First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Akatsi South, Hon. Bernard Ahiafor, has reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to improving public access to Ghana’s legal and legislative information, describing the rebranding of the Ghana Legal Information Institute (GhaLII) and the launch of MyGhaLII as a major milestone for democracy, transparency, and the rule of law.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of Legal Days and the official launch of MyGhaLII at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on Thursday, June 25, Hon. Ahiafor said the partnership between Parliament and GhaLII represents a significant step toward making Ghana’s laws and legislative records more accessible, reliable, and easier to use.
He stressed that access to legal information is fundamental to every democratic society, noting that citizens, judges, lawyers, businesses, public institutions, and civil society organizations all depend on accurate legal information to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
“At the heart of every democracy is access to information, and access to information about the law is especially important,” he said. “Citizens should be able to know and understand the laws that govern them.”
Parliament’s Role in Preserving Legislative History
Hon. Ahiafor highlighted Parliament’s central role in Ghana’s democratic and legal framework, explaining that it is the institution responsible for introducing, debating, refining, and passing legislation while preserving the country’s legislative history.
He noted that Parliament maintains an extensive collection of legal and historical records, including Acts of Parliament, Bills, Hansards, Legislative Instruments, Constitutional Instruments, committee reports, parliamentary papers, and other archival documents.
According to him, these records not only define the law but also provide valuable insight into the policy debates and legislative intent behind each enactment, making them indispensable resources for lawmakers, judges, lawyers, researchers, students, and the wider public.
Digitisation Enhances Legal Research
The First Deputy Speaker described the digitisation of parliamentary records as a landmark achievement, especially as many of the materials previously existed only in physical archives or outdated formats that limited public access.
Among the documents digitised are Acts of Parliament dating back to 1957, Legislative Instruments, Constitutional Instruments, and both historical and current Bills.
He explained that preserving these documents digitally would make them easier to search, retrieve, and use while strengthening legal scholarship, legislative research, and public discourse.
“Their availability through GhaLII advances transparency and accountability,” he stated.
Improving Transparency and Public Confidence
Hon. Ahiafor said easier access to legal and parliamentary records would enable citizens to better understand how laws are made and how government decisions affect them.
He added that civil society organisations would be better equipped to participate in legislative processes, lawyers would have access to more authoritative legal materials, and researchers could more effectively analyse legal and policy developments.
He emphasised that making Parliament’s work more accessible helps strengthen democratic governance and build public trust in state institutions.
GhaLII’s Expanding Role
Commending GhaLII for consolidating Ghana’s legal resources on a single digital platform, the First Deputy Speaker said the system enables users to search, browse, download, and cross-reference statutes, legislative history, parliamentary records, gazette publications, and judicial decisions without relying solely on physical archives.
He noted that the platform has the potential to significantly improve legal research by allowing users to trace the evolution of legislation and understand how courts have interpreted specific laws.
Call for Stronger Collaboration
Hon. Ahiafor urged stakeholders to deepen collaboration in the next phase of the initiative by improving publication processes, strengthening document-sharing mechanisms, ensuring regular updates, and maintaining high standards of accuracy and reliability.
While acknowledging the importance of digitising historical records, he stressed that equal attention should be given to publishing current and future legislative materials in a timely and sustainable manner.
He reaffirmed Parliament’s readiness to continue working with GhaLII, Laws. Africa, AfricanLII, GIZ, the Judiciary, the Ghana School of Law, the Ghana Bar Association, and other partners to enhance public access to legal information.
Commendation to Partners
Concluding his address, Hon. Ahiafor congratulated GhaLII on the successful launch of its rebranded platform and expressed appreciation to all organisations that contributed to the initiative.
He reiterated Parliament’s commitment to promoting access to legal and legislative information, describing it as essential for strengthening democracy, promoting accountability, enhancing legal certainty, and building public confidence in Ghana’s institutions.
