Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to sustaining the gains made under the Inclusive Legislatures for Gender-Responsive Policies (ILGRP) project.
He stressed the need to translate its outcomes into practical improvements in legislative work, admitting that the long-term success of the initiative would depend on Parliament’s ability to integrate the knowledge, tools and institutional capacities developed through the project into its legislative, oversight, budgeting and representative functions.
In a statement read on his behalf by special advisor on gender and health matters, Dr Sylvia Anie, to mark the conclusion of the ILGRP project on Thursday, October 29, Mr. Bagbin stressed the importance of strengthening gender-responsive governance, advancing women’s participation in democratic processes and improving parliamentary accountability.
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According to him, the project’s completion should not be viewed merely as the end of an initiative but as an opportunity to consolidate a partnership that has contributed to strengthening democratic institutions in Ghana.
“The true measure of the project’s success will lie not simply in the activities completed or the resources produced and handed over to us today, but in how these resources are used to improve parliamentary practice,” he said.
The ILGRP project brought together the Parliament of Ghana, the Government of Canada, the Parliamentary Centre, the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), civil society organisations and technical experts to advance inclusive and gender-responsive parliamentary processes.
The Speaker acknowledged Canada’s longstanding support for Ghana’s parliamentary democracy, noting that the partnership had evolved from the era of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to its current engagement through Global Affairs Canada.
The collaboration, he said, has supported legislative capacity-building, institutional development, accountability and democratic governance, while creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and mutual learning.
He underscored the importance of strengthening Parliament’s engagement with civil society, particularly women’s rights organisations, to ensure that legislative processes reflect the experiences and concerns of citizens.
Speaker Alban Bagbin, however, cautioned that sustaining these gains would require clear institutional responsibilities, continued commitment and the effective application of the resources developed under the project.
He urged parliamentary committees, departments and administrative structures to ensure that the knowledge acquired through the initiative is retained, shared and applied beyond the project’s formal lifespan.
“We must ensure that the resources developed through this partnership do not remain on shelves but become practical instruments of parliamentary work,” he said.
He added that lasting institutional change depends on Parliament taking ownership of the project’s outcomes rather than relying solely on the support of external partners.
Although the formal phase of the ILGRP project has ended, the Speaker expressed optimism about continued engagement with ACEPA, the Parliamentary Centre and civil society partners to explore opportunities for professional exchange, dialogue and future collaboration.
The project’s legacy, he said, would ultimately be measured by its contribution to building a more inclusive, transparent, responsive and accountable Parliament.