The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has urged students to strive to be smart, loyal to their country but should ensure that integrity precedes everything they do.
Addressing students during the inauguration of the Koforidua Technical University Parliament House on Saturday, he indicated that “Strive to be loyal to your country, smart, intelligence, but above all you need integrity, let your integrity be your guide, let be also sound a caution; you are allowed to be political in your discussions but not partisan since this is not an elected Parliament, you don’t represent anybody, you have voluntarily offered to participate in the process, you don’t represent any halls, houses or constituencies.
Yes you can be political which means looking at things from different sides but you are not be TESCON or TAIN or any other, you are just students who desire to debate national issues or offer solutions from the point of view of students”,
Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu also advised the students to find the formation of the Students’ Parliament House, a call for them to get on board to join the various efforts at national development.
“All of us have a responsibility of protect our Parliamentary democracy and we owe it to posterity to discharge this duty faithfully and conscientiously”.
He also encouraged the students to take their education seriously as they prepare to assume the mantle of leadership.
According to him, it important for the students to adequately prepare themselves in readiness for the future roles.
He encouraged the student Parliamentarians to master their mock Parliament process because it is a preparatory ground for greater responsibilities in future.
For this year, Parliament which is marking twenty five years of uninterrupted Parliamentary democracy, the Bekwai MP noted that Ghana’s democracy had come of age.
Mr. Kwame Ansah, the Principal Public Relations Officer at Parliament of Ghana, indicated that the establishment of these students’ parliament will help influence governance in these universities.
He also explained that views that are expressed out of these students’ parliamentary sittings can be put together in a memorandum that can be submitted to Parliament of Ghana or the Committee of Education, which can form part of legislation.
Furthermore, Mr. Ansah also encouraged the students to support the initiative and join the association in their numbers in order for it to be vibrant.
The Parliament of Ghana have over the years established Students’ Parliament Houses in the various tertiary institutions across the country including public and private to strengthen Parliamentary and deepen democratic processes.
Following the launch of the Students’ Parliament House, there was a mock Parliament displayed by the students who debated on the theme; ‘National Insecurity in the country’.
