Bagbin calls for stronger partnership between Parliament and NCCE on civic education

According to him, civic education should not be left to the NCCE alone but must be treated as a collective responsibility involving key institutions and individuals across the country.

Shaibu Mahama, the Member of Parliament for Daboya-Mankarigu, read the speech on behalf of the Speaker at a media engagement on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

He said effective civic education required “strong and sustained partnerships” between the NCCE, Parliament, the media, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, educational institutions, development partners, the private sector and citizens themselves.

“As Speaker of Parliament, the representative institution of the people, let me reiterate that Parliament has a central role to play in strengthening civic engagement,” he said.

Mahama explained that Parliament was the institution through which the voices, concerns and aspirations of citizens were expected to find expression in national decision-making.

He said Parliament’s core responsibilities in representation, lawmaking, oversight and the approval of national policies must remain connected to the people it serves.

He stressed that meaningful democracy went beyond citizens taking an interest in presidential and parliamentary elections.

“Citizens must not only be interested in who becomes president or a member of Parliament, but they must also take interest in how laws are made, how public resources are utilised, how policies affect their communities and how public officials are held accountable,” he said.

The Speaker, therefore, called for deliberate efforts to bridge the gap between governance institutions and citizens.

He said citizens should see Parliament not as a distant institution based in Accra, but as a partner that represents their interests.

“The people must see Parliament not as a distinct institution in Accra, but as their partner, their Parliament,” he said.

Mahama said achieving this would require greater public education, improved access to parliamentary information and stronger engagement between Members of Parliament and the citizens they represent.

He expressed confidence that a stronger partnership between Parliament and the NCCE could significantly contribute to achieving that objective.

“Together we can deepen citizens’ understanding of the Constitution, democratic governance, public accountability and the respective responsibilities of citizens and state institutions,” he added.