Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has emphasized the need to address growing mistrust in the country’s political system and prioritize citizen involvement in parliamentary affairs.
According to him, the ability to consistently engage the significant others and understand their perspectives will determine the quality of parliamentary representation.
The Speaker made the call at the launch of the ‘Citizens’ Bureau,’ in Parliament, which aims to foster greater engagement and collaboration between the legislature and individuals and groups in decision-making processes.
The Citizens’ Bureau will create platforms and channels for disseminating information to parliament’s key stakeholders, whilst gathering information and their perspectives to enhance representation, law and policy formulation, and the oversight responsibilities of parliament to meet the expectations of citizens.
It will build a database of CSOs and think tanks in Ghana and enable easy, two-way information sharing, including research findings.
Speaking at the launching in Parliament on Monday, July 31, Alban Bagbin pointed out that Ghana’s 1992 Constitution establishes a democratic system that places sovereignty in the hands of the people.
He stressed that the government’s responsibilities should, therefore, revolve around the interests and well-being of the citizens, making it imperative to involve them in the decision-making process.
He raised concerns about the disconnect between Africa’s political elite and the people they serve, leading to mistrust and a decline in confidence in political leadership.
He said, “Consequently, in today’s Africa, we have seen military coup d’états in Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Sudan, Guinea, and Niger. This should be of concern as it detracts from efforts at consolidating democracy in Africa. Reconnecting parliament to the people is our responsibility as MPs.”
He explained that the ‘Citizens’ Bureau’ aims to bridge this gap by incorporating civil society actors, interested groups, and individuals into the legislative process and celebrates the partnership between Parliament and civil society, representing a step towards more inclusive governance.
“Our mandate as duty-bearers will only have meaning for the people we serve if we ensure the active participation of significant segments of society in the work of parliament,” Bagbin asserted.
In his remarks, Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that the Bureau is an important step towards providing the channel to partner with CSOs and identify strategic opportunities to institutionalize transparency, participation, and accountability.
According to him, it will also strengthen the open Parliament initiatives that the Inter-Parliamentary Union has been hammering on.
He averred that the dissonance between citizens and their representatives brings about mistrust on issues relating to governance.
“As Parliament continues to undergo significant reforms towards strengthening accountability, responsiveness, accessibility and inclusivity, institutionalizing relationship between parliament and CSOs including think tanks to deliver sustainable development to the people of Ghana has become very crucial.”
He added that advocating for transparency and demanding accountability ensures that public resources are utilized efficiently and for the greater good of the populace.
Minority leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, on the other hand, praised the formation of the Citizens’ Bureau as it will set Ghana on the right path.
According to him, as the first initiative of its kind in the entire Africa, the time has come for Parliament to work even more to reach out to constituents to let them appreciate its work.
He observed that on many occasions in the past, CSOs and members of the public have reached out to individual legislators and requested information that ordinarily should be made public.
“Parliament oftentimes has engaged the CSOs in an ad hoc manner. This will be the first time that we will have a structured approach where we will be engaging the CSOs and the general public.”
“This facility will help to facilitate engagements and sharing of information between Parliament and CSOs and the general public,” he said.