Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has warned the country’s parliamentarians to avoid undue partisanship in the House, and instead work together for the good of the nation.
According to him, excessive partisanship is a killer of democracy and he wants MPs to recognise this.
Addressing MPs at the opening of the fourth session of Parliament, Mr. Bagbin said, “Let us begin this meeting in unity and maintain civility during our deliberations, to create a congenial political climate for peaceful, free, fair and credible elections this year.”
“Let us remain dedicated to the development and prosperity of Ghana,” he charged.
He noted that 702 referrals of government business remained at the committee level, while 16 bills (eight public and eight private), and other petitions were being handled by various committees.
“This presents us with a huge task within this election year. What it means is that we need to put in extra hours and redouble our efforts if we are to consider all the matters before the committees and the House on time,” the Speaker noted.
“Luckily, the new Standing Orders provide ample opportunity to the House to be able to cope with the tasks,” he added.
According to him, a total of 82 indicative bills are on the agenda of Parliament.
These include the Aged Persons Bill, 2023; Competition Bill, 2023; Small Scale Mining Bill, 2023; Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2023 and the Merger of Volta River Authority and Bui Power Authority Bill, 2023.
There are also 71 indicative instruments to be laid including the Alcohol Use Regulations, 2023 and Removal from Office of Justices of the Superior Court Rules, 2023, he added.
“In addition, 170 papers, 41 motions and various petitions are captured to be presented, moved or heard. I call on the sponsors of these businesses to assist the House prioritise what is feasible for the consideration of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, stated that the duration of this meeting necessitates greater diligence and performance of functions by both MPs and parliamentary personnel. The House is expected to have extended sitting, beginning with the third week, he indicated.
The Majority Leader, however, disagreed with the Speaker on his assertion that the Eighth Parliament is a hung one. “This House is not a hung parliament. Mr. Speaker, a hung parliament comes with necessary implications. In any hung parliament there is an alternation of the leadership of Majority and Minority.
“I do recollect that earlier in the day we started introducing the concept of co-leaders because we came to terms with reality.
“Even if it is a margin of one, it is still not a hung parliament. In certain systems, we may have the majority having less than one-half.
“They then will have the opportunity to court some of the small parties, and when they come together they form the majority, and the leader is the Majority Leader,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House