The World Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ghana’s development through capacity building for Parliament and initiatives aimed at job creation.
Country Director for Ghana, Robert Taliercio O’Brien, gave the assurance during a courtesy call on the leadership of Parliament, stating that the institution is prepared to support five parliamentary committees to enhance their effectiveness in delivering on their mandate.
He explained that strengthening Parliament’s oversight role is critical to ensuring that government policies are properly scrutinised and aligned with the needs of citizens. According to him, a well-resourced and efficient legislature will be better positioned to hold the Executive accountable and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Mr. Taliercio added that the World Bank remains committed to supporting Ghana’s broader economic agenda, particularly in the area of job creation for the youth, which he described as essential to sustainable growth.
However, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin called for a more inclusive approach to the programme. He stressed the need for equitable distribution of capacity-building opportunities between Majority and Minority members, warning that any imbalance could undermine the Minority’s oversight function.
He further urged the World Bank to expand the initiative to cover more parliamentary committees and technical staff, noting that staff play a key role in preserving institutional memory and ensuring continuity in parliamentary work. He also advocated for deeper technical support for the Public Accounts Committee to strengthen its scrutiny of audit reports and budget implementation.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga welcomed the intervention and emphasised the importance of exposing parliamentary committees to international best practices. He also appealed for increased financial support, noting that Parliament continues to face budgetary constraints that limit its ability to fully implement capacity-building programmes.
Mr. Ayariga observed that while there have been improvements in key economic indicators, including relative currency stability and fiscal discipline, resource constraints remain a significant challenge for the legislature.
The engagement formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration between Ghana’s Parliament and development partners in advancing governance and economic development.
