First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor and Asutifi South MP Collins Dauda have officially taken their oaths as members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the legislative arm of the African Union. Their swearing-in ceremony took place on Monday, November 3, in South Africa.
Established to serve as a continental forum for dialogue and policymaking, the Pan-African Parliament first convened in March 2004. Initially headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the institution later relocated to Midrand, South Africa. Its founding vision was to create a platform where representatives from across Africa could gather to deliberate and enact policies addressing shared challenges across the continent.
The Parliament functions primarily in an advisory and consultative capacity, with oversight responsibilities. Each member state that has ratified the founding Protocol may nominate up to five representatives, including at least one woman. These delegates are selected through their national legislatures.
The long-term ambition of PAP is to evolve into a fully empowered legislative body with members elected by universal suffrage, a goal emphasized by former South African President Jacob Zuma during the opening of the second legislature’s first ordinary session on October 28, 2009.
PAP is structured into three main components:
The Plenary, which serves as the central forum for legislative debate and decision-making.
The Bureau, which provides leadership and includes a president and four vice presidents elected by the Plenary.
The Secretariat, which manages administrative functions and is led by a Clerk, Deputy Clerk, and Acting Deputy Clerk.
Together, these divisions uphold the mission and operational framework of the Pan-African Parliament
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