of Ghanian parliament, Hon Alfred Agbesi, said his delegation was on a study visit to the National Assembly and to strengthen and further deepen the existing relationship between the two parliaments.
“We are here to deepen, strengthen the relationship and to know what is being done here so that when we go back, we can compare notes with what is being done there,” he said.