Speaker of Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has called on Hansard staff across Africa to upgrade their knowledge, skills, and competence to meet the demands of the technology era and safeguard the integrity of parliamentary proceedings.
Speaking at the opening of the 11th Biennial Conference of the Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association – Africa Region in Accra on Monday, August 11, 2025, Mr Bagbin warned that Parliament’s official records face heightened risks of distortion in the digital age. He noted that the rise of fake news, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies has made it easier to alter the words of leaders, thereby threatening the credibility of official parliamentary debates.
“The danger is real. Today, someone can take my image, alter my words, and make it appear as though I spoke in a completely different language or said something I never did,” the Speaker cautioned. “With how my mouth opens and closes, technology can be used to synchronise it in such a way that anyone watching would believe it was me speaking. That is a serious threat.”
Mr Bagbin emphasised that parliamentary language is unique and distinct from everyday English and must therefore be shielded from distortion. He urged governments and parliaments to invest in their official reporting departments to ensure the Hansard remains accurate, timely, and relevant despite the risks posed by digital manipulation.
“Whatever we do will come to nothing without accurate official records,” he stated, linking the weakness of democracy in Africa to the weakness of its parliamentary institutions.
The Hansard—a verbatim report of parliamentary debates—is typically handled by a specialised unit within parliament. According to Mr Bagbin, strengthening the capacity of this unit is critical for protecting the authenticity of legislative records.
The four-day conference, hosted in Accra, has drawn Hansard editors from Commonwealth African countries to discuss innovation, skills development, and the future of official parliamentary reporting in a rapidly changing media and technology landscape.
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