Edward Doe Adjaho, Speaker of Parliament
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho yesterday congratulated the President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo for massively winning 2016 presidential election, saying that parliament is proud to have produced two successive presidents in the Fourth Republic.
President John Mahama and president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo were both Members of Parliament in the Fourth Republic from 1996 to 2008 but quit to pursue higher public office.
Nana Akufo-Addo contested the 2008 presidential elections on the ticket of the then ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) while President Mahama was the running mate to former President John Evans Atta Mills.
Speaker Adjaho, during the re-opening of the last meeting of the current parliament, asked the newly-elected President, Nana Akufo-Addo to bring his wealth of experience as a former legislator to bear on the work of the executive.
He said Nana Akufo-Addo’s deep understanding of parliamentary democracy must guide him to chart a course that would ultimately benefit every Ghanaian.
The speaker of parliament also congratulated President John Mahama for graciously conceding defeat in this year’s general elections, stressing that the gesture by the president must be applauded by every peace-loving Ghanaian.
The speaker also commiserated with all MPs who lost their seats and said that should not be end of the world for them as they could fight to come back to the august House in next elections.
He asked all the losing MPs to start packing out of their official offices before January 6 to ensure the smooth transfer of power to the incoming MPs.
“To set an example myself, I have already packed my things and awaiting the conclusion of our final proceedings so as to vacate the speaker’s office to enable the new speaker assume his role seamlessly,” he said.
The speaker also said that the brief sitting, which started yesterday, would probably last for a week and would be used to discuss emoluments of outgoing MPs as enshrined in Article 71 of the Constitution.
President John Mahama would also be required by Article 67 of the Constitution to deliver his last ‘State of the Nation’ address during that period before the six Parliament is finally dissolved to make way for seventh parliament.
The speaker also said that the few days that the current parliament would be sitting would be used to pass the Right To Information Bill which has been pending for a very long time.
In parliament yesterday, most of the sitting MPs, especially those from the NDC side who lost their seats in the just-ended general elections reported for their last duties, putting up brave faces.
Some easily mixed with their counterparts from the minority, sharing their experiences and laughing over their woes.
Others also got stuck to their seats, quietly thinking about themselves.
Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, who was obviously the toast of the NDC MPs, who were able to retain their seats, was virtually mobbed for reasons best known to those NDC MPs.
Some of the losing MPs, who made brave appearance in parliament yesterday, were former Defence Minister and NDC MP for Navrongo Central, Mark Woyongo; former Majority Leader and Interior Minister and NDC MP for Zebilla, Cletus Avoka; former Minister of State and People’s National Convention (PNC) MP for Builsa South, Alhassan Azong; outspoken NDC MP for Madina, Alhaji Amadu Sorogho; Deputy Minister for Sports and NDC MP for Dormaa West, Vincent Oppong-Asamoah; NDC MP for Ledzokuku, Sena Okity Duah; NDC MP for Shama, Gabriel Essilfie, NDC MP for Atebubu Amantin, Sanja Nanja and NDC MP for Krachi East, Wisdom Gidisu.
Conspicuously missing was the Foreign Minister, Hanna Tetteh, who lost her seat to NPP’s George Andah.
Sitting continues today.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr