The Parliament of Ghana, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom, has held a two-day capacity-building workshop for members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC) to strengthen public financial reporting.
The training programme, aimed at enhancing the capacity of journalists who cover parliamentary proceedings, sought to equip participants with the technical knowledge required to interpret complex financial information and translate it into clear and accessible reports for the public.
“The work of Parliament does not end within the walls of the chamber. It becomes meaningful to the public only when it is accurately communicated, clearly interpreted, and responsibly reported to the citizens we serve,” Mr, David Sebastian Damoah, the Director, Media Relations, Parliamentary Service, said.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop in Koforidua, Mr. Damoah emphasised the crucial role journalists played in bridging the gap between Parliament and the public, noting that financial oversight processes were often technical and complex, making it essential for journalists to develop a strong understanding of public financial management.
He said: “A well-informed public is the foundation of a strong democracy. Through this training, we are taking an important step to ensure that citizens receive accurate, balanced, and insightful information about public policy and financial governance.”
Madam Eva Mends, a former Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance, in a presentation urged journalists and policymakers to manage public expectations about government spending, warning that economic stability required difficult trade-offs.
She noted that demands for higher public expenditure must be balanced against the need to maintain key economic indicators like low inflation and a stable currency.
She cautioned that increased government spending without corresponding revenue could widen the fiscal deficit.
She added that, that leads “to excessive borrowing and triggering rising inflation and higher interest rates, ultimately undermining macroeconomic stability.”
Madam Mends also warned against unplanned financial commitments by public institutions, saying they often fall back on the central government and disrupt budgets.
Mr. Simon Agianab, the Dean of the PPC, urged members to deepen their understanding of economic policy and public financial reporting to improve the quality of parliamentary journalism in Ghana.
“The Parliamentary Press Corps occupies a unique and critical position within our democratic architecture. As journalists assigned to cover the work of Parliament, we serve as a bridge between the nation’s law-making body and the citizens whose lives are shaped by decisions taken by the House,” he said.
The training programme included sessions on Ghana’s public financial management framework, reading the national budget like an analyst, reporting on audit findings and parliamentary oversight, data-driven and investigative fiscal reporting, and ethics and responsible reporting on public finance.
While Mr. Michael Addo, an Assistant Auditor General schooled participants on reporting on audit findings and parliamentary oversight and data-driven and investigative fiscal reporting, Mr. Lloyd Evans, former President of the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ), and former editor of the Graphic Business, tutored the PPC on ethics and responsible reporting on public finance.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com