The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has reiterated the need to increase youth participation in governance and decision-making in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Speaking on his behalf at the launch of the ‘Parliament & You’ Educational Series at Parliament House, the First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor implored on parliament to create meaningful opportunities for children and other underrepresented groups to take part in democratic processes.
He said, “No society can be truly democratic and participatory without creating meaningful opportunities for the underrepresented to be heard and involved,”
“That is why Parliament is committed to using every available platform to amplify the voices of the underrepresented, especially young people.”
Parliament has a duty to engage citizens through civic education. According to him, children should be seen as partners in building a better society and given opportunities to share their views and participate actively. The “Parliament & You” initiative, launched in partnership with Junior Graphic, will run as a weekly, child-friendly column in the newspaper. It will explain parliamentary processes through stories, illustrations, quizzes and other interactive content. Under a memorandum of understanding between Parliament and Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), the Junior Graphic publication is expected to reach at least 50,000 young readers each week across the country.
Majority Leader & MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, urged the students to take a strong interest in leadership, governance and national development. He praised Parliament and GCGL for creating an initiative that makes parliamentary education more engaging and accessible to children. Mr. Ayariga pledged an amount of GH¢200,000 in support of the programme. His opposite number the Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin on his part described the launch as an important step in Parliament’s efforts to decentralise democratic governance and make the institution more accessible to citizens. He said initiatives such as breakfast forums and other open parliament programmes show Parliament’s commitment to keeping democracy relevant and accessible to all Ghanaians. He also pledged GH¢100,000 to support the initiative.
To further strengthen the programme, the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation provided 25 laptops to serve as prizes to be awarded to winners of the competition for the first two years of the project. The laptops are expected to promote learning and encourage greater student participation.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, commended the Department of Public Engagement, noting that it has directly reached more than 44,000 students nationwide through its Educational Visitors’ Programme since its establishment. He said that initiatives like the ‘Mini Parliament’ and ‘Parliament and You’ would help bring Parliament closer to children and deepen civic awareness among young people.