By Bakah Derick
Hon. Agho Oliver Bamenju is amongst the 200 Members of Parliament (MPs) drawn from around the world attending the 2023 Global Paliamentary Forum organized by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF in Washington DC. The forum which is the first in-person since the outbreak of COVID-19 runs from April 10-11.
Coming from a constituency in the North West Region near Bamenda with the potential to benefit largely through the Ekok road should issues of trade be fixed between African countries, the Young MP took the challenge to raise the economic interest of his people at the high profile forum. Amongst the questioned carefully selected and put forward for the president of the World Bank group was that of the young Cameroonian MP Hon. Agho Oliver.
The Young MP representing Tubah/Bafut in Parliament during the exclusive Parliamentary Townhall with World Bank President David Malpass and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva wanted to know from the two giant Britton woods institutions what what they are doing to help fully operationalize the Africa Continental Free Trade Area given that intra-African trade stands at 18%?
Talking to www.hilltopvoices.com via a messaging app on what inspired his question he explained that his question was informed by the fact that his country, Cameroon is one of the first six African countries that have been selected to lead the trial phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, that seeks to ensure the unrestricted movement of goods and services in the continent
Though no response has filtered from the forum to newsroom, this is an indication that the young member of Parliament is giving the needs of his people proper attention and as well looking at the future.
Hon. Agho is joining legislators from around the world alongside their peers and leadership from the World Bank and IMF on this platform to deliberate on how to tackle the most crucial development challenges facing the world. Discussions during the forum are focused on the theme “Tough Challenges, Tougher Choices” with attention on the multiple crisis facing the earth and common humanity, including climate change, security, governance, accountability, growth, debt, gender and cross-border migration.
Hon Agho is expected to conclude his stay in Washington DC by attending the Global Young MP Initiative opened only to parliamentarians aged 40 and under to explore innovative approaches to environmental and social policies that MPs can pursue to foster sustainable societies.