Educate young South Africans on liberation struggle - Zanetor urges colleague legislators

The Second Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has urged Pan-African legislators to educate the younger generation of South Africans on the diverse contributions Ghana and other African countries made towards the liberation of their people.

“Ghana, as well as many other countries on the continent, took part in the solidarity struggle towards the final liberation of the people of South Africa,” she said. 

Speaking on her arrival at the Accra International Airport last Thursday, she said it was necessary to remind the young generation of the important principles that “bind us together as people of this continent”.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings was elected the Second Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament on April 30 at the just-ended session of the continental body in Midrand, South Africa.

She was received at the airport by the leadership of Parliament, led by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror.

Others were the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor; the First Deputy Majority Whip, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe, who is also the President of the Women’s Caucus in Parliament, as well as other senior management members of Parliament.

Citizenship

“Perhaps we are not telling the story enough to the younger generation, and they need to be reminded about the sacrifices that were made, financial and educational, in terms of citizenship and asylum, in terms of passports and logistics that were provided to people who then subsequently were part of the liberation struggle of South Africa,” she said.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said the issue of the xenophobic attacks in South Africa was very unfortunate.

“So, indeed, yes, it is a topic that we intend to raise as part of the calendar for the Pan-African Parliament,” she said.

Honour’

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings described her election as “a huge honour”, as it was indeed the first time that a woman had held that position.

She said it was a real honour and a very humbling experience and thanked God for the opportunity to serve.

“Indeed, there is so much work to do and I believe that at a time like this, when we have so much conflict and so many reversals in democracy, parliamentary democracy has never been more important,” she said.

Mr Djietror touted Dr Agyeman-Rawlings’ election as “wonderful news, as you have flown the Ghana flag very, very high”.

“The women of Ghana are very proud of your achievement,” he said.

For his part, Mr Dafeamekpor said the government, colleague MPs and Ghanaians in general were very happy to welcome her home.

“We are particularly gratified that the issues of women were central to your campaigning and it was as a result that you were overwhelmingly elected,” he said.