Don’t Abandon Legislative Duties …Speaker To MPs | Parliament

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has asked Members of Par­liament (MPs) not to abandon their legislative duties during the electioneering, ahead of the 2024 General Election.

He said it was understandable that the demands of campaigning would compete for their time and energy.

Mr Bagbin, however, said it was also critical that MPs balanced these demands with legislative responsibilities, to ensure that full attention was given to crucial bills, debates and decisions that lay before the House.

He made the call on Tuesday when he welcomed lawmakers from the long recess to the House for the first sitting of the fifth meeting of the fourth session of Parliament.

I ust remind us all that while the electoral season is upon us, our mandate as MPs has not yet expired, the duties and responsi­bilities we owe to this House and the people of Ghana continue until the very last day of this par­liamentary session.

“The businesses before us remain of paramount importance and we must make the necessary time to ensure that we do not neglect our parliamentary duties,” Mr Bagbin said.

He noted that the House stood at a critical juncture in the nation’s parliamentary history as decisions and deliberations they would undertake over the course of the meeting would be the last in this Parliament’s life, and have pro­found implications for the future of the country.

Mr Bagbin urged the MPs to remain steadfast in their resolve to serve the citizens with all their strength and heart.

“Let me remind you of the urgent and substantial work load that lays ahead, the business of the house is far from complete and the legislative priorities before us demand nothing short of our outmost dedication, focus and swift action,” the Speaker said.
 
He noted that several crucial Bills were at various stages of consideration with each having implications for the governance, stability and economic growth of the country.

These bills, Mr Bagbin said in­cluded, the Constitution Amend­ment Bill, the Environmental Pro­tection Bill, Parliamentary Service Bill, the International Business and Economy Transaction Bill, Budget Bill and the Parliamentary Transition Bill.

The Parliamentary Transition Bill, the Speaker highlighted was essential in refining the process involved in the peaceful transfer of administration in Parliament.

“This bill addresses gaps in the current framework to guarantee smoother transitions between administrations ensuring stability and continuity in parliament,” he explained.

Furthermore, Mr Bagbin stated that the Budget Bill, which was currently at the second reading stage, must be processed as a mat­ter of urgency because the budget was the backbone of economic management and planning.

Any delays in the passage of the Budget Bill, he noted, would have serious effect on the public and private sectors and ultimately af­fect the livelihood of Ghanaians.