Centre donates photocopier to the Library of Parliament

Page 49, March 13, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

The Ghana Parliamentary Committee Support Project Phase 2 (GPCSP II), funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has donated an IR 2020 Canon photocopier worth GH¢5,500 to the library of Parliament as part of its support to the Parliament of Ghana.
The GPCSP II is being implemented by the Canadian Parliamentary Centre in partnership with the Parliament of Ghana and local partner institutions.
Speaking at the presentation, Mrs Marilyn Aniwa of the centre said that the purpose of the project was to strengthen key parliamentary committees including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Finance Committee (FC), Poverty Reduction Committee, Local Government Committee, Gender and Children Committee and Government Assurances Committee to perform their roles and to promote accountability, transparency and participation in the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) process.
She said the Parliamentary Centre had been working with the Parliament of Ghana to improve its performance since early 1994 adding that “our support is, however, not limited to the six committees, but includes support to other committees, the parliamentary service and staff”.
Mrs Aniwa explained that the centre’s support to parliament had focused mainly on training activities in such areas as macro-economic policy, procedures involved in national budget making and financial accountability measures.
She added that the library of Parliament plays a major role in any jurisdiction, through the provision of accurate information, resources and services such as photocopying, access to the Internet and e-mails to all members of the House.
Mrs Aniwa added that the recent Public Accounts Committee public hearing process required the documentation and photocopying of copious data which requires the use of high performance and efficient equipment.
“ It is in view of the above that the centre finds it expedient to present the photocopier to the library of Parliament to assist in strengthening its work”.
The Clerk of Parliament, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Anyimadu, who received machine on behalf of the library, thanked the centre for its continued assistance to the parliamentary committees.
He urged other institutions to emulate the example to strengthen parliament and ensure the rapid growth of the country’s democracy.