The global stage and not just Ghana witnessed a shocking event on Thursday, 30th January 2025, when disagreements during a sitting of the Appointments Committee turned chaotic resulting in fisticuffs and destruction of gadgets and furniture.
This despicable and unfortunate turn of events in no uncertain terms cast a bad and sour image of the parliament of Ghana and its hitherto good democratic governance record. It is never in doubt that Ghana’s sustained and uninterrupted 4th Republican Dispensation has been a beacon of hope and an envy to the continent of Africa and the world at large.
The attempt by a few overzealous and intemperate members of parliament to dent this hard-won image and reputation through the kind of misconduct witnessed on last Thursday must be nipped in the bud and not allowed to fester.
In the light of this, the timely decision by the Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament to intervene with a number of directives to punish culpable Members of Parliament as well as go ahead to investigate the matter must be applauded by all well-meaning Ghanaians.
There is no denying the fact that public confidence in the Legislature even before this incident had hit rock bottom with very disappointing ratings. To think that this would add up to further erode the already disappointing public confidence requires that the Speaker be hailed and supported to inculcate a sense of discipline and decorum in the institution of Parliament.
It is therefore unimaginable and preposterous for some individuals and sections of society to attempt to berate, attack and condemn the venerable speaker for the directives he issued on the matter. Rather than support the Speaker, these people seek to exhibit and extol their partisanship by taking this very unpopular stance against the Speaker.
Refreshing enough, the average Ghanaian feels a sense a fulfilment and hope in the institution of Parliament following the decisions taken by the Speaker of Parliament to punish the errant Members of Parliament as well as surcharge them with the cost of replacing the destroyed furniture and communication gadgets. This gives the people of Ghana the assurance that Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbinis ready and willing to lead and ensure a decent and accountable Parliament on behalf of the citizenry.
It therefore behoves the average Ghanaian to hail and support the Speaker of Parliament to stand up against his critics for their unfair comments and attacks on his decision and to some extent his person.
The Speaker of Parliament has demonstrated expressly a revulsion for indiscipline within the Parliament of Ghana which has the tendency to roll back the gains made over the years. Parliament must be disciplined and decorous enough to carry out its gate keeping role in helping build a strong, prosperous and accountable nation.
Ghanaians should be reminded of the setbacks the nation suffered before the return to multiparty parliamentary democracy in 1992 which has so far served the needs and aspirations of the people of Ghana although it is not a perfect system as at yet.
For the Fourth Republic to attain near-perfection, it is important that the sanctity of Parliament be protected and guarded jealously and this is exactly what the Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin is doing.
AwuduIshaq
03/02/25
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