Research Assistants (Ras) of Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Eighth Parliament have bestowed an honour on the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, for his sterling leadership and commitment to the welfare of the members of the group.

They said Mr Bagbin, since becoming the Speaker, had ensured improved conditions of service for the 275 RAs.

“You have never stopped recognising the role of research in the effective performance of parliamentary duties of Members of Parliament,” the group said.

The RAs bestowed the honour when they called on the Speaker at his office in Parliament to present a citation to him last Friday.

The citation read: “Father, while appreciating you with all sincerity, we wish to congratulate you on your successful navigation of the Eighth Parliament with its associated challenges. 

“We further wish to congratulate you on your unanimous renomination and subsequent inauguration as Speaker of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. 

“We remain open and available to foster a much deeper relationship with your office while hopeful of an enhanced and sustained working environment to continue to deliver on our mandate,” the group said.

Extend support to RAs

The Spokesperson of the Research Assistants, Stephen Attuh, expressed appreciation to the Speaker for addressing many concerns the group put before him when he assumed Speakership in 2021.

“We are happy today you have not looked up on us; you have actually lived up to your promise and did improve on the condition of service you promised us at that time,” he said.

To further enhance the work of RAs, Mr Attuh requested training programmes for the group members periodically to enable them to acquire the requisite skills and knowledge about the dynamic of the work of Parliament.

Being exposed to parliamentary work despite not being permanent staff of the Parliamentary Service Board, he appealed to the Speaker that being employed as permanent staff would offer them the opportunity to help build a career with Parliament.

“We want to ask that, if possible, some transport and rent allowances be taken into consideration for us as research assistants to support us,” Mr Attuh appealed.

Appreciation 

Responding to the concerns of the RAs, Mr Bagbin thanked them for the honour bestowed on him and promised to pursue their interests.

He said his vision for the Parliamentary Service Board was quite ambitious because Parliament was the foundation stone of democracy.

“And if Ghana has decided to go on that journey, the foundation must be solid,” he said.

Mr Bagbin said since becoming a Speaker, he had initiated various transformative processes, which when approved, would respond to the concerns of staff and research assistants.