News:
August 26, 2026
* Dr Kabiru Tiah Mahama criticises Parliament’s handling of emergency session, says two days lost without meaningful progress
Two days into Ghana’s five-day emergency parliamentary recall, Walewale MP Dr Abdul-Kabiru Tiah Mahama has expressed deep concern over what he describes as significant time wasted without achieving the session’s objectives.
Speaking to Ghanamps.com at the close of business on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the lawmaker lamented that 45 percent of the allocated time had been squandered.
“Two days gone—Monday, August 24, to Tuesday, August 25, 2026—have been wasted without achieving anything significant,” Dr Tiah stated.
Diligence at Risk
The MP warned that the remaining three days present a serious challenge for legislators.
“You expect MPs to do whatever they are going to do in three days—you are going to compromise diligence. Despite asking for time to be abridged to do certain things, you are not using the time well. It shows a lack of seriousness,” he lamented.
Key concerns raised by the MP:
· Monday’s sitting: Started at 12 pm, ended at 5 pm—effectively just two hours of business
· Tuesday’s proceedings: One and a half hours wasted on tributes, which were not part of the recall agenda
· Speaker Bagbin indicated no intention to take business outside the recall programme
Late Sittings Unfair to Staff
Dr Tiah also questioned the fairness of forcing parliamentary workers and journalists to sit late into the night when time is being mismanaged.
“It’s not fair, and no one can justify that. You say people should sit at midday but end up sitting at 5 pm, forcing people to sit late into the night.”
He acknowledged that urgent government business requires dedicated time but stressed that time-wasting undermines the seriousness of the session.
Call for Review
Dr Tiah called on the Speaker and particularly the Majority side—who are prosecuting government business—to reconsider their approach.
“If we start at 9 am and go to 10 pm, you will appreciate there is work to be done. So the Speaker and Parliament, especially the Majority side, should reconsider some of these things. And the new Majority leader coming should take note of this.”
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso|Ghanamps.com