By Benjamin Mensah, GNA
Accra, July 31, GNA – The United States
House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a historic address to Ghana’s
Parliament on Wednesday, called for Ghana and the United States of America
(USA) to forge ahead and continue to sacrifice for a better future for their
children.
“Together, we can bring about a better future
for our children- the better world that so many in both our nations sacrificed
to build,” the Speaker said to cheers from the Legislators, in Accra, as she
recalled the historic bonds between Accra and Washington.
The Speaker, who is leading a US
Congressional delegation on a three-day visit to Ghana, thanked the Government
and People of Ghana for forging peace, both nationally, continentally and
through an actively supporting Peace Corps efforts and participation in global peace-keeping missions.
Ms Pelosi underscored the need to achieve
justice, with a note that six decades after Ghana pioneering Africa’s
independence struggle and achievement, “the world once again depends on Ghana to
be a force to advance justice.”
The Speaker anchored hope on justice, that,
“justice is the foundation of hope,” and stressed that young people in
particular have hope in the future.
She reaffirmed America’s commitment to
Ghana’s economic progress, which she said was enshrined and advanced over the
course of many years through the Millennium Challenge partnership and in the
African Growth and Opportunity Act.
She urged the Governments of the two nations
to continue to support what she called “smart development strategies” that spur
sustainable economic growth and lift up all families in Ghana and Africa.
Ms Pelosi praised Ghana as a leader in
intra- African trade, but called for more to be done to diversify economies and
encourage trade throughout the continent for the creation of regional security
and stability necessary to achieve prosperity across West Africa.
She further stressed the need to create
educational and economic opportunities that allowed every student and worker,
with focus on women and girls to climb the ladders of opportunity.
Equally, she called for health justice,
access and fair distribution of health care delivery, and prevent devastating
public health crises, but to forge a more equal and fair future where every
person has access to basic health care, hammering that, “we must strive for the
eradication of disease,” as she denounced accessibility to health care on
geographical locations.
“We cannot accept a world in which where one
is born determines whether they have access to the quality, affordable to care
and services they need to healthy fulfilling lives,” the Speaker said, adding,
”health care is a right, not a privilege-for
every person, in every country”.
Ms Pelosi further called on the two nations
to achieve environmental justice, through combatting climate crisis, which she
said was the existential threat of “our time.”
On peace keeping, Ms Pelosi announced her
pleasure of meeting with Peace Corps volunteers in Ghana, and reported that
3000 Ghanaian men and women were working day and night to advance the safety
and stability “from the Middle East to Mali; the DRC to Darfur.
Ms Pelosi pledged that America would
continue to look to Ghana as a partner in advancing security and peace, and
upholding human rights and opportunities for all.
Ms Pelosi’s visit reportedly marks the 400th
anniversary of the first enslaved Africans being sent to the United States.
She presented a replica of the mace of the
US House of Representatives to the House.
The Reverend Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye,
the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, expressed appreciation to Speaker Pelosi,
for the address, which he described as inspiring, and recognised the presence
of former President Jerry Rawlings and wife Konadu, former Speaker Doe Adjaho,
former Clerks and, his (Speaker’s) better half, Albertha.
GNA
