Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has been invited as a special Guest of Honour at the inauguration of the 1st Ordinary Advisory Session of the President for the National Assembly of Benin and the opening ceremony of the 9th Parliament of Benin.

A statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said this was made known when Mr Alowe Leo Kabah, the Beninese Ambassador to Ghana paid a courtesy call on the Speaker at Parliament House in Accra.

The statement said Mr Kabah was in Parliament as a follow up to an earlier invitation extended to the Speaker.

It noted that Speaker Bagbin was expected to deliver a goodwill message to the National Assembly and a key note message at the inauguration.

It said Ghana and Benin had a long standing relationship based on mutual interests and benefits.

The statement said Benin looked up to Ghana as a model of parliamentary democracy and this was reiterated by the Ambassador during his conversation with the Speaker.

Speaker of Parliament Bagbin, on his part, reminisced on his long standing relationship with the President of the National Assembly, Louis Viavonou and expressed the hope that the continued collaboration between both Parliaments would benefit the people of the two countries.

He affirmed his intention to honour the invitation and was expected to lead a delegation to Benin to attend the event on the 12th April and return on the 13th April, 2023.