Empowering Parliament is key to safeguarding democracy – Bagbin

Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has underlined the necessity of strengthening Parliament to improve its oversight capabilities.
Bagbin emphasized the vital role that Parliament plays in preserving democracy and guaranteeing accountability within the government during the opening of the Parliament Supplementary Office Complex on Tuesday, October 29.
According to him, the purpose of Parliament’s operations is to guarantee that the will of the Ghanaian people is honored and maintained, highlighting the need of cooperation between different stakeholders to support its operations.

According to Bagbin, strengthening Parliament’s ability would allow it to keep a close eye on government acts, which would promote openness and confidence between the people and the government. He asked MPs to put their oversight responsibilities first and cooperate to address urgent national issues, including governance, public health, and economic challenges.

The Speaker also acknowledged the importance of adequate infrastructure in facilitating the work of Parliament. He expressed gratitude for the completion of the new office complex, which he described as a significant milestone that would provide Members of Parliament with the necessary resources and environment to carry out their duties more efficiently.

“Apart from law-making, it is parliament that has the only function of oversight and it is parliament that has to ensure that our collective efforts, whether in terms of energy, resources, or trust, are properly applied to the benefit of everybody.

“So, strengthening the parliament is not just the duty of the parliament but of everybody. We have to work together and make sure that our people do not suffer and struggle to elect us in vain,” he stated.