Bilateral relations and ways to foster them in the scientific, economic, educational and trade fields were discussed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The meeting was held on Tuesday on the fringes of Ammar's participation in the Human Rights 75 high-level event held by the UN Human Rights Office on December 11-12 in Geneva, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The two diplomats reviewed the two countries' positions on the current international issues and the situation in Palestine. Amir-Abdollahian commended on the occasion, the initatives and positions defended by Tunisia at national and international levels regarding this issue, as well as Tunisia's hosting of Palestinian patients and wounded. Ammar for his part, reiterated Tunisia's unwavering support to the Palestinian people and pointed to the need for an immediate and long-lasting ceasefire. He further voiced outrage at the international community's failure to take action to stop the genocide of the Palestinian people. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the First Deputy Majority Chief Whip, says public participation in the Parliamentary governance system of a country improves the effectiveness of governance. That, she explained as involving citizens in governance policy formulation and decision-making processes, helped them collaborate to make Members of Parliament (MPs) accountable as well as scrutinise their works. Madam Alhassan, also, a New Patriotic Party MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, said on Wednesday at an Educational Forum for the University of Ghana Political Science Students' Association. She spoke on the topic: 'How can the public contribute to the parliamentary governance system.' The day's meeting was organised by Parliament's Department of Public Engagement as part of efforts to bring Parliament closer to the people. Madam Alhassan urged the students to contribute to Ghana's parliamentary governance system to ensure accountability. 'Collaborate in your small way to promote transparency, accountability and effec tiveness in any modern government,' she said. Mr Ibrahim Mutala Mohammed, a National Democratic Congress MP for Tamale Central, advised the students to focus on what they wanted to achieve in life. He said having a focus would allow them to plan their lives well in advance to avoid regrets later. Ms Margaret Donkor, the Deputy Director of the Department of Public Engagement, Parliament, narrated the history of Parliament as far back as 1850, Ghana, then the Gold Coast, was given its own Legislative Council to advise the colonial Governor in enacting legislation mainly in the form of Ordinances for the peace, order and good government of the citizenry through to the current Third Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana with 30 years uninterrupted Parliamentary democracy. Dr Ernest Daffour, Senior Assistant Clerk, Committees Offices, in his presentation, explained that Parliament's Committees were grouped into three. He said that while the Standing Committee had 14 Committees consi sting of MPs, it was a permanent and regular Committee, which was constituted from time to time according to the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, the Select Committee that dealt with subject matters was made up of 16 Committees while the Adhoc Committee deals with specific issues of public interest and is dissolved after discharging its duties to the expectation of the plenary. Source: Ghana News Agency