Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has urged committees of Parliament to reflect citizens’ views in their reports and promote transparency by publishing findings online.
The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central called on committees to adopt practical measures that strengthen institutions, increase committee visibility, and build public trust and integrity in Parliament. He emphasized that active listening and stakeholder engagement must become central to how parliamentary committees conduct their work and produce reports. The Majority Leader’s call reflects ongoing efforts by Parliament’s leadership to make the legislative process more inclusive and responsive to the needs of ordinary Ghanaians.
Ayariga revealed that discussions are ongoing to encourage more public hearings and media involvement in committee work. “A lot of the work is done at the committee stage, so we want to see how the media can get more involved,” he said. The move aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the legislative process, ensuring that citizens have greater insight into how decisions affecting their lives are made. By opening committee proceedings to greater public scrutiny, Parliament hopes to bridge the gap between lawmakers and the people they represent.
The Majority Leader has consistently emphasized Parliament’s commitment to strengthening the work of its committees to ensure proper oversight of state institutions. He noted that in the Second Meeting and First Session of the Ninth Parliament of Ghana, there would be a focus on committees’ work and attention to their oversight responsibility over state institutions to fulfill their mandates. That approach, he said, would enable state institutions to deliver on their responsibilities by ensuring that government policies, programmes, and funds disbursed for development projects are properly accounted for.
According to Ayariga, state institutions are supposed to provide regular reports to the parliamentary committees under their oversight, and those reports should be scrutinized in the presence of the media. In that way, state institutions that are not functioning or performing efficiently would be exposed, and heads of such institutions dealt with in accordance with the laws of the country. Parliament currently has about 44 committees including the Public Accounts Committee, Constitutional and Legislative Committee, Finance Committee, Sanitation and Water Resources Committee, Energy Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, Defence and Interior Committee, Appointments Committee, and Ways and Means Committee.
The Business Committee has taken notice of numerous referrals pending at committees. Currently, 300 referrals have been made to 23 committees for consideration and report to the House. The large volume of pending work underscores the critical role committees play in Parliament’s legislative and oversight functions. Ensuring that these committees operate transparently and efficiently is essential to maintaining public confidence in the democratic process.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency, welcomed the initiative, noting that it would promote transparency, collaboration, and informed public discussions on national issues while safeguarding the dignity and integrity of the legislative process. The bipartisan support for greater transparency suggests a shared recognition that Parliament must evolve to meet the expectations of a more engaged and informed citizenry.
Ghana’s Parliament was recently adjudged the Most Open Parliament in Africa by the Africa Open Parliament Index, a recognition that reflects the institution’s commitment to transparency and accountability. Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has been instrumental in driving reforms that make Parliament more accessible and responsive to citizens. The latest call for committees to publish their findings online and incorporate citizen feedback represents another step in this ongoing transformation of Ghana’s legislative branch.
