Speaker Bagbin urges tighter collaboration between media and parliament for better public accountability
Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has called for a deeper and more strategic partnership between Parliament and the media, describing the two institutions as essential pillars in Ghana’s pursuit of transparency and financial accountability. He made the remarks during the inaugural edition of the Public Financial Management Dialogue Series held in Accra, a forum dedicated to strengthening oversight on the use of national resources.
Speaking on the theme “Parliament the Press and the Purse Building Accountability through Dialogue,” Bagbin explained that while Parliament controls the national purse, the media serves as the vital link between leaders and citizens. According to him, collaboration between these two institutions is not optional but necessary for ensuring that public funds are allocated wisely and used transparently.
strengthening oversight on the use of national resources.
Bagbin emphasized that Parliament and the media are strongest when they operate as partners working toward the same goal of public accountability. He said that citizens depend on journalists to simplify policy information, highlight misuse of public funds, and provide context around national budget decisions. By the same measure, Parliament relies on the media to communicate its oversight role and hold leaders accountable on behalf of the people.
He called on the media to invest in more in depth reporting on public finance and economic policy. Instead of focusing only on political headlines, he encouraged journalists to track how money is spent, which institutions benefit, and how fiscal decisions impact ordinary Ghanaians. To support this vision, the Speaker pledged that Parliament will continue creating opportunities for journalists to better understand its committees, procedures, and financial oversight responsibilities.
The forum brought together members of Parliament representatives from the Finance and Economic Committees senior journalists editors and civil society organisations. All groups agreed that improving communication between Parliament and the media is essential to strengthening Ghana’s democratic accountability.
Participants encouraged regular engagements between the institutions including capacity building for journalists who cover economic matters. They also recommended that Parliament open more of its financial review processes to the public to enhance trust.
The dialogue was widely praised as a timely initiative especially given the heightened public interest in how the government allocates and spends national revenue. With Ghana facing economic constraints and citizens demanding greater transparency Bagbin stressed that the only way forward is collaboration rooted in trust respect and shared responsibility.
If Parliament and the media maintain this renewed partnership Ghana could see major improvements in public financial literacy citizen engagement and accountability. The Speaker believes this long term relationship will ultimately help safeguard national resources and strengthen democratic governance.
