Author: Fred GhanaMPs

The Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana presides over meetings of the body. Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist, Speaker of the National Assembly from the time of independence on March 6, 1957, to December 1957, served as the first speaker of the Parliament of Ghana. The Ghanaian Governor presided over the legislative council before Ghana gained its independence. Its first African president, Emmanuel Quist, brought about a change in this in 1949. In 1951, Quist was chosen by the Legislative Council to serve as its first speaker.

 Daniel Francis Annan, who became the speaker from 7 January 1993 to 6 January 2001, had the longest tenure. Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo became the first female speaker of the Ghanaian parliament in January 2009.

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After gaining independence in March 1957, Ghana has seen four Parliaments under four different Republics (i.e. First Republican Constitution of 1960, the Second Republican Constitution of 1969, the Third Republican Constitution of 1981, and the Fourth Republican Constitution of 1992).

The Parliament of Ghana under the Fourth Republic derived its mandate from Chapter Ten of the 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution with the responsibility to make laws (Article, 93.2), control public finance (Chapter thirteen), and monitor the performance of the executive branch (article 103).

The above infographic shows the parliament of the 4^th Republic of Ghana according to seat and gender.

Ghana has had four constitutional republics since its independence. However, only the Fourth Republic – 1992 to date has remained relatively stable. This is partly due to the fact that its institutional arrangements are different from earlier more turbulent efforts. During this period, Ghana has witnessed eight successful changes in government from the 1^st parliament (1993) to the current 8^th parliament (2021).

The National Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have over this period had greater participation of members in the parliament of Ghana.

From the infographic above, the lowest male representation (116 Males: 86%) for the NDC is seen in the 8^th Parliament. And the lowest Female representation (13 Females: 3%) was in the 7^th Parliament.

For the NPP, the lowest male representation (143 and 105 Males, 85%) was in the 7^th and 4^th Parliaments respectively. And the lowest Female representation (5 Females, 6%) was in the 2^nd Parliament.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin has on the assumption of the second meeting of the first session of the 8th Parliament of the fourth Republic cautioned members of the House not to lose guard on the COVID-19 protocols.

According to him, though some of the MPs and staff of Parliament have the opportunity of taking the second jab of the COVID-19 vaccine, “this does not in any way give total immunity against the disease.

According to him, he is reliably informed that “the two doses of vaccines provide only 75 percent immunity. We are accordingly advised to continue to observe the necessary COVID-19 protocols”.

The Speaker also noted that figures available to him concerning MPs and staff of the parliamentary service board who avail themselves for the second jab shows that a lot of them are yet to get the second jab. And assured them that efforts are being made to ensure they are all fully vaccinated.

He called for the policy of staff and Members of Parliament to space out as a means of decongesting the offices to be adhered to as the best way to deal with the virus.

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A fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Agyemang Badu Akosah has described Ghana’s Parliamentarians as a bunch of very corrupt people who are out there to enrich themselves.

According to him, his judgment of the country’s Legislators is based on personal experience he has had with them while serving in Public Service as a Director General of the Ghana Health Service.

Speaking to Fiifi Banson on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.3 FM, Prof. Agyemang Badu Akosah condemned the attitude of Members of Parliament where they always scheme to get monetary gains out of their constitutionally mandated function as law makers.

“I don’t trust our Parliamentarians; I’ve been a senior public servant before. Look, take your law to Parliament,……. what you have to do even before your case goes to the sub-committee for discussion. I say this and I don’t fear being hauled before the Privileges Committee. The fact of the matter is that this is exactly what happens”.

He added: “They are a very cozy political class and they look after themselves very well, as in remuneration and giving monies to themselves, after all the Majority Leader Alban Bagbin himself has said there is corruption in Parliament and I have no doubt about that.”

The trained Pathologist noted: “If you enact a law and Health Service has Bills before you and even approval of budget for Ministry of Health, you’ll have to send the Health Select Committee of Parliament somewhere for a workshop to scrutinize the budget, why? Just because of per diem for some five days for the committee members before they’ll approve your budget. That is why you can’t restrict them; one committee has so many members and interestingly when they come for the workshop, just one or one and half days they vanish”.

Prof. Agyemang Badu Akosah stated that he cannot wait to see the revelations that will come out from ace investigative Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ investigation of Parliament.

“I hear Anas has investigated Parliament, eii God….God… God, hmm, we wait to see what will be unearthed”.

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Parliament has unconditionally pardoned Prof. Alex Dodoo, a lecturer at the School of Medicine and Dentistry of the University of Ghana for his contemptuous comments made against Members of Parliament.

The decision was reached after the Privileges Committee’s report urged the House to accept Prof. Dodoo’s apology since he showed a great deal of remorse after he realized he had disrespected Parliament.

The Associate Professor in Clinical Pharmacology about a month ago on various media networks, condemned the reaction of MPs to the Phase one of the Ebola vaccine trial which was to take place in Hohoe, referring to them as “ignorant”, among other things.

The MPs had kicked against the trial and called for broad consultations because tests of that nature were of national dimension.

The Majority Leader, Alban Bagbin requested the Speaker to summon the Professor to the Privileges Committee due to what he described as unsavory comments he made about Members of Parliament on a private Radio Station in Accra.

The MP for Manhyia South, Matthew Opoku Prempeh who supported the application by the Majority Leader, added that it was high time people became circumspect in their speech.

Their request was granted by Rt. Hon. Speaker Doe Adjaho by summoning Prof. Dodoo before the Privileges Committee to explain himself.

Upon attending before the Committee, Prof. Dodoo unreservedly apologized for his unfortunate comment that constituted an affront to Parliament.

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