Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has encouraged legislative bodies across Africa to support Hansard Editors with the necessary equipment and skills to foster a positive shift in the operations of Parliament.
The Speaker made his remarks at the 11th Biennial Conference of the Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association, Africa Region (CHEA-AR), where he served as guest speaker. With a wealth of experience in the progress of Ghana’s Parliament, he commended the cooperation of Hansard Editors in accurately recording parliamentary achievements.
According to Speaker Bagbin, legislative fellowship gatherings such as the Biennial Conference of the Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association are highly recognized in Ghana’s Parliament, and adjustments will soon be made to facilitate smoother cooperation between Ghana’s Parliament and the Hansard Editors Association.
“You have been told that some of the steps that we have taken in our Parliament, and I want to assure you that before I leave office Ghana’s Parliament would have been completely different from what it was ever known to be,” he said in his address to Hansard delegates and representatives from Commonwealth member states.
“As we continue to learn from each other, you’ve been told about the differences, whether it’s South Africa, Uganda, Sierra Leone. Whether big or small, we are in this together. In fact, at the World Parliament and also the last conference I attended the World Conference of Speakers they were all there and we had some bilaterals together.”
Delegates are expected to explore how best to adapt Hansard practices across Africa, including navigating digital transformation, building capacity in legislatures, and ensuring high standards of impartiality and reliability in documentation.
Sessions, scheduled from Monday, August 11, 2025, to Friday, August 15, 2025, will address digital archiving, transcription workflows, live reporting strategies, editing methodologies, and the integration of new platforms and collaboration tools.