By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Nov 17, GNA – Lawyer Francis Xavier Sosu, the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Madina, has advised students not to seek political relevance to win in their endeavours.
He said the building of the capacities of students was more important than making political colours inform their decisions.
“Your primary goal when you are in the university is to build your capacities to effectively participate in the national discourse. This is not the time you must show you are aligned with a particular political party more than everyone else. At this stage, build your capacity, get skills, get opportunities and build yourself, when you become creative and you have something to give the political parties will be looking for you,” he said.
Lawyer Sosu said on Friday when Parliament’s Department of Public Engagement hosted student Parliamentarians of the University of Professional Studies on an Educational Forum as part of their visit to Parliament House.
Lawyer Sosu therefore charged the students to focus on their academics and self-development.
“Be active advocates who would use social media to champion causes for positive change.
“Participate in the democratic governance of parliament, rise to build Ghana and volunteer to build your capacities,” he advised.
Superintendent (Rtd) Effia Tenge, the Director of the Department of Public Engagement, Parliament, recounted the history of Parliament as far back as 1850, Ghana, then the Gold Coast, was given its own Legislative Council to advise the colonial Governor in enacting legislation mainly in the form of Ordinances for the peace, order and good government of the citizenry through to the current Third Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana with 30 years uninterrupted Parliamentary democracy.
Madam Janet Frimpong, Principal Assistant Clerk and Head of the Infrastructure and Security Cluster, Parliament, who engaged the students on Parliament’s Committee work scope, explained that Parliament’s Committees were grouped into three.
She said that while the Standing Committee had 14 Committees consisting of Members of Parliament (MPs), it was a permanent and regular Committee which was constituted from time to time according to the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, the Select Committee that dealt with subject matters was made up of 16 Committees.
“While the Adhoc Committee deals with specific issues of public interest and dissolved after discharging its duties to the expectation of the plenary,” she said.
Madam Frimpong also noted that for three years now, Parliament had developed a new organogram where Committees were put into Clusters.
“Currently, there are six Committee clusters. Each cluster is headed by a Principal Assistant Clerk and supporting staff,” she said.
Other speakers lauded the media for being a key player in Parliament’s work.
GNA