The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to demonstrate renewed dedication, discipline, and purpose as the House commenced the 2nd Meeting of the 1st Session of the 9th Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
In his opening remarks, Speaker Bagbin welcomed MPs back from recess, commending the extensive committee work carried out during the break, including field visits and capacity-building exercises. He cited the oversight visits by the Human Rights Committee to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison and by the Local Government Committee to Integrated Recycling and Compost Plants (IRECOP) in the Oti and Volta regions as examples of Parliament’s commitment to robust service delivery and governance.
“This is not a long session, but it is long enough to make meaningful progress if we approach our work with seriousness,” the Speaker said. He urged the leadership of the House to ensure that the programming of business is “timely, strategic, and consistent,” warning that time is a public resource that must not be wasted.
Packed Legislative Agenda
The Speaker outlined a packed legislative agenda for the meeting, including the Ghana Cocoa Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which is currently at the Committee stage, and three Private Members’ Bills—the Property Rights of Spouses Bill, the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, and the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill—all of which are slated for First Reading.
Also expected during the session is the laying of the Corporate Insolvency and Restructuring Regulations, 2025, and the consideration of 17 ready Papers. He highlighted two critical ad hoc committee reports: one investigating the violent disorder during Appointments Committee meetings in January 2025, and another on developing a pension scheme for MPs.
Speaker Bagbin reminded MPs that Parliament is yet to receive the full list of public business from the government and charged all committees to intensify their work to meet the session’s heavy demands.
Zero Tolerance for Misconduct
In a stern message, the Speaker addressed recent incidents of disorder in the House, describing them as “moments of great disgrace and dishonour.” He cautioned MPs that such conduct undermines the integrity of Parliament and would no longer be tolerated.
“The honeymoon with the rules is over,” he declared, adding that enforcement of the standing orders would be stricter moving forward. He emphasized that parliamentary privilege does not shield MPs from lawful investigations, particularly in light of the growing number of communications from investigative bodies concerning members’ conduct.
“Privilege is not impunity. Immunity is not invisibility. The law binds us all,” Bagbin affirmed.
Public Expectations and Institutional Integrity
Highlighting the socio-economic challenges facing the nation, the Speaker said Ghanaians are watching Parliament with a mixture of hope and doubt. He called on MPs to rise above partisanship and provide ethical and effective leadership that addresses the concerns of the citizenry.
“This House must not be seen as a talk-shop but, more importantly, be felt as a dependable and responsive body,” he said, urging MPs to focus more on committee work—where the real work of Parliament happens—than on the theatrics of plenary sessions.
A Call to Action
Speaker Bagbin concluded with a rallying call for patriotism, unity, and purposeful engagement: “Let us give the people reason to believe in this House again. Duty calls. And we must respond promptly.”
The 2nd Meeting of the 9th Parliament is expected to run until the end of July or, under exceptional circumstances, the first week of August.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
