Majority Leader James Agalga has challenged Africa's parliamentary legal counsel to subject government legislation to rigorous scrutiny, dismissing the idea that ruling majorities fear independent legal advice.
Speaking at the opening of the 8th Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments at the Accra City Hotel, the Builsa North MP pushed back against the narrative that the Executive views independent parliamentary lawyers with suspicion.
He argued the exact opposite is true. Governments actually rely on these lawyers to expose constitutional vulnerabilities before bills end up being challenged in court.
"What the Majority requires, and what the national interest demands, is counsel capable of subjecting legislation to rigorous technical scrutiny," Agalga noted, stressing that good legislative language must be able to withstand judicial review.
Shielding Staff from Politics
Politicians will always come and go, but the lawyers remain. Agalga leaned into this reality, describing the Parliamentary Service as an enduring anchor of constitutional continuity even as political majorities expand and contract over election cycles.
Because of this permanence, he insisted legal staff must be shielded from political intimidation, harassment and burnout. The work demands safe and inclusive environments where lawyers can operate without constantly looking over their shoulders.
The Accra colloquium also marked the formal launch of the Women Forum, a move Agalga openly championed. He pointed out that no parliament can achieve true legislative excellence if female legal practitioners are held back by structural barriers.
Closing his address, he charged the legal officers to protect their professional integrity with vigilance and keep their advice independent, ethical and firmly rooted in what African citizens actually need.
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