The results of the research are essential to the work of Parliament – Adwoa Sarfo

General News of Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

2019-04-10

Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, Deputy Leader of the House of Representatives, called for the findings of high-quality research to be used by Parliament as evidence for good policy making and formulation.

"The collection of evidence and the use of such data by Parliament to fulfill its task of overseeing the activities and expenditures of the executive are relevant to the democracy of each country," he said. she said.

Ms. Sarfo made this call last Monday in Accra at the opening ceremony of a three-day training workshop on "Generating Evidence and Using the Legislative Oversight Function". in Ghana and in the ECOWAS parliaments ".

Workshop

The workshop brought together the ECOWAS parliaments and the administrative staff of the Parliament of Ghana, hosted by the Learning Center on Evaluation and Results (CLEAR) of the Institute of Management. and Ghana Public Administration (GIMPA), in collaboration with CLEAR South Africa with support from the World Bank.

She said most of the evidence in policy-making was not necessarily scientific, but came from statistical data, public opinion, stakeholder reports, consultations and evaluation of seminars, which were not sufficiently empirical for effective decision-making.

Evidence policies

Ms. Sarfo, who is also Minister of Government Procurement and Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, said the availability of reliable research and information was a determining factor for evidentiary policies and laws in parliamentary proceedings .

She expressed concern about existing bureaucracies in the executive, which sometimes slowed down access to critical information, thereby impeding parliament's decision-making processes with respect to its functions. control.

"Parliament is empowered to control the country's expenditure and to exercise a controlling function over the executive, which is imperative in Article 93, paragraph 2 of the 1992 Constitution", she declared.

She added that the legislative function of Parliament included the enactment of laws, the examination of statutory instruments, the granting of loans and the control of foreign exchange receipts and payments, which are required by section 184 of the Act. the Constitution.

Pbadage of RTI

Ms. Sarfo stated that the adoption of the Right to Information Bill would improve the production and use of evidence by Parliament and its various committees, as well as by the general public. citizens, adding that the digitization of Parliament's activities in online public procurement was a further improvement of the evidence. gathering to promote proper supervision of the executive.

"The training program will promote the evidence used by Parliament by strengthening the capacity of parliamentarians to use monitoring and evaluation as part of its oversight functions."