The caution follows reports of persistently low attendance in Parliament since sittings resumed last week, a trend that has continued throughout the year.

Under Ghana’s Constitution, any MP absent for 15 consecutive sittings without permission from the Speaker automatically forfeits their seat.

Addressing the House on Wednesday, October 29, Mr. Bagbin said he would strictly enforce these constitutional provisions during the current session.

“It’s for good reason we decided that we’ll sit in the afternoons so that you can take the morning to attend committee meetings, prepare reports and attend to your constituents, and that by 2 p.m., you should be ready to sit,” he said.

The Speaker explained that afternoon sittings were introduced to allow MPs to engage with ministries and public institutions during official hours, while evening sessions were designed to enable citizens to follow parliamentary proceedings more conveniently.

“In the evenings, people have the opportunity to sit, watch, advise you, and make inputs. That again we are not taking advantage of. I’m saying this for the last time,” he cautioned.

Mr. Bagbin revealed that he had directed parliamentary clerks to take detailed attendance records throughout the current session, warning that sanctions would follow if absenteeism persisted.

“We have the Standing Orders. We know what they say. We’ll be taking action to ensure that members are compelled to sit or be considered to have vacated their seats,” he declared.

Expressing disappointment, the Speaker said continued disregard for plenary sessions was eroding public confidence in Parliament.

“I’m not happy with the way members value plenary sessions,” he lamented. “You yourselves, those of you who are always here, I see from your faces that you are with me in this matter.”

Mr. Bagbin also disclosed that he had already compiled attendance records from the first and second meetings of the year but had chosen not to publish them.

“I decided, for good reason, not to publish them but to give you the last opportunity. It looks like that was a catastrophic mistake I made. I should have brought it out and referred members to the Privileges Committee,” he remarked.

Source: Adomonline

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He claimed that some of them funded Kennedy Agyapong’s 2026 campaign with car donations.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Dr. Amoah said the recent endorsement by 63 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs in favour of Dr. Bawumia is “psychological propaganda” meant to influence public perception ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.

“If you want to be elected into power, you need to be honest and uphold integrity. They are claiming that more than 60 MPs support Bawumia, but only about 20 were present at the press conference. The deception is too much; they have realized they would lose the election.

“They want to use psychological warfare, but we will see the results on election day. Some of the MPs who have written their names on the list have bought cars for Ken Agyapong’s team. The politics of lies, deception, and propaganda are in the past. Ghanaians are awake now; that won’t change their minds about who to vote for. They are clearly showing that they have lost the elections,” he said.

He added that the move undermines the integrity of the party’s internal democracy and violates the secrecy of voting.

“I dare them to conduct a secret ballot with the 63 MPs, and if Bawumia wins, I will stop supporting Kennedy Agyapong. This is psychological propaganda. Ken has already won the election. I know someone whose name was forcefully added to the list. What they are doing is even against the law by writing people’s names to join a camp. Voting is private, which means they cannot even rule the country. The secrecy of our vote is a legal mandate, and what the parliamentarians are doing is against the law,” the MP added.

On Thursday, 63 NPP Members of Parliament publicly declared their support for Dr. Bawumia, describing him as the most capable candidate to lead the party to victory in 2028.

The group, led by Mampong MP Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, insisted that their support was voluntary and based on confidence in Dr. Bawumia’s leadership.

Source: Farida Seidu| Adomonline

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At a press conference in Parliament, the MPs described Dr. Bawumia as the most capable candidate to lead the NPP to victory and reclaim power from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2028.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the MP for Mampong, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, revealed that all 63 MPs voluntarily signed a declaration of support for Dr. Bawumia.

Among those named were Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri), Frank Asiedu Bekoe (Suhum), John Ntim Fordjour (Assin South), and Ekow Vincent Assafuah (Tafo).

The MP for Trobu, who is also part of the “NPP MPs for Dr. Bawumia” group, said their decision was based on Dr. Bawumia’s proven leadership, competence, and vision to unite the party and advance Ghana’s development.

List of NPP MPs who have declared for Bawumia ahead of the NPP Presidential primaries:

Source: AdomOnline

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The new chairs are part of efforts to modernize the Chamber and improve working conditions for legislators.

Each workstation has been redesigned to make parliamentary duties more efficient and reduce the dependence on paper-based processes.

Parliamentary sources say the initiative is also intended to promote the adoption of digital tools, enhance information access, and cut operational costs associated with printing voluminous documents for MPs during sittings.

Meanwhile, Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, who had earlier announced the recall, has deferred the commencement of the Third Meeting of the Fourth Session “until further notice.”

It remains unclear what has led to the deferment, as no official explanation has been provided to the media.

The September 2025 poll found that 15% of voters rated their MPs as excellent, while 52% described their performance as either very good or good.

However, the survey also highlighted areas of concern, with 14% of respondents rating MPs as average and 18% expressing dissatisfaction, describing their performance as poor or very poor.

The findings suggest that while MPs continue to enjoy majority approval from their constituents, a notable minority remain unconvinced about their effectiveness in delivering on their mandates.

Below are the regional responses to the performance of MPs

The Women’s Caucus of Parliament—comprising Members of Parliament from both the Majority and Minority sides—visited the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Makola Market to interact with traders and express solidarity with them.

