News:
January 13, 2025
The Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has urged first-time Members of Parliament (MPs) to take their four days orientation seriously, which will help them grasp the practices and conventions of the House as the 9th Parliament of the fourth Republic has started.
According to him it is important to provide the first-time MPs with the needed requisite skills through the workshop and training. He made these remarks on Saturday, January 11, 2025, in Parliament House when the House started its first batch of training for first timers.
The Effutu MP further pointed out that one will have disagreement with the Rt. Hon. Speaker who is presiding but admonished both government and opposition side of the House not to be antagonistic to the Speaker but rather manage whoever the Speaker is.
Again, do not look down on yourself and do not punch above your weight if you are to survive the hallow chamber, and urged the first-timers to tell themselves they will survive as MPs.
None of you should fear speaking his or her mind as the acting clerk has said; and in addition never get personal with your dealings on the floor of the House, respect colleagues, use language that is acceptable, and you will survive.
Also do not under rate staffs of Parliament if you are to survive as a lawmaker; you do that at your own cost. I survived in the chamber because I made them my friends. Do not think because of your privilege of being an MP you are above them, if you see their CVS you will be shocked. Some have three masters, some have PhD but they do not even use it, they are very experienced and will teach you how to survive in the chamber, he advised.
The Minority leader also entreat them to make the Hansard their friend; “look for it, read it, you will be heckled but ones you refer to the Hansard, you will be good to go, refer to precedents of the House”.
“We should check ourselves in the chamber with the coming in of social media else our mistakes become the news”. He gave example of the funeral of the late president of the United States of America, where former President Obama and President-elect Donald Trump were chit-chatting. The international media instead of focusing on the funeral as news, the chit-chat became the news.
And your success depends on how well you know the standing Orders of the House, he concluded.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com