Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin on Tuesday commissioned the newly constructed Parliament Supplementary Office building complex at Parliament House in Accra.

The five-storey building complex, which is located at the back of the Job Six Hundred Annex Building Block will House the Parliamentary Training Institute, some key departments/specialists’ offices, commercial banks and convenience shops.

The construction of the office complex commenced in June 2021.

The project consultant and contractor are Messrs. ADK Consortium and Messrs. China State Hualong Construction Limited.

In attendance at the event were former Speaker Aaron Mike Oquaye and Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, a Member of the Parliamentary Service Board and the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The building was dedicated by Reverend Aku Ofori Boateng, Director of Programmes of the Anglican Diocese of Accra.

Speaker Bagbin in his address lauded the contributions of his predecessors such as Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye and Mr Edward Doe Adjaho towards the project.

“Let me first express my joy over the completion of this project – Parliament Supplementary Office Project, which commenced a few years ago,” he stated.

“The inauguration of this important project today, marks another significant milestone in our quest towards enhancing the infrastructure base of the Parliamentary Service, as part of strategies to transform the institution into a resilient and dynamic parliamentary administration.”

He said the Parliamentary Service Board, for the past three and half years, had implemented various policies and measures to improve support services to Parliament, through the restructuring of the Parliamentary Service.

He noted that central to these reforms had been the approval of a new organisational structure (organogram) and recruitment of some new Officers to fill vacancies in key positions to bring on board more professionalism, skill mix and efficiency into the operations of the Parliamentary Service.

He said at the commencement of these reforms, the Board observed the urgent need to further expand and improve the infrastructure of the Institution alongside the reforms; adding that “this was because we considered infrastructure expansion as critical for the achievement of the objectives set out in the reforms”.

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

He said it was a testament to the fact that with the spirit of dedication, prioritisation and value for money, they could work collectively to achieve greater impact with the small resources at their disposal.

Speaker Bagbin said the complex had been designed to meet the evolving needs of the organisation, with flexible workspaces and cutting-edge technology.

“Let me assure you that we will not rest on our oars, the Board, together with Management, will continue to improve our infrastructural facilities and create a working environment of comparable international standards,” he said.

Speaker Bagbin said the inclusion of commercial store aims in the new building, was to create an ecosystem that engenders increased productivity by reducing the time and energy spent searching for necessities for the smooth running of various offices, including those of Members of Parliament.

The Speaker lauded Messrs. ADK, the consultant of the project and the contractor, Messrs. China State Hualong Construction Limited, who had worked diligently to complete the project within Schedule.

He also commended the dedicated officers of Parliament’s Development Services Sub-Division such as Works, Facilities and Estate, who had worked tirelessly throughout this process; thank you for your hard work and commitment.

“As we unveil this building for use by the Service, I encourage each of you to take ownership of this space; let us make it our own by taking very good care of it through a proactive maintenance culture,” he said.

“It is my prayer that this facility will continue to stay fit and functional for the benefit of the present and future generations.”

Mr. Cyril K.O. Nsiah, the Clerk to Parliament, expressed gratitude to the Chairman (Speaker Bagbin) and Members of the Parliamentary Service Board for their dedication and commitment to improving the infrastructure with the prescient of Parliament to facilitate the attainment of organisational goals.