Leader of the Caucus and MP for Ada, Comfort Doyoe Ghansah, explained that the visit aimed to bridge the gap between Parliament and the market women.

She emphasized that their goal was to hear the concerns of the traders firsthand and present them in Parliament for consideration during policy discussions and decision-making.

“We are here to identify with you, listen to you, and take your concerns to Parliament. Your voices matter in the decisions we make,” she stated.

Madam Doyoe also urged the women to prioritize their safety and well-being in their day-to-day activities.

The MPs said the initiative was part of efforts to foster closer ties between lawmakers and constituents, especially women in the informal sector, and to create a more supportive environment for their businesses.

Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, who received the MPs, praised the Women’s Caucus for the thoughtful gesture. He noted that the city authorities were working hard to address the concerns of traders but stressed that those selling outside designated areas must not encroach on the roads.

“There must be a win-win situation. While government will address your concerns, we also urge you not to trade in the middle of the roads,” he advised.

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Chairman Wontumi was arrested on Tuesday, 27 May, by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and was later granted bail set at GH₵50 million.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its allies have strongly criticised the bail amount, describing it as excessive and politically motivated.

On Thursday, 29 May, Minority MPs, led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, walked out of Parliament in protest. Afenyo-Markin condemned the bail conditions as unjust.

“We are not going to ask for any property. We don’t have GH₵50 million. Where is he going to get it from? They must do the right thing, and we will not be part of any proceedings until then,” he told the House before exiting.

He also pledged full support for Chairman Wontumi, stating, “We will stand with him. If it means we have to spend nights with him, we will do so.”

However, the following day, members of the Minority Caucus returned to the chamber and participated in parliamentary proceedings. Although no official explanation was given for the sudden return, it suggests possible behind-the-scenes negotiations or reassurances that helped ease the standoff.

Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Justice Srem-Sai, confirmed on Thursday through his official Facebook page that Chairman Wontumi is under investigation for several serious crimes. These include fraud, causing financial loss to the state, and money laundering.

“Suspect Bernard Antwi Boasiako, a.k.a. Chairman Wontumi, is under investigation for various criminal offences, including fraud, causing financial loss to the State, and money laundering,” Srem-Sai stated.

He added that EOCO is leading the investigation and has already begun efforts to recover assets suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Source: Adomonline

His decision follows recent chaos at the Appointments Committee sitting, which he believes highlights a deeper issue affecting MPs’ conduct.

Speaking at a breakfast prayer meeting, Alban Bagbin expressed concern over the stark contrast between MPs’ behavior in private and their often unruly actions in the chamber.

“I keep wondering, what is inside them?” he questioned. In church, people behave differently, but in Parliament, it’s a whole different story. If this is the culture of politics, then we truly need God’s intervention.”

He also noted that disorder frequently erupts whenever his deputies preside over proceedings, contrasting with the relative calm when he is in charge.

“I often wonder why there is trouble when I’m absent,” he said.

“Just last week, I handed over to my second deputy speaker, and within minutes, MPs were on their feet, singing and shouting. I debated whether to step in but held back to let leadership manage the situation.”

Alban Bagbin stressed the importance of impartiality in parliamentary leadership, pointing out that the Speaker’s neutrality is crucial for maintaining order.

“We need to restore order and unity in Parliament, but that requires change—and I believe divine intervention is necessary,” he added.

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Speaking to the press on Monday, February 3, Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated that the NDC MPs ignored the Speaker’s instruction regarding the reconstitution of the Appointments Committee.

“In fact, on the day, one of his consequential orders was that the Selection Committee must meet immediately to reconstitute the Appointments Committee. However, the NDC Majority Caucus chose to proceed with the vetting process without any due regard for this directive,” he said.

Despite disagreeing with the Speaker’s decision, Mr. Afenyo-Markin stressed the importance of engagement.

“On our part, we believe that though we disagree with Mr. Speaker, out of deference to him, we must still engage him, and we will engage him. We started this engagement over the weekend but were not able to meet the Speaker, but we will continue to his office today,” he added.

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This assurance follows the Commission’s successful re-collation and declaration of results in seven other contested constituencies, including Okaikwei Central, Nsawam Adoagyiri, Ahafo Ano North, Ahafo Ano South West, Obuasi East, Tema Central, and Techiman South.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, Dr. Bossman Asare, the EC’s Deputy Chairperson in charge of Corporate Affairs, expressed confidence that the outstanding issues would be resolved promptly.

He explained that, delays in these constituencies were caused by disputes raised by stakeholders, which required additional scrutiny to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

Dr. Asare reassured the public of the EC’s commitment to transparency and credibility, urging all political parties and stakeholders to remain calm as the Commission works to resolve the outstanding matters.

“We are hopeful that the two outstanding constituencies will have their MPs-elect declared very soon, well before the swearing-in of Parliament,” Dr. Asare stated.

The EC’s re-collation and declaration process has received mixed reactions, with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) securing victories in all seven seats declared so far.

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the results, calling the EC’s actions illegal and vowing to challenge the decisions through legal means.

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He warned them against pursuing personal interests amid rising tensions between the NDC and NPP over who controls the majority side in Parliament.

In an interview with TV3 on October 22, 2024, Prof. Aning called for responsible leadership and peace, especially as the nation nears its next election.

