THE Clerk to Parliament, Reverend Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, has bemoaned the lack of adequate working space and facilities for Parliament, saying the situation affects the work of the institution and its members.
He recalled the 2019 “Drop that Chamber” campaign, a public and social media protest against Parliament’s proposed US$200 million project to construct a new 450-seat parliamentary chamber.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop in Accra yesterday, Rev. Djietror said the lack of space affected parliamentary work and the activities of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC).
He urged members of the PPC to take a keen interest in parliamentary proceedings and report accurately on the challenges facing the institution, including inadequate working space.
The workshop, organised by Parliament’s Media Relations Department, was on the theme: “Enhancing the Image of Parliament through the Media: Expectation of the Majority and Minority Caucus.”
It was aimed at building the capacity of PPC members and deepening their understanding of parliamentary proceedings.
“We don’t have a chamber with complementing facilities that will enable us withstand Parliament’s problems,” Rev. Djietror said.
He said Parliament needed adequate working spaces, meeting areas, division rooms, ministers’ lobbies and caucus lobbies to facilitate its operations.
“When there are issues, a caucus will not necessarily have to file out and travel all the way to Job 600 to hold meetings,” he said.
Rev. Djietror described journalists as important partners in Parliament’s work, stressing that adequate infrastructure and responsive funding for the institution would also benefit the media.
“When Parliament thrives, when we have enough infrastructure, when the funding source of Parliament is robust and responsive, it affects you,” he said.
He also urged PPC members to uphold accuracy, factual reporting and impartiality by verifying information to guard against misinformation and disinformation.
The Majority Leader, Mr James Agalga, pledged the Majority Caucus’s commitment to working openly and transparently with the PPC.
He urged journalists to report fairly and provide context when covering Parliament’s oversight responsibilities and the activities of the caucus.
The Minority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, represented by the Suame MP, Mr John Darko, urged journalists to uphold ethical standards and give the Minority Caucus the opportunity to express its views on issues.
Citing the NPP v GBC case, he said the failure of media houses to provide opposition parties with opportunities to present their positions had encouraged political actors to establish their own media houses.
The Dean of the PPC, Mr Simon Againab, said journalists needed the courage to question authority, the independence to resist improper influence and the knowledge to explain parliamentary decision-making.
“Parliament, in turn, should recognise the media’s critical role in promoting transparency and accountability,” he said.
The Chief Information Officer, Dr Kate Addo, commended PPC members for their dedication to parliamentary reporting and called for adequate resources to enable them to work effectively and efficiently.
The Director of Media Relations, Mr David Sebastian Damoah, urged participants to contribute actively to discussions to enhance their knowledge of parliamentary proceedings.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
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