The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has stressed the critical role of the media in national development.
He pointed out that no democratic society can progress without transparent information sharing.
“You cannot develop without information. We share diverse views, synthesise them, agree on a common journey, and move together,” he said.
He commended the media for their contributions to national development and to its own public service journey.
Mr Bagbin was speaking during an engagement with Editors and senior journalists to help deepen cooperation and enhance the media’s understanding of parliamentary work.
He conceded that parliamentarians who had largely succeeded in their parliamentary work had a strong media background and good relationship with the media, citing himself as an example.
He reiterated the challenges confronting media practitioners, including a lack of specialisation, the impact of social media and artificial intelligence on mainstream media and the need for specialisation, which requires resources to address.
Mr Bagbin, therefore, urged all political actors to help address the challenges.
The Speaker said Parliament was seeking to be very open and transparent, a Parliament that has to be inclusive and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the citizenry.
In line with that, he said, the meetings of Parliament’s committee were opened for media and other actors’ attendance and observation.
Mr Bagbin said Parliament was seeking to be one of the most open and accessible legislatures on the African continent.
Mr Bagbin pledged to build a progressive and inclusive model Parliament that deepened good governance and met the needs and aspirations of Ghanaians, as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
“My vision is to establish a Parliament that is open, transparent, inclusive and responsive to the needs of the people,” he stated.
Mr Bagbin said there were plans to introduce a Parliamentary Transition Act, similar to the Presidential Transition Act, before the 2028 general election, which would ensure a smooth transition of the legislature after every election.
“There’s no law governing the transition of Parliament. You all saw what happened on January 7, 2021,” he noted, recalling the administrative challenges he faced upon assuming office as Speaker, without a proper handover process.
He lamented that most of the staff who worked with his predecessor, Prof. Mike Oquaye, had left without handing over any documentation, leaving his office empty.
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