He encouraged MPs from both parties to reflect on their reasons for entering politics and to consider the long-term effects of their actions on the country’s future.

“When you allow things to spiral out of control, you won’t escape unscathed. Think about yourselves, your children, and your grandchildren. None of us will survive if this situation worsens,” he warned.

“We have very little time to pull back from the brink, and this afternoon will test our collective maturity and our love for this country,” Prof. Aning added, urging MPs to demonstrate leadership and sacrifice for the good of Ghana.

He concluded by stressing the importance of a peaceful approach to the upcoming election, saying, “These are dangerous times, and we must act with maturity and love for the country.”

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In a Facebook post on Tuesday, October 22, Boamah shared his views amid the escalating political tension surrounding four vacant parliamentary seats.

This move sparked a major controversy after Speaker Alban Bagbin declared the seats vacant, prompting immediate opposition from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Although the Supreme Court ruled to suspend the Speaker’s declaration, NDC Members of Parliament have openly stated their refusal to comply with the court’s decision, vowing instead to follow Speaker Bagbin’s orders.

“We are demanding a multi-stakeholder audit of the Electoral Commission’s IT system. This audit will address the flaws and expose those within the Commission responsible for manipulating the voter register to prevent such issues in the future.

“Today, Parliament must take the lead in showing how the NDC will react when the courts intervene,” he said.

See the post below:

Source: Adomonline

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In an interview on Citi FM, Mr Ayariga stressed that MPs are bound by the Speaker’s rulings, not the Supreme Court’s stay of execution on Bagbin’s earlier decision, which declared four parliamentary seats vacant.

He maintained that, the NDC caucus would follow Bagbin’s initial ruling until further notice.

“We will act according to Bagbin’s communiqué, and unless he instructs otherwise, we will follow his current decision. If he informs us of the court’s ruling, we will act accordingly, but our duty is to listen to the Speaker, not the court,” he said.

Mahama Ayariga criticized the Supreme Court for intervening, arguing that it should not interfere in Parliamentary affairs, as the constitution provides clear separation of powers.

“It’s surprising that the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, would involve itself in this matter when it should have stayed out. We are ignoring the Supreme Court because its involvement is unnecessary.

“This issue should not have been handled by the Supreme Court—it should have gone to the High Court. What was so urgent that the Supreme Court had to rule in less than 24 hours? It makes it seem like the Supreme Court is acting as an extension of the NPP,” he added.

Mr Ayariga’s comments follow Speaker Bagbin’s declaration on Thursday, October 17, that four parliamentary seats—Amenfi Central, Fomena, Suhum, and Agona West—were vacant due to MPs switching political affiliations or running as independents, in line with constitutional requirements.

However, the Supreme Court overturned Bagbin’s decision on Friday, October 18, granting a stay of execution after a request by Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

Source: Adomonline

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The Minority is pushing for the removal of Agona West MP Cynthia Morrison, Suhum MP Kojo Asante, Fomena MP Andrew Asiamah, and Amenfi Central MP, Peter Kwakye Ackah.

The MPs in question have filed to contest as independent candidates in the upcoming December elections.

Peter Kwakye Ackah, one of the affected MPs said he is not bothered by the impending ruling.

“I have not declared that I am leaving the party. I have only expressed my intention to run as an independent candidate in the next parliament. Being independent does not necessarily mean leaving the party.”

“If the Speaker rules that my seat is vacant, there’s little I can do. I understand that every action comes with consequences, and I am prepared for whatever follows,” he said.

Source: Adomonline

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Addressing the House during the 5th meeting of the Fourth Session on Tuesday, October 15, Bagbin stressed the importance of maintaining focus on Parliamentary responsibilities despite the demands of the campaign season.

He noted that, while election campaigns are essential, MPs must not let them overshadow their primary role as legislators, especially with pressing national issues that require immediate attention.

Alban Bagbin acknowledged the significant effort MPs invest in securing or retaining their seats. Still, he was clear that the legislative agenda in the lead-up to the election is of equal, if not greater, importance.

“The legislative agenda ahead is substantial, and we must approach it with the seriousness it deserves. The Environmental Protection Bill, Parliamentary Service Bill, and Parliamentary Transition Bill are time-sensitive and must be debated and concluded promptly,” he said.

The Speaker emphasized that although campaigning is demanding, MPs must carefully manage their time and energy to ensure their legislative responsibilities are not neglected.

Source: Adomonline

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According to him, the constitutional provision to declare their seats vacant is clear and leaves very little wiggle room for ambiguity.

This development follows the announcement by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu that his side of the house intends to invoke Article 97 (1)(g) of the Constitution to vacate the seats of three Majority MPs and one NDC MP.

The provision in question states that an MP shall vacate their seat if they leave the party they were elected under or seek to remain in Parliament as an independent candidate.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News, Justice Abdulai noted, “From the precedence that we’ve had in the past and the circumstances in this particular case, I think it will be difficult for anyone to argue an ambiguity into these interpretations of the provisions.”

“I don’t think it will yield any difficulty for the Speaker to declare them persona non-grata in Parliament,” he said on Monday, October 14.

If the motion succeeds, the NDC, currently at 137 MPs, would become the Majority party, significantly shifting the balance of power in the House. Parliament is currently composed of 138 Majority MPs and 137 Minority MPs.

