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Use Technology To Bridge Gap – Clerk To Parliament

By Simon Avabey Agianab

The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, has urged Parliaments across Africa to use technology to bridge the gap between Parliament and the public, enabling ordinary citizens to feel part of the decision-making process.

He believes that by doing so, citizens can be more meaningfully engaged in governance, ensuring their voices are heard and grievances addressed.
“Smart, speaker-led, inclusive parliamentary democracy is the way forward, not only for Ghana but for Africa and the sub-Saharan region,” he stressed.

Mr. Djietror emphasized that it is crucial for Parliaments across Africa to re-examine and renew their trust and confidence with the public. He explained that by adopting modern technologies, Parliaments can demonstrate inclusivity and responsiveness, thereby enhancing the socio-economic well-being of citizens.

He expressed hope that the discussions and deliberations made at the conference would help shape the future of Hansard as a complete parliamentary democracy tool in the coming years.

“Let African Parliaments chart a new path where the production of Hansard is modernized and driven by the power of technology in delivering accurate and accessible records,” he urged.

Mr. Djietror also acknowledged the hosting role of Ghana as a mark of commitment to democracy, transparency, and accountability, stressing the importance of Hansard in recording parliamentary proceedings toward strengthening governance.

Hansard, he explained, as a procedural office, is responsible for recording, editing, preparing, and compiling proceedings, as well as other parliamentary documents.

“As Clerk to Parliament, I rely on Hansard to provide procedural advice to the Rt. Hon. Speaker and Members of Parliament. It remains a reference document on issues of precedent,” he said.

He concluded by stressing the importance of embracing innovation to make parliamentary reporting more dynamic, accurate, and future-ready.

Agianab, S. A. (2025, August 13). Use technology to bridge gap: Clerk to Parliament. The Accra Times, Vol. 003, Issue 031, p. 04.

Ms Hortensiah Nyawira Kamau

Ms. Hortensiah Nyawira Kamau holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication from the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication and a BA in Communication from Daystar University, Kenya. With over 20 years’ experience in the Kenyan legislature, she is currently a Principal Hansard Editor in the Senate, having previously served as Senior Hansard Editor, and earlier worked in public relations. She has attended courses in leadership, management, and Hansard production, including Parliamentary Practices and Procedures and the Parliamentary Internship Programme in India. Ms. Kamau also serves as a Trustee of the Parliamentary Service Commission Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme and is a member of its Annual Report Editorial Committee.

Ms Sibongile Khoza

Sibongile Khoza holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Translation from the University of South
Africa, as well as a Master’s degree in Translation from the University of the Witwatersrand.
She worked as an interpreter for the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa from 2006 to
November 2011. Since December 2011, she has served as Chief Editor of Hansard in the
Mpumalanga Legislature, while also contributing to terminology projects for the Department of
Sport, Arts and Culture. Sibongile is currently pursuing a PhD in Translation and Interpreting at
the University of the Witwatersrand.

Mr Adam Iddrisu

Adam Iddrisu, Esq. is Vice President of the Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association – Africa Region and President of the Official Reporters and Editors Society, Ghana (ORES–Ghana). He joined the Parliamentary Service of Ghana in 2002, earning a Verbatim Reporters Certificate from the Government Secretarial School, and progressed from Reporter II to his current role as Editor of Debates and Head of the Hansard Office.

He holds a First-Class Honours in Management Studies and an MBA from the University of Cape Coast, an LLB from the University of Ghana, a Higher National Diploma from Tamale Technical University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Administration from GIMPA, a Professional Certificate in Law from the Ghana School of Law, and multiple specialised reporting certifications.

Mr Steve Katawa Banda

Mr Steve Katawa is the President of CHE-AR since 2022. He served as a Principal Editor of
Hansard for Parliament of Malawi, deputising the Chief Editor of Hansard/Head of Hansard
from 2017 to 2021. He is the Chief Editor of Hansard/ Head of Hansard for Parliament of
Malawi From 2021 to date.

Ms Euphraat Hopane

Ms Euphraat Hopane is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association – Africa Region since 2017 to date. She joined Parliament of the Republic of South Africa in November 2005 as a Language Practitioner in Hansard reporting. She rose through the ranks from Language Practitioner to Senior Language Practitioner, Control Language Practitioner, and now Unit Manager for Hansard reporting. Ms Hopane holds a BA and BA Hons from the University of Limpopo, Bphil (Hons) from Stellenbosch University, and a Master of Arts in Forensic Linguistics from Pennsylvania Western University. She is also a member of the International Association for Forensic and Legal Linguistics.Get notified about new articles