Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament has asked the youth to have faith in the country’s current democratic system and strive to enhance and protect it.
“As we celebrate 30 years of Uninterrupted Parliamentary Democracy, I wish to urge the youth in particular not to falter in their faith in our current democratic order but work towards sustaining and improving it.”
Mr Bagbin said this in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Camilo Pwamang, Deputy Clerk of Parliament during a mock Parliament in Ho, in the Volta Region.
He stated that the nation established a system of governance in the 1992 Constitution that guaranteed prosperity, equality of opportunity, and liberty for all, while maintaining national cohesion and sustainable growth.
The engagement formed part of Parliament’s 30th anniversary celebration dubbed: “Thirty (30) Years of Parliamentary Democracy Under the Fourth Republic: The Journey Thus Far.”
Mr Bagbin added that for the past 30 years, Parliament and its support services had advanced significantly, which remained crucial for all citizens, especially the younger ones, to have a thorough understanding of the history of the nation’s democratic transition.
He emphasised the significance of the fora as it provided a platform for the youth to learn and grow into accepting the country’s democratic culture as the only choice and advancing national development.
Mr Bagbin stated that one key channel through which Parliament had engaged the youth, was the Youth Parliament which was introduced more than 20 years ago to instill in the youth a democratic culture for nation building.
The Speaker also stated that as the Fourth Republic, Parliament was the first and the only one in the nation’s history to reach adulthood which must be protected and given the best possible care to flourish.
Mr Bagbin said continuous education and public awareness were essential in making the Fourth Republic sustainable by allowing citizens to know about the significance of sustainability and national development.
He added that over the course of the Fourth Republic, Parliament has developed and enjoyed a productive working relation with its allied institutions including CSOs, the media, NCCE, CHRAJ and ISD which helped inform and educate the public about the business of Parliament.
These institutions, he said, supported Parliament and the Parliamentary Service as well as Members of Parliament to build capacities relevant to their multiple mandates and functions of law making, oversight representation and deliberations.