Despite the timing—less than two months to a general election—Mr Abdulai dismissed concerns that this would weaken parliamentary representation.

He emphasised the need for a reassessment of the legislative system.

He told Emefa Apawu that “most people go to parliament not with the intention of serving the house, not with the intention of representing their people, not with the intention of being agents of development and not with the promises of all the development we make.”

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According to Mr Nkansah, the NPP’s chances have been bolstered by the introduction of fresh faces in constituencies where incumbent MPs were perceived as unpopular.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, September 8, he expressed his belief that the party’s decision to replace these MPs will strengthen its appeal among voters.

Mr Nkansah pointed out that some of the outgoing MPs had lost favor with their constituents, leading to dissatisfaction within their respective areas.

By bringing in new candidates, he explained, the NPP has demonstrated its responsiveness to the concerns of the electorate.

The fresh faces, he argued, bring renewed energy and a stronger connection to the grassroots, which will work in the party’s favor during the elections.

Additionally, Mr Nkansah emphasised that the NPP’s strategy of refreshing its candidate lineup aligns with the party’s commitment to rejuvenating its leadership and ensuring that its representatives reflect the will of the people.

He noted that the new candidates are individuals with strong community ties and are better positioned to address the needs of their constituencies.

This, he asserted, will translate into increased support for the party at the parliamentary level.

“NPP is going to win the majority of seats in Parliament, partly because we have some fresh candidates to replace MPs who had become unpopular. You will be making a mistake if you use the 2020 Parliamentary results because some of the candidates have been changed,” he posted.

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The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, withdrew the LI on behalf of the Transport Minister, citing public and stakeholder concerns.

He added that “the withdrawal became necessary based on extensive engagement with leadership.”

He further announced, “Mr. Speaker, I would like to move that the Road Traffic Amendment 2024, which was laid on Friday, June 14, be withdrawn… it is so withdrawn.”

The Ministry of Transport had previously laid the LI before Parliament to amend portions of the Road Traffic Regulations 2012. If passed, it would grant Members of Parliament (MPs) and Ministers of State privileges typically reserved for emergency and specialized vehicles.

Specifically, the amendment to Regulation 74 of LI 2180 would allow sirens or bells to be fitted as warning appliances on certain vehicles, including those owned by Supreme Court justices, MPs, and Ministers of State.

However, the LI faced opposition from the public and the Minority in Parliament, who issued a press statement urging the Transport Minister to withdraw the LI before it matured in 21 days.

The Minority also pledged to vote against the LI if it reached the chamber.

“We have instructed all our Members on the Committee to strongly oppose it at the committee level. We have also directed all 137 NDC Members of Parliament to vote en bloc against the LI when it is brought to the floor,” the statement read.

The Minority further urged the government to focus on addressing critical issues facing Ghana, such as the high cost of living, food inflation, unemployment, high fuel costs, the depreciation of the cedi, and a high tax regime that is driving businesses to relocate to neighbouring West African countries.

He cautioned that the high levels of unemployment and homelessness among the youth could lead to severe and potentially perilous consequences in the upcoming elections.

Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, Bagbin highlighted the urgent need for prompt and effective action from political leaders to address this critical issue.

“The joblessness, the homelessness and the hopelessness of the youth cannot be taken lightly. We must act together and now to prevent a journey to calamity or to a journey of no return.”

“…The public does not give a dime what goes on in between the starting together and finishing together. With these it is clear that as representatives of the people we have a significant amount of work ahead of us and I therefore urge all members to patronise the work and ensure that we make progress on these things of important matters,” he urged.

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He underscored the need for MPs to take serious action on this matter, warning that failure to address it could lead to further fatalities.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday, Asiedu Nketia asserted that if he were in Parliament, he would advocate for a walkout until a solution to the recurring deaths is found.

“If we don’t talk about this carefully, people will keep dying. Three NPP sitting, members of parliament are dead and none of their deaths has been resolved. If I were in Parliament we would stage a walkout if a solution to the numerous deaths is addressed,” he said.

He cited the suspicions surrounding John Kumah’s death, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation.

The NDC chairman suggested that, the focus should be on addressing these killings rather than on extravagant funerals for the victims.

“If things like this keep happening in our democracy it will continue. Some people are insinuating that John Kumah’s death was a result of poison so it needs to be investigated properly. It’s not about giving that deceased a big funeral, let’s resolve the murders,” he said.

Watch video below:

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During an interview with Starr FM, Avoka revealed that these demands from the public often leave MPs with little choice but to engage in corrupt practices, as they struggle to meet the expectations placed upon them.

He underscored how many MPs end up diverting their attention from legislative responsibilities towards personal business endeavors due to these pressures.

“Everyday MoMo. Everyday MoMo. Somebody is sick and has to go to the hospital, you have to send money, somebody is going to do a wedding you have to send money, they are going to do outdooring, they are asking for you. They are asking for school fees and whatnot.

“Many of us lose the election or Primaries not because we are not doing well but because we’re not giving money out. How do you give money out if you come and stay in parliament for 8 hours debating? You’re debating for 5 or 8 hours, you go home in the evening to sleep, and the following day you have no money to send. You have to go out and look for the money.”

