The Speaker of Parliament, Rt.Honorable Alban Sumana Bagbin, has launched an information-sharing platform between Parliament, academia and civil society organisations aimed at improving economic governance and public financial management.
The maiden session, organised by the Citizens’ Bureau, brought together Members of Parliament, representatives of development partners including the World Bank and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), academics and civil society groups.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, Speaker Bagbin said the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between research, policymaking and the daily experiences of Ghanaians.
He noted that Parliament, academia and civil society each have important but complementary roles in shaping national development and ensuring effective governance.
The Speaker highlighted Parliament’s ongoing reforms to promote openness and citizen participation, including the development of an Open Parliament Plan, the electronic petitions platform, live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings and the restructuring of the former Public Affairs Department into specialised units such as the Citizens’ Bureau, Media Relations, Public Engagement and the Visitors’ Centre.
Mr Bagbin said economic governance and public financial management remain critical responsibilities of Parliament, adding that effective oversight requires more than official reports.
He stressed the importance of independent research, credible evidence and public perspectives in helping Parliament strengthen its scrutiny of government finances and safeguard public resources.
The Speaker urged parliamentary committees, including the Committee on Economy and Development, the Budget Committee and the Committee on Independent Constitutional Bodies, to view the engagement as the beginning of a sustained partnership with academia and civil society.
He commended the Citizens’ Bureau, ISSER and development partners for supporting the initiative and expressed confidence that the collaboration would contribute to improved economic governance and accountability in Ghana.
