GH¢69m Supplementary parliamentary office building inaugurated

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has inaugurated a five-storey multi-purpose supplementary parliamentary office building in Accra.

The GH¢69 million project, which commenced on June 1, 2021, will provide adequate space for training and learning.

The facility also contains two banking halls, four convenient shops, 40 offices, including seven executive offices, a 145-seater lecture hall, and a 30-seater ICT hall.

The rest are nine kitchenettes, two meeting rooms for the Parliamentary Training Institute, and information and communication equipment surveillance rooms, among others.

The project was executed by Messrs China State Hualong Construction Limited, with Messrs ADK Consortium as the consultants.

Significance

Mr Bagbin said the project was significant in enhancing the infrastructure needs of the Parliamentary Service.

He said it formed part of strategies to transform the institution into a resilient and dynamic parliamentary administration.  

The Speaker said the Parliamentary Service Board, for the past three and half years, had implemented various policies and measures to improve support services to the House through restructuring of the parliamentary service.

“Central to these reforms has been the approval of a new organisational structure (organogram) and recruitment of some new officers to fill vacant positions and bring on board professionalism, skill mix and efficiency into the operations of the parliamentary service,” Mr Bagbin said. 

Rationale

The Speaker further explained that the project was carried out when the board observed the urgent need to expand and improve infrastructure of the institution alongside establishing some reforms.

“Let me emphasise here that our resolve and collective effort to provide the parliamentary service with requisite facilities to enhance its performance is what has translated into this beautiful edifice that we all see today.

“It is a testament to the fact that with the spirit of dedication, prioritisation and value for money, we can work collectively to achieve greater impact with the small resources at our disposal,” he said.

Mr Bagbin said the facility had been designed to meet the evolving needs of parliament, with flexible workspaces and cutting-edge technology. 
 

Project  

The Clerk-to-Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Nsiah, said the project, just like other edifices of parliament, was a testament to the continuous support and hard work of successive Parliamentary Service Boards.

He said the facilities would enhance cutting-edge training programmes in parliament, in consonance with evolving trends in similar institutions across the globe.

For his part, the Chief Executive of ADK Consortium, Horatio Pitcher, said the project also included the construction of a two-storey office block for the Development Department Office of Parliament.

“It also includes rehabilitation of an eastern perimeter wall to improve the security of parliament, as well as extension and refurbishment of the existing Fire Service block to improve efficiency,” he added.