“If I’m not corrupt, how can I maintain my seat? You have to be corrupt in one way or another. You have to look for more resources. If you have to look for more resources, you have to go out and do some work for a contractor. As a lawyer, maybe prepare a bill, or do this and that and whatnot? So I have half attention here, and half attention outside because I need more resources to be able to maintain my seat,” he stated.

Avoka emphasized the importance of media understanding, noting that the financial burdens MPs face, such as requests for healthcare expenses, contributions towards weddings, and school fees, contribute significantly to the perception of corruption.

Speaker Jacob Mudenda made the call after the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) held protests in parliament, saying 15 of its MPs had been tricked into losing their seats.

On Monday, a man pretending to be the CCC’s secretary general wrote a letter to Speaker claiming the 15 MPs were no longer party members.

The party does not have a secretary general and the letter was littered with grammatical errors.

Despite CCC leader Nelson Chamisa asking him to disregard the letter, the Speaker, who is an MP for the ruling Zanu-PF party, declared the 15 seats vacant.

As a result of Mr Mudenda’s decision, CCC MPs disrupted parliamentary proceedings for nearly two hours.

According to CCC politicians and local media, riot police were summoned to the chamber.

“It is a cowardly act by Zanu-PF speaker of parliament, Jacob Mudenda, to summon riot police and have our MPs beaten and injured following their defeat in a parliamentary debate.

“This kind of behaviour must be stopped to prevent potential instability in our country. The regime in Harare should not mistake our peaceful demeanour for weakness,” the CCC tweeted.

The opposition party tweeted photos of the scuffles in parliament:

The case is likely to worsen political tensions, which have been running high in the southern African country since controversial presidential elections in August.

Mr Chamisa, 45, lost to incumbent 81-year-old president Emmerson Mnangagwa in a race that international observers said fell short of democratic standards.

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This development comes after Blakk Rasta’s previous arrest years ago when he made allegations that a significant number of parliamentarians in Ghana were consumers of the plant, which was then considered illegal in the country.

Following his arrest, Blakk Rasta was summoned to clarify his statements and was subsequently released after a brief period.

Expressing his satisfaction with the recent legislative changes, Blakk Rasta expressed a sense of vindication as he believes that the passing of this law validates his earlier claims.

He eagerly welcomed the legalization of marijuana for economic purposes, specifically for exportation.

Reflecting on his past encounters with the parliament on Showtym with Andy Dosty over the weekend, the musician revealed that they had even sent the police to apprehend him during his time at Happy FM.

“Now that marijuana has been legalised, I feel exonerated,” Blakk Rasta exclaimed.

He expressed his desire that this decision had been made earlier, emphasizing the significance of Ghana’s reliance on loans from nations where marijuana has already been legalised.

Additionally, he interpreted this as a lack of vision on Ghana’s part and proudly declared himself to have been ahead of the nation for several years.

In a light-hearted tone, he humorously added, “I pray they call me back and put me on the Speaker’s seat and crown me the ganja king.”

With the recent legislative approval, the country is poised to explore the economic potential of the cannabis industry, and Blakk Rasta eagerly awaits recognition for his perceived role in this significant shift.

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President Nana Akufo-Addo nominated the MP for Adansi Asokwa K.T Hammond as the Minister for Trade and Industry with the MP for Nhyiaeso, Dr Stephen Amoah serving as his deputy.

The MP for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong was also appointed as the Minister for Food and Agriculture.

Stephen Asamoah Boateng was appointed as the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs among others subject to the vetting and approval of Parliament.

Sitting was suspended temporarily in the afternoon after the House readied to conduct a secret ballot on the approval of President Akufo-Addo’s new ministerial appointees.

According to JoyNews’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Kwaku Asante, while the Minority wanted voting to proceed, the Majority insisted the exercise should be postponed.

However, the NDC MPs say the Majority side is employing tactics to delay the process.

Check out some of the photos captured by Adomonline.com below:

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The Kintampo South MP, Alexander Gyan; Pru West MP, Stephen Jalulah; and MP for Salaga North, Alhassan Iddi were said to have been overpaid a total of GH¢280,008.90 in the year 2021.

While the Kintampo South MP and Pru West MP were allegedly paid GH¢119,004.45 each in excess of their salaries by the CAGD, Salaga North MP was overpaid GH¢42,000, covering their tenure as DCEs and MPs.

In separate memos dated January 28, 2022, and signed by the Chief Accountant, Charlotte Obro-Adibo, the CAGD acknowledged receipt of the amounts involved, saying that they have been paid back to government chest.

The memo in respect of the Kintampo South MP said, “This is to confirm that an amount of GH¢119,004.45 in favour of Hon. Gyan Alexander has been paid back to government chest.”

It continued, “The amount represents salary that has been returned to chest by GCB, Tantra Hill Branch into CAGD Suspense Account at Bank of Ghana, Accra.”

For Mr. Stephen Jalulah, the memo indicated that the MP paid back his money into the CAGD Suspense Account at BoG through one Charles T. Banyu.

The memo for the Salaga North MP indicated a similar statement for his return of the GH¢42,000.

In an interview with DAILY GUIDE, the MPs explained that the overpayment was a result of their transition from the District Chief Executive (DCE) positions to MPs.

