‘Capacity Building Of Parliamentary Staff My Priority’

On January 31, 2024, 9:49 PM

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has indicated that since he assumed the role of Speaker and Chairman of the Parliamentary Service Board, he has prioritized the capacity building of Parliamentary staff.

According to him, he firmly believes that enhancing staff competencies is the surest way to effective service delivery and improved productivity.

He made this statement during the opening ceremony of a four–day professional development training programme for Senior Officials of the Parliamentary Service.

He indicated that the recent implementation of a new organogram for the Parliamentary Service has resulted in expanded functional areas and more challenging roles, particularly, for Senior Management Officials of the Service.

In view of that, the Board has appointed some key officers to occupy some of the vacant positions while working assiduously to complete the rest of the appointment process.

According to him, the Service therefore expects that these officers perform critical roles which emphases on implementation of strategic policies, coordination of operational functions, and quality control.

He added that, “This professional training you are about to undergo is not only timely but vital in preparing you to effectively perform your new roles under the current organogram as well as navigate and lead through the implementation of our ambitious goals for the next five years. This is particularly crucial in the wake of the ongoing implementation of a robust performance management system to recognize and reward excellence, and foster a culture of accountability within the Parliamentary Service”.

The Speaker further stated that, he has initiated the process for the development a new 5-year Corporate Strategic Plan to replace the old one which ends this year.

According to him, the new plan will provide strategic direction for Parliament for the next five years to align with the evolving goals and the dynamic legislative landscape.

The Clerk to Parliament, Cyril Oteng Nsiah in his welcome remarks attested to the capacity and competence of the facilitators and their institutions and therefore urged officers to actively participate, engage with the facilitators and peers, and embrace the learning journey with an open mind.

According to him, “the insights and skills you will acquire are not just for your personal growth but are crucial for the collective advancement and efficacy of our Parliament”.

Topics to be covered during the training section includes but not limited to Emotional Intelligence, Resiliency, Effective Leadership, Proficiency in Negotiation and Presentation Skills.

The training programme is being organised by the Parliamentary Service in collaboration with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) from the United States of America.

The training programme, is yet another strategic step forward in our journey towards excellence in legislative governance.