The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched a scholarship scheme designed to expand educational opportunities for Members of Parliament (MPs) and staff of the Parliamentary Service.
The Speaker’s Scholarship, which is in collaboration with the Noble International Business School (NiBS), will provide over $200,000 worth of reduced tuition packages for beneficiaries to pursue Master’s and doctoral programmes in governance, leadership and public sector innovation.
Under the scheme, MPs and parliamentary staff will have access to NiBS’s flagship postgraduate programmes, including the Doctor of Public Sector Innovation and Leadership, tailored to equip government officials with advanced skills in policy analysis, evidence-based decision-making and institutional transformation.
The scheme is expected to enhance legislative work by supporting beneficiaries to conduct rigorous research, produce high-quality policy briefs, understand the fiscal implications of bills, and strengthen parliamentary oversight.
At the launch of the initiative in Parliament on Tuesday, the Speaker said the scholarship marked a major milestone in Parliament’s efforts to cultivate intellectual depth and professional excellence among lawmakers and staff.
He said the initiative was driven by a firm conviction that modern governance demanded more than political rhetoric.
“This launch marks yet another significant milestone in our ongoing journey to strengthen Parliament as the cornerstone of Ghana’s democracy and foster a culture of excellence, learning and leadership,” he said.
Speaker Bagbin stated that the scholarship programme was not the beginning of the journey, but a continuation of a vision he had pursued for years to produce legislators who were equipped not only to debate but to diagnose issues, interrogate policies and make evidence-based decisions.
He said many MPs who had participated in previous academic programmes had become more resourceful, demonstrating improved legislative performance and contributing more meaningfully to national discourse.
The Speaker expressed gratitude to the partnering university for embracing the vision of building a knowledge-driven Parliament, while praising it for its commitment to excellence in leadership and governance training.
Reflecting on his leadership philosophy, the Speaker revealed how his reliance on research and evidence guided him throughout his career.
He explained that even during heated debates, he never resorted to raising his voice, but instead relied on facts, reports and documentation to make his case.
Mr Bagbin dismissed the notion that parliamentary strength was demonstrated through aggression, arguing instead that intellectual discipline and informed argumentation were the true markers of legislative authority.
He stressed that the scholarship programme was also intended to build a legacy of knowledge within the House, enabling Parliament to emerge as a model institution of democratic governance not only in Africa but globally.
With Parliament serving as the cornerstone of the country’s democracy, Mr Bagbin said its members must be equipped with tools that would allow them to scrutinise government effectively, lead reforms confidently and shape national development with clarity and purpose.
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