In a significant step towards enhancing transparency and strengthening fiscal oversight, the Parliament of Ghana has launched a landmark initiative in partnership with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the World Bank.

The project, titled “Building the Capacity of Parliamentarians for Economic and Financial Governance,” aims to boost the legislative arm’s role in economic management and oversight through targeted training and institutional support.

Unveiled on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at Parliament House in Accra, the initiative will run over an 18-month period and is supported by an £800,000 grant from the UK government, channeled through the World Bank.

The program is designed to provide Ghanaian legislators with the tools, skills, and analytical capacity required to exercise more robust scrutiny over economic and financial governance processes.

Launching the program, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, emphasized its significance in reinforcing Ghana’s democratic institutions.

“This initiative will strengthen parliamentary oversight, improve fiscal management, and deepen understanding of economic policies among Members of Parliament,” he noted.

He underscored that new MPs, in particular, would greatly benefit from the tailored capacity-building modules, enabling them to make well-informed decisions that reflect the national interest.

According to Speaker Bagbin, effective economic governance is central to ensuring accountability and transparency in the use of public resources.

He expressed appreciation to both the UK government and the World Bank for their continued commitment to democratic development in Ghana.

Development Partners Reaffirm Commitment

Representing the World Bank, Michelle Keane, Acting Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, praised the initiative as a timely and necessary intervention.

“Members of Parliamentary committees require the necessary skills and knowledge to evaluate government expenditure and revenue frameworks. This will ensure fiscal decisions are not only sustainable but also equitable,” she said.

The British High Commission also echoed strong support. Keith McMahon, the UK’s Chargé d’affaires in Ghana, stressed that development must be locally driven.

“Only Ghanaians and their elected representatives can drive Ghana’s prosperity. The UK is proud to support this important work to ensure better economic outcomes for all citizens,” McMahon added.

Committees and Units to Benefit from the Program

The project targets several key Parliamentary Committees, including:

Finance Committee

Budget Committee

Economy and Development Committee

Assurances Committee

Public Accounts Committee

Additionally, institutional support will be extended to the newly created Office for Parliamentary Analysis and the Citizens’ Bureau, signaling Parliament’s intent to deepen its evidence-based analysis and citizen engagement mechanisms.

Core Objectives of the Initiative

The initiative is structured around six primary goals:

1. Provide technical expertise on public financial management, tax policy, macroeconomic planning, and development.

2. Support Parliament-led efforts to promote prudent public resource management.

3. Develop tailored toolkits, training manuals, and handbooks for MPs and parliamentary staff.

4. Encourage peer learning exchanges with other national parliaments and legislatures.

5. Enhance Parliament’s capacity to identify data gaps and engage external actors, including think tanks, CSOs, and the private sector.

6. Strengthen transparency and public awareness through enhanced media and civil society engagement.

Toward Inclusive and Accountable Governance

Parliament’s Director of Media Relations, David Sebastian Damoah, in a statement, emphasized that the partnership symbolizes renewed faith in Ghana’s democratic evolution and economic resilience.

He reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to using this support to deliver concrete improvements in oversight, transparency, and governance.