“When we realised that we had been overpaid in August 2021, those of us involved came together and reported the development to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to stop the payment, and we refunded the monies in October 2021,” Mr Gyan stated.

The Pru West MP, who even expressed shock about the latest report, said they returned the monies into government chest 75 days before the CAGD notified Parliament that they had been overpaid.

Meanwhile, the Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro MP, Sylvester Tetteh, who was mentioned in media publication as having taken salaries as a former CEO of the National Youth Authority (NYA) has rejected claims he received a double salary.

According to him, the CAGD only started processing his salary during his tenure as CEO of the NYA after he was sworn in as MP, insisting that he indeed earned the salaries paid to him.

He said that he worked at the NYA for 26 months without pay, stressing, “I have never drawn a double salary. I am a man of integrity.”

“When I was appointed CEO of the National Youth Authority, I worked for over 26 months for the authority, and I was never paid a salary until I resigned,” he emphasised.

The pro-NDC civil society group, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability, which brought up the issue, accused him and the other NPP MPs of having taken double salaries.

The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, seeks to criminalise homosexuality and its allied sexual orientations and make advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people a crime in the country.

Currently, the committee is holding a public hearing to give individuals and organisations who have submitted memoranda on the bill the opportunity to justify their submissions and offer further explanation on their views, and this has delayed the process.

And the lawmakers, from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), saw it as an opportunity to make political capital out of it, by attacking the committee’s chairman, who is an NPP MP, and the government, of deliberately delaying the process to deny the draft legislation from becoming a law.

Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, threatened to block the passage of government bills in the House if the chairman continuously used “tortoise method” to deal with the bill at the committee level.

“As far as the constitution is concerned, when you introduce a bill and it is referred to a committee, that committee must not spend more than three months,” Mr Muntaka stated.

“I just want to refer you to Standing Order 136 which is just a verbatim of the constitution. This is what the side note says: Time limit for delay of bills in committee for constitutional provision of Article 106.

“It is about delays in committees’ [work]. Mr. Speaker, if the chair has decided to adopt a method that gives him room to be able to leave the committee’s work and travel for one or two weeks and come back, and come and continue with the very tortoise method of dealing with the bill at the committee, then maybe, we have to serve notice to our colleagues,” he indicated.

The NDC MP continued, “Since this is the method the Chairman of Legal and Constitutional Affairs will want to use to delay that bill, that bill was in this House before four other bills, I can assure you that any other bill that will be introduced in this House, we shall resist it, even if it is to provide water in Asawase, we will resist it.

“We will make sure that, that bill as long as it stays there, any other bill that you put in this House, we shall oppose it because we see that it is deliberate. You are deliberately delaying the bill.

“Don’t make excuses because if you want it to be fast-tracked, you know what to do. If the government wants that bill they know what to do, and what you are doing at that committee, Mr. Speaker, I am repeating it to the Chairman on his face. You are deliberately wasting time. You don’t want the bill to come to this House,” he asserted.

Majority Rebuttal

But the Majority caucus, which took exception to the attack on the committee, chairman and the government, rebutted Minority’s claims of deliberate delay of the passage of the bill.

Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, quizzed, “Mr. Speaker, why has the Chairman of the Constitution and Legal Affairs Committee been singled out for blame? Why is it being personalised? We have leadership of a committee. Why has Hon Muntaka kept quiet on the Ranking Member on the committee from their side?”

He continued, “We all know how committees work. The Chair and Ranking Member must confer and agree. The Chairman cannot single-handedly take decisions. It is very rich to hear the Minority Chief Whip going after a respected member of this House, whose record is not in doubt.

“Mr. Speaker, if this is not an agenda with the main aim of setting up a grand agenda, then I am sure the new drama is about to unfold. It means the peace of this House is likely to be disturbed. Because, Mr. Speaker, he did not just make the statement. He interlaced it with threats, and I know when he normally keeps quiet and looks down, I know what he is about,” he submitted.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin, who is also the NPP MP for Effutu, said the leadership of Parliament could engage the committee to work expeditiously if they really meant well.

“If the leadership of this House so desires that the committee must move with the speed of light, we should engage the committee,” he stressed.

He added, “But our side, the Majority of the House, will never accept a submission by the Minority Chief Whip to single out our Chairman and subject him to ridicule and embarrassment to get the media to attack him when the Ranking Member is part of the decisions of the Committee.”

In his view, MPs can only hold members of the Executive accountable if they comply with the law.

“Parliament must be open, transparent and accountable to the people. As the saying goes, charity begins at home.

“As the Constitutional and Legal Head of the institution of Parliament  … I pledge to lead this effort by example,” he said.

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According to him, “he will take up this role together with the leadership of the House “initiate discussions with relevant state actors to put in place measures and systems to ensure that all members and staff of Parliament comply with the declaration of assets, tax obligations and honour all outstanding issues of overpayment and underpayment reported on by the Auditor-General, from 2001 to 2008 and 2009 to 2016.”

The Speaker added that, he would ensure the process begins soon.

“Sooner than later, members will be informed through the usual channels about how this will be done. The proposal is to put a team in place to liaise with the state and non-state actors to smoothen the compliance of this initiative,” he said.

