Tying development aid to adoption of foreign culture alien to our socio-cultural fabric against UN charter — Speaker Bagbin

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has criticised what he describes as increasing external pressure on African countries to modify their laws and cultural values as a condition for development assistance and international cooperation.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the Fourth African Inter Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values at Parliament House in Accra, Mr Bagbin said linking aid, trade agreements and bilateral partnerships to the adoption of foreign legal and cultural frameworks undermines the sovereignty of African states.

He stressed that sovereignty represents the inherent right of a people to determine their own social, economic and moral direction without external coercion or ideological conditions.

“In recent times, we have witnessed a troubling narrative where development assistance, trade agreements, natural resource agreements and bilateral cooperation have been made contingent upon the adoption of legal and cultural paradigms alien to our socio-cultural fabric,” he stated.

Mr Bagbin argued that such conditionalities violate the principle of sovereign equality enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

“We do not seek to dictate the internal legal frameworks of other continents, and we expect, in return, the same respect for our sovereignty,” he said.

He maintained that African constitutions empower legislatures to preserve and promote indigenous cultural values while balancing them with modern development needs and fundamental human rights.

Citing Article 39 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, he noted that Parliament has a mandate to bridge traditional heritage with modern statutory law, particularly on issues relating to family and social values.

“Our laws must look like the people they are written to protect. A law that does not resonate with the spirit, history and moral conscience of the citizenry is a dead law,” he emphasised.

Mr Bagbin further urged African lawmakers to remain accountable to their electorates and ensure that national legislation reflects the values and aspirations of their people.

Addressing delegates from across the continent, he called for stronger collective action to defend legislative sovereignty and resist what he termed unfair external pressures.

He noted that no African country can safeguard its sovereignty alone, advocating deeper cooperation through regional parliamentary bodies such as the Pan-African Parliament, the ECOWAS Parliament, the East African Legislative Assembly and the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

The Speaker also proposed the adoption of an African Family Values Charter to create a shared continental framework for protecting family structures and cultural values.

According to him, such a charter would harmonise family protection laws, strengthen Africa’s collective voice and reinforce sovereignty through an indigenous framework developed by Africans.

Mr Bagbin added that Africa’s development drive should not come at the expense of its cultural identity, stressing that the continent can modernise and remain globally competitive while preserving its traditions and values.

He urged participants to ensure that resolutions from the conference translate into concrete legislation, budgetary allocations and effective oversight to protect families, preserve cultural heritage and strengthen sovereignty across Africa.