Parliament has urged African legislators to deepen partnerships with anti-corruption agencies, audit institutions, and civil society to strengthen accountability and governance across the continent.

Speaking at the African Open Government Conference in Rabat, Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Vice Chair of Parliament’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus said collaboration must move beyond rhetoric.

“The Open Government Partnership framework must move beyond symbolism, with civil society playing an active watchdog role in promoting transparency and accountability,” a statement issued by Mr David Sebastian Damoah, Director, Media Relations, Parliamentary Service, to the Ghana News Agency on Monday, said.

It said Mr Acquah, also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Oda made the remarks at the launch of the African Network of Open Parliaments, a side event of the three-day conference that brought together delegates from 16 African countries.

It also called for closer cooperation between parliaments and the media to raise public awareness of governance reforms.

Highlighting Ghana’s progress, the statement pointed to the creation of a bipartisan OGP caucus, the rollout of an Open Parliament Action Plan, live broadcasts of parliamentary proceedings, and a digital dashboard to track governance commitments. It said, “these reforms could serve as models for other African countries seeking to deepen transparency and citizen participation.”

According to the statement, Mr Mohamed Sabbari, the Deputy Speaker of Morocco’s House of Representatives, speaking at the network launch, said the initiative would enable African parliaments to exchange best practices in transparency, data management, and documentation.

It added that the network would promote digital tools to strengthen democracy, enhance citizen engagement, and keep young people informed about parliamentary activities.

Ghana joined the OGP in 2011 and has since gained international recognition for its open governance reforms under Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.

Parliament ranked first in West Africa in the Africa Open Parliament Index in 2022 and retained that position in 2025, placing second in Africa behind South Africa.

The Rabat conference brought together policymakers, civil society organizations, and development partners to promote participatory democracy, strengthen citizen engagement, and encourage African-led approaches grounded in local realities.