Members of the Parliamentary Press Corps have undergone a two-day capacity-building training on Public Financial Management (PFM) reporting.
The training was organised by the Media Relations Department of Parliament in collaboration with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the World Bank.
The training seeks to strengthen the capacity of journalists who cover Parliament to report effectively on public financial management issues, while promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
The workshop is designed to equip members of the Press Corps with a deeper understanding of Ghana’s public financial management framework and enhance their reporting on national budgets, fiscal policies and Parliament’s oversight responsibilities.
Addressing participants at the opening session, the Director of Media Relations for Parliament, David Sebastian Damoah, underscored the important role played by the Parliamentary Press Corps in bridging the gap between Parliament and the public.
He noted that parliamentary reporting should not be limited to proceedings in the Chamber but should also focus on key national processes such as budget scrutiny, fiscal policy analysis and oversight of public finances.
Mr. Damoah urged members of the Press Corps to take full advantage of the training to enhance the accuracy, depth and clarity of their reporting on financial governance.
Also speaking at the programme, the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps, Simon Agianab, highlighted the importance of specialised knowledge in reporting on economic and fiscal matters.
“Economic policies, fiscal decisions and public financial management issues are often presented in technical and specialised language that can be difficult for the ordinary citizen to understand,” he observed.
He therefore emphasised the need for journalists covering Parliament to acquire the necessary knowledge and tools to interpret complex financial issues and communicate them clearly to citizens.
Mr. Agianab added that such capacity-building programmes are essential in helping parliamentary reporters simplify technical financial information and make it accessible to the public.
The training forms part of ongoing efforts by the Parliamentary Service and its development partners to strengthen media capacity and improve public understanding of Parliament’s oversight role in the management of national finances.
By Christian Yalley
