Mr Adama Bictogo, the President of the National Assembly of the Ivory Coast, on Wednesday called on Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin at Parliament House in Accra.
The visit, which is a reciprocal one to an earlier visit by the Speaker to the Ivory Coast is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two sister West African nations.
Speaker Bagbin said the relations between Ghana and the Ivory Coast was real; saying “our friendship is deep and dependable”.
He said the name of the President of the Ivorian National Assembly, Mr Adama Bictogo, cuts across the whole of West Africa.
He reiterated that the people of West Africa were one people and that he had been installed as a Development Chief of the Jaman people by the Paramount Chief of Suma Traditional Area, and so his (Speaker Bagbin’s) area of development runs between the Ivory Coast and Ghana.
He noted that he was an active player in the annual festival of the Suma Traditional Area, and that chiefs from the Ivory Coast and Ghana jointly celebrated that festival.
The Speaker said, he had also been installed as the Development Chief of Takpo Traditional Area, a border community in the Upper West Region, which also cuts into Burkina Faso.
He said during his last visit to Takpo, a great delegation came from Burkina Faso; and that members of the delegation happened to know Mr Bictogo.
He lauded Mr Bictogo for being a politician and at the same time creating wealth for the benefit of the people.
The Speaker in his response to an invitation by Mr Bictogo, for him to visit the Ivory Coast, said he would be going to the Ivory Coast with a powerful delegation in October 2024 and Ghana would be having a national election later this year, and, Members of the House would partner him to pay the visit to the Ivory Coast.
On his part, Mr Adama Bictogo, the President of the National Assembly of the Ivory Coast, underscored the need for the creation of a common platform for Members of Parliament from both countries to be sharing ideas.
He also reiterated the need to promote trade among African countries.
Mr Bictogo wished Ghanaians a peaceful general election in December and urged them to remain united.
Members of the Leadership of the Parliament of Ghana at the meeting include Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business and his Deputy, Mrs Patricia Appiagyei.
Others are Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minority Leader and his Deputy, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah. —GNA