Mr. Bagbin said Parliament in its second session will take “further vigorous steps to strengthen the hand of the House to hold government and state institutions accountable for the people for the power, trust, resources and hope reposed in us.”

“The Executive President assisted by cabinet and state …shall be called upon to account for the stewardship of the country to succeed to implement this agenda.”

He also observed that a mechanism will be put in place to ensure MPs who received double salaries refund the monies to the state.

On his part, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also asked for a review of the asset declaration law to robe in MMDCE’s and other public officials such as; the Council of State and Special Prosecutor.

According to him, the assets declared per the Constitution of Ghana in Article 205 or 206 “have to be lodged with the Auditor-General.”

“The rationale for this is for the Auditor-General to interrogate assets acquired by public officers. Unfortunately, the construct of the Constitution is such that once they are lodged with the Auditor-General, he himself is disabled from opening the assets so declared, to ensure that people who have acquired assets respond to their tax liabilities. It is the reason why the assets are lodged with the Auditor-General, for whatever reason, our Constitution threads on a different path, Deposit it with the Auditor-General and that is the end of it” he said.

It has almost been the norm in recent times to hear Parliamentarians, especially those in opposition chant “father oo! father” as a welcome gesture anytime Speaker Alban Bagbin enters the Chamber.

Their act is to praise and show excitement anything they see Mr Bagbin.

This, however, has not been sitting well with the former Nadowli-Kaleo MP but he has been mute over the period.

The same thing happened on Wednesday when the usual welcome “father oo father” greeted the Speaker in his procession into the Chamber.

But Mr Bagbin, who was angered, warned the MPs, especially the Minority, saying, let this be the end.

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Mr Bagbin did indicate that he was the father of the House but it was unparliamentary to do that.

He has, therefore, asked them to put a stop to it.

Listen to the audio above:

The fight ensued when the MPs were voting in a headcount to decide whether the E-levy bill should be accepted under a certificate of urgency.

The Minority had attempted to stop the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, who was presiding over the House, from leaving his seat and participating in the voting process.

This infuriated the Majority MP, who met them at the Speaker’s table to challenge the NDC MPs.

The Minority MPs explained that Mr Osei-Owusu, while in the position of Speaker, does not have a casting vote.

Before the sitting, the Majority had held a press conference stating the whereabouts of the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, was unknown.

However, since the bill had been laid before the House, the First Deputy Speaker took over proceedings in the House.

During deliberations, the Minority MPs challenged the decision by the Majority MPs to place the Bill under a certificate of urgency.

Although a voice vote was taken with the First Deputy Speaker ruling favouring the Majority, the NDC MPs called for a headcount instead.

Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu then decided to swap positions with the Second Deputy Speaker, who had voted to take part in the decision making.

However, the Minority MPs who disagreed with that position swiftly moved to the Speaker’s seat to stop the swap, with the Majority also moving to the seat, which led to the crash.

In videos captured in the House, the MPs were seen throwing blows, with some falling to their feet.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa North, James Agalga called for calm among residents in the town.

“As the representatives of the people in the Upper East Region, we wish to seize this opportunity to appeal to chiefs, opinion leaders, civil society organizations, and all who matter in Bawku to work very hard towards fostering peace and unity. Law enforcement has been deployed following the imposition of curfew. They have done their utmost best to ensure relative calm has returned to Bawku,” he said.

The MP commended the Upper East Regional Security Council and other parties who have worked hard to restore peace and calm in the town.

The government, through the Ministry of Interior, on Wednesday, November 24 imposed a curfew on the Bawku Municipality and its environs in the Upper East Region due to insecurity threats.

A statement, signed by the Interior Ministry on December 1, 2021, noted that the curfew has been reviewed following consultation with the Upper East Regional Security Council.

The Ministry reviewed the curfew to start from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am as against the previous 4:00 pm to 6:00 am.

As part of measures to curb the insecurity in the municipality, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council banned the wearing of smocks in the Bawku Township.

In a press statement, the Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, explained that the prohibition was meant to curb the use of smocks by “criminals or unscrupulous elements to hide arms and ammunitions and attack opponents or innocent civilians.”

Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, has waded into the legal argument concerning the arrest of Members of Parliament (MPs) and whether the Police need permission from the Speaker to do so.

According to him, Parliamentarians are not above the law just like ordinary citizens and the law must be made to take its course when necessary.

“You cannot arrest an MP to or from Parliament and in such cases, the police may need to go through the Speaker.

“But while the substantive law is absolute, the procedurals are not but based on all things being equal,” he said.

His comments come on the back of a Contempt of Parliament filed by the Madina MP, Francis Xavier-Sosu, following his attempted arrest during a protest last Monday.

Speaking in an interview, the lawmaker stated that his arrest was unlawful, and the Police acted lawlessly, adding he was on parliamentary duties.

He explained that by leading the demonstrations that resulted in the blockage of the Ayi Mensah-Danfa road by protesters and the burning of tyres which prevented the free flow of traffic, he was performing his parliamentary duty.

The Speaker of Parliament has also refused to release the MP even after the Criminal Investigations Department

of the Ghana Police Service made a request to that effect in a formal letter.

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Reacting to the development in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr Dery said MPs can be arrested, invited, or interrogated, however, there are certain circumstances that may require parliamentary administrative procedures.

