I welcome the delegation. Some members of the committee are absent because of a vote in the Seanad. The delegates may recognise some of the members present.
Deputy Rory O'Hanlon visited Ghana in 2005 as Ceann Comhairle. Deputy Michael D. Higgins, who the delegation met briefly, is president of the Labour Party. Deputy Darragh O'Brien is the Whip of this joint committee. Senator Ivor Callely is also present. Other Senators, who were present previously, have left for a brief time and will return.
I must remind members and those in the Gallery to ensure that mobile telephones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference, even on silent mode, with the recording equipment in committee rooms. This instruction should be respected and the telephones should be completely switched off. I will switch off my own mobile telephone. Members and delegates should appreciate they are being recorded on television and aurally at the same time.
It is a great pleasure to welcome before the joint committee a distinguished delegation of parliamentarians from Ghana. I welcome the Rt. Hon. Ebenezer B. Sekyi Hughes, who is Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana. He is accompanied by his honourable parliamentary colleagues, Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, Alban Bagbin, Christine Churcher, Andrew K. Mensah, Alexander Tetteh-Enyo and David Apasera, as well as by their staff, Mr. Matthew Abrefa Tawiah, Mr. Solomon A. Nkrumah and Mrs. Agnes Betty Hughes. They are all welcome today.
Before we begin I advise witnesses that whereas Members of the Houses enjoy absolute privilege — I am sure this is the case for the delegates when in their own House at home — in respect of utterances made in committee, witnesses do not enjoy such privilege. Accordingly, caution should be exercised, particularly with regard to references of a personal nature.
The delegates are most welcome to Ireland and I hope their visit will enhance relations between Ireland and Ghana, both at parliamentary level and at other levels of our bilateral relations. The delegates have a highly intensive programme while in Ireland and I am pleased they have been able to appear before our joint committee. The Rt. Hon. Mr. Hughes will speak, as will other delegates if they consider it to be appropriate, on the situation in Ghana.
Mr. Hughes has practised with great success as a barrister and solicitor in Ghana for more than 40 years. In that time, he also has filled many important legal positions. In 2005, he was elected Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana. The distinction and professionalism that he brought to that important post earned him national and international recognition, including his election as Vice Chairman of the African Parliamentary Union in 2005, the bestowal on him in 2006 of the President's award, the Order of the Star of Ghana and his election as chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association from 2006 to 2007.
Ghana was the first sub-Saharan country to gain its independence from a colonial power, in its case, the United Kingdom, in 1957. After some difficult years, Ghana now is considered to be one of the most economically successful, influential and democratic states in west Africa. As a result of wide-ranging reforms introduced by its Government, Ghana is setting an example for other African countries. Government policies have stimulated economic growth in recent years and inflation has been sharply reduced. While the domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence farming, Ghana has approximately twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in west Africa. With its considerable natural resources, especially in gold, cocoa and, most recently, oil, it has great potential to make further progress. Ghana also has benefited substantially from debt relief initiatives since 2002. I should state that while Ireland never became involved in debt with African countries, we have contributed to debt relief.
I am familiar with Ghana's involvement with the New Partnership for African Development, NEPAD. Were delegates to tell members something of the progress of NEPAD in the course of their contribution it would be helpful, because all members are keen to support NEPAD in any way possible. I now invite the Rt. Hon. Mr. Hughes to address the joint committee.