Hung parliament in Ghana demands neutrality – Speaker  

 The Speaker of Parlia­ment, Alban Bagbin, has said that the current hung Parliament in Ghana demandsneutrality to ensure smooth parliamentary business.

He said neutrality was also crucial to facilitate government business and bills were passed into law.

Mr Bagbin stated this during the third tour of the regions to mark the 30th anniversary of Parliamentary Democratic Governance in Ghana in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, and said because of the current composition of Parliament with equal numbers from both the majority and minority, he had to be tactful to promote Parliament oversight role and ensure government business was not curtailed.

The three-day event started with a soirée with media practi­tioners, followed with meetings with members of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, meetings with the queens, then minority did not agree with his stance, because the former had mistrust for him because of his political affiliation and minority though he was treating the majori­ty with kid gloves.

He said the current system where many Members of Parlia­ment were appointed to Ministeri­al positions with some as Cabinet members did not auger well for Parliamentary attendance with the majority being the worst offenders since many government officials

the Open Forum and then finally a Parliamentary Debate involv­ing three tertiary institutions in Ho and a Parliamentary interest debate group.

Mr Bagbin said both the members from the majority and were on national duties thereby making the minority, the majori­ty on the floor of the House.

The Speaker stressed the need to review some aspects of the 1992 Constitution to meet social, cultural and economic needs after implementing it for 30 years.

The Speaker explained that, there was the need to under­take another review after the previous review under the late President Mills, because the NPP then claimed it was done without their input and there­fore rejected the white paper.

“My goal now is to create an inclusive non-partisan members of Parliament on the floor for such critical reviews which after the exercise might need massive­Parliament backings in order to succeed,” Mr Bagbin stated.

He said Parliament was the least funded among the three arms of government.

“The powers given to the President under 4th Republi­can Constitution in the hybrid Presidential Democratic system and the Parliamentary System has weakened Parliament,” Mr Bagbin stated.

 FROM LAWRENCE MARKWEI, HO

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