USAID provides Parliament with Website Centre

A 1.1 billion cedi Parliamentary Website and Research Centre for the use of Ghana's Parliament was launched as a means of using information technology in promoting citizens' access to public policy making and institutions of government.

The project is being sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with funds from the Education for Democracy and Development Initiative (EDDI).

The system comprises 14 computers, a central server, two printers, a state of the art Internet connection using radio wave technology.

Mr Frank Young, Ghana Mission Director of USAID, said the EDDI was begun following former President Clinton's visit to Ghana three years ago.

Mr Young said discussions for the project showed that information technology could be used to enhance legislative and oversight functions of Parliament.

The Director said the Research Centre offers opportunities not only to the Members of Parliament but to all those interested in finding out about HIPC, Ghana's economic statistics and the proceedings of the United Kingdom and Canadian Parliaments and the United States Congress.

Mr Young said as at yesterday, Parliament's Website had already received 4,426 hits (the number of visits to the website) and said USAID remains committed to strengthening the capabilities of Parliament to perform its Constitutional duties

Ms Kathryn Dee Robinson, US Ambassador, said she hoped that the Website and research centre would act as a catalyst to help further transform the Ghanaian Parliament into an even more accessible and transparent democratic institution.

She said with the facility, Parliament is better equipped to fulfil its legislative responsibilities because members and parliamentary staff are now on the information superhighway.

Ms Robinson expressed the hope that the average Ghanaian's access to and knowledge of how Parliament conducts its legislative business would remove some of the mysteries about democratic practice through greater transparency.

The Parliamentary Website could empower citizens to have their voices heard during deliberative and lawmaking processes by providing web access to bills, debates, votes and committee reports as well as creating a means for Parliament to better inform Ghanaians of the workings of their representative body.

Ms Robinson said the US Government was committed to helping to strengthen Ghana's democratic institutions and helping to bridge the "digital divide".

Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker of Parliament, thanked the US Government for enhancing the work of Ghana's Parliament, saying the centre would enable MPs to discharge their duties more effectively and to interact with their constituents to make informed decisions.

He said the centre is opportune since it would offer the MPs the opportunity of being informed about the emerging Information Technology.

Those present at the ceremony included, the First Deputy Speaker, Mr Freddie Blay, the Deputy Majority Leader, Papa Owusu-Ankomah and the Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin.