The Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly has commenced a three-day intensive in-house training program for parliamentary staff, focusing on the Constitution, Standing Orders, Parliamentary Procedures, and the Code of Conduct. The initiative, organized by the Table Office, is designed to strengthen institutional efficiency and enhance the professional competency of staff.
In his opening remarks, Clerk of the National Assembly Mr. Kalipha M.M. Mbye emphasized the indispensable role of the Table Office as the technical backbone of parliamentary operations. He noted that while proceedings in the Chamber often attract public attention, it is the technical correctness, procedural discipline, and professional rigor of staff that ensure those proceedings remain lawful, orderly, and constitutionally sound.
“You must remain the embodiment of procedural fairness, impartiality, and professional independence. Your responsibility is to the institution and to the proper functioning of the parliamentary process. It must therefore transcend partisan interests, personal preferences, or individual allegiances,” Mr. Mbye stated. He further underscored that integrity, confidentiality, discretion, and impartiality are fundamental obligations for staff serving in the technical team.
Deputy Clerk for Legal and Procedural Matters, Ms. Aji Sainey Kah, outlined the core objectives of the training, stressing that mastery of parliamentary law and procedure acts as a safeguard against administrative and constitutional errors during sessions. She highlighted the importance of precision in legislative work.
Director of the Table Office, Mr. Sainey Konteh, also addressed participants, noting the critical role of the Table Office in supporting the legislative process. He cited responsibilities such as processing Bills, handling Parliamentary Questions, preparing the Order Paper, recording Votes and Proceedings, and providing procedural advice to the Chair. Mr. Konteh encouraged staff to seize the training as an opportunity to sharpen their skills and uphold the highest standards of professionalism in supporting lawmakers.
The training is expected to reinforce the institutional capacity of the National Assembly, ensuring that parliamentary staff continue to serve with competence, impartiality, and dedication to the legislative process.
