Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament elected president of Africa’s Anti-Corruption Lawmakers’ Network

Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has been elected President of the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC), a continental body that unites legislators in the fight against graft and the abuse of public office.

The election took place in Accra during APNAC’s 9th Biennial General Meeting, which brought together parliamentary leaders, governance experts, and anti-corruption advocates from across Africa.

In accepting his new role, Mr Bagbin pledged to strengthen collaboration among African parliaments to promote integrity, transparency, and accountability in public life.

The Speaker also paid tribute to APNAC’s outgoing leadership, commending their “dedication, collective wisdom, and lasting contribution” to the network’s work over the years.

Mr Bagbin’s election comes weeks after he was appointed to the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Task Force on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, joining seven other senior parliamentarians from around the world working to promote dialogue and peace.

The IPU, which represents more than 170 national parliaments, said his selection was based on his “integrity, impartiality, and ability to build trust among opposing sides.”

As part of that role, Mr Bagbin has participated in a series of high-level meetings with parliamentary delegations from both Kyiv and Moscow, contributing to the global search for diplomatic solutions to the ongoing conflict.

Founded in 1999, the African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption is a pan-African organisation dedicated to improving legislative oversight, transparency, and public sector ethics. It supports lawmakers in strengthening anti-corruption laws and collaborates with civil society to promote clean governance.

Under Mr Bagbin’s leadership, APNAC is expected to push for stronger parliamentary accountability systems, improved enforcement of asset declarations, and greater cooperation with regional anti-graft agencies.

Mr Bagbin’s elevation adds to Ghana’s increasing influence in continental governance circles. Analysts say his dual responsibilities—heading both the national legislature and APNAC—place him in a strategic position to shape Africa’s anti-corruption agenda and reinforce parliamentary diplomacy on the world stage.

The Speaker is expected to assume office immediately, leading APNAC’s next two-year term focused on institutional reform, integrity building, and cross-border collaboration against corruption.