The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to remain committed to serving the people of Ghana. He warned that if MPs allow petty matters to distract them from their duties, they would be failing the public.
The Speaker made these comments when Parliament resumed for the second meeting of the first session of the Ninth Parliament. He said Ghanaians are watching Parliament closely — with a mix of hope and doubt. According to him, while many citizens want to trust Parliament, they are also tired of promises that have not been fulfilled over the years.
He reminded MPs that the public expects more from them and urged them to take their responsibilities seriously.
Touching on absenteeism, the Speaker stressed that MPs must follow the proper procedure when seeking permission to be absent from Parliament. “You must go through the process with your Leaders before coming to my office,” he said.
The Majority Leader, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, also spoke at the meeting. He announced that several ministers will be appearing before Parliament to present bills and policies. These include the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu; the Minister for Transport, Hon. Joseph Bukari Nikpe; and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah.
Some of the bills that will be discussed include the Scholarship Authority Bill, the University for Development Studies Bill, and the Ghana Book Development Council Bill. Parliament will also consider the Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulations, which aim to legalize the popular “okada” motorcycle business.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Patricia Appiagyei, called on Parliament to strengthen its oversight role. She said MPs must ensure that public funds are used properly and should be bold enough to challenge any abuse of power or constitutional violations.
Parliament is expected to sit until the last week of July before going on break.
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