Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, the Speaker of Parliament, has urged countries in the West Africa sub-region to take advantage of their tourism potentials and develop the industry to the benefit of all.

He gave high marks to the Gambia on the development of its tourism sector, saying that country “live by tourism.”

“Whatever we have to do to develop tourism, let’s do it. It is one area that is very evident just as one enters the country,” the Speaker said in Accra, when delegation from National Assembly of the Gambia, led by its Speaker Abdoulie Bojang paid a courtesy call on him at Parliament House in Accra.

The delegation is in Ghana in an exchange program with the Public Accounts Committee of Ghana.

Mr Adjaho praised the long standing relations between Accra and Banjul, and said much as the world was becoming a global village, it was necessary that countries in the sub-region took advantage of their common resources and other things that united them to forge greater and deeper collaboration.

He expressed concern about Gambia’s absence from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and made a strong suggestion for her to comeback so that the Africa Group would have a stronger voice in the deliberations of the Association.

The Association is scheduled for a meeting next month, but Gambia for two years now had withdrawn its membership

“Gambia's presence in the Association is invaluable and so staying out of it reduces its strength,” Mr Adjaho said.

Mr. Bojang said the Gambia Parliament has a lot to offer other Parliaments. He particularly praised their Public Accounts Committee.

Earlier, Mr Adjaho had granted audience to the outgoing Cuban Ambassador, Mr Jeorge Lefebne Nicolas.

The Speaker reiterated Ghana’s appreciation to Cuba for her invaluable support and contribution to Ghana health and education sectors.

Mr Nicolas, who had worked in Ghana for four years, asked Ghana to continue supporting Cuba to improve on its relations with the US.

Diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, severed in 1961 during the Cold War. The relations were restored last July, but the United States, however, continues to maintain it’s commercial, economic, and financial embargo, which makes it illegal for U.S. corporations to do business with Cuba, although the U.S. President, Barack Obama, has called for the ending of the embargo but U.S. law requires congressional approval to end the embargo.

Mr Nicholas said the strain in US-Cuba relations has adversely affected Cuba's economic development, and therefore counted on Ghana's continuous advocacy for the US to restore its bilateral relations with Cuba.