“It will be ridiculous to say they [Police] must always go through the administrative process through the Speaker, exhibits will be tempered with, and it will interfere with a thorough investigation, depending on the situation,” he added.

Play the audio above:

It’s about four weeks since one Honourable was sad, angry and pissed because he experienced a fraction of what we go through every single day of our life working in Child health in Ghana.

Since then I have watched some of you talking in the media along political party lines, bragging about what governments past and present have done for healthcare in Ghana.

Funnily enough, it reminds me of a day, years ago, when I was sitting under a tree, reading, with a dog at my feet.

There was an intense scuffle in a nest in the branches above and a small, featherless chick fell out of the nest. My dog jumped up, picked the chick and ran off into the bushes before I could do anything.

Soon afterwards, there was silence in the nest. Obviously someone had won the fight, but the most vulnerable one, their future, was lost. Forever.

You see, during the four weeks that you have been debating which government has done more for healthcare, the young ones have fallen.

In May this year, our country lost 534 children under the age of five years. Out of these,308 were babies under the age of one month.

It may not seem like a large number to you, because these are children; babies. And all they do is feed, sleep, play and poo.

But picture these young ones as your kids or your grandkids. Picture that baby as the one who raises her hands to you to be held and gives you a toothless smile when you visit your nephew and his family; or the one who will donate a kidney to you someday; or better still, the one who formulate policies for you when you are old and gray.

Every child we lose, means a dream lost. It means hope lost. It means the end of a story.

Imagine parliament with 534 of the Members dead in a month. You would be in a negative balance. You would weep.

You would not wear political party colours. You would all wear red. But that’s how many kids we have lost since your debate began.

I am a pediatrician. I speak for the children. Let me be honest with you. You are not prioritizing the health of the children enough.

You talk about hospitals you built. Congratulations. But where are the children’s hospitals in the 16 regions? Where can the sick child get the total compliment of care he needs: from cancer treatment to ICU care?

You talk about ambulances. Wonderful. But where are the ambulances fit for babies? How do we transfer a newborn across the regions without a transport incubator?

It seems you expect us to put the tiny baby on the adult bed in the ambulance, pump air into his tiny lungs and hold on fast so that he doesn’t fall off as the car races across terrible roads. How?

You mention healthcare workers as your achievement. Wonderful. But how many pediatric surgeons do we have in this country? And pediatric intensivists?( Why am I even mentioning the intensivists when there are too few pediatric ICUs to put them in).

The critically ill children have to cross many regions to see these people. And many times, they just give up and die on the journey
.
You boast of the strides in health insurance. But we still cannot find one childhood cancer that it caters for. Meanwhile, the cancers of these little ones are oh so curable.

Yet we continue to draw a sheet over the still form of a child who died from a treatable cancer and send the body to the morgue.

And back to the issue of beds. You talk about bringing in hospital beds. Honorables, G-275, I need you to understand this once and for all:
For the premature baby, her bed is an incubator.

For the jaundiced baby, his bed is a firefly or phototherapy machine.

For the newborn with sepsis, a bassinet is her bed, not an adult bed.

For the toddler, his bed is a cot with side rails so he doesn’t fall and hurt himself.

For the critically ill child whose organs are shutting down, just the mattress and frame of a bed can’t save him. He needs an ICU bed which has all the lifesaving equipment with it.(ventilators, monitors, infusion pumps and everything)And of course :the skilled personnel.(but we will talk about them another day)

I agree you have some achievements regardless of your affiliations. But when I remember Nihad looking into the eyes of a kid with a curable cancer as she listens to the parents ask for discharge to let the child die because there is no money; when I listen to the grief in Naa Djama’s voice as she tells me of a 7day old who is having seizures and will never sit or talk because he was brought in too deeply jaundiced from a facility that didn’t have phototherapy and so is brain damaged for life;

when I watch Vera care for a 3 year old child who is struggling to breathe and is giving up but has no CPAP to help him and when I look at the tiny baby wrapped up but brought in dead in a freezing cold ambulance and I don’t know how to tell the parents, I can’t help but say this: None of you deserves the bragging rights when it comes to Child health in Ghana.

G-275, I asked the other Honourable to go trace a journey. But I give you an easier task. You need to seek healthcare in the hospitals in the constituencies that voted for you.

Find out the state of the equipment and skills of the staff in the kids ward and NICU (if there is one). Would you want your sick child/grandchild to be admitted there?

When you go through the system without calling a doctor friend for ‘protocol’ to sort you out in the privacy of your home, that’s when you will realise how hard the hospital bench is. And that will be the least of your worries .

That is when you will realise how we badly we lack equipment and skill to save lives of children. ’Your eyes will be opened’.

You see, unless you strengthen the hospitals in the periphery in terms of equipment and skill, every critically ill child will end up in Korle Bu or KATH, or TTH and there will be ‘no bed’. And the children will keep dying.534 for May alone… and counting.

I have the right to ask you to go on this fact finding mission : because every four years, in December, an 84 year old woman gets up at 3am and takes a bath.

She doesn’t eat breakfast nor take her diabetes medication, but hobbles with a walking stick down a rocky road in the dark just to queue to vote for you.

She is trusting YOU to give her grandchild and great grandchild a better future.

G-275, as you embark on your journey, remember this ; those 534 dead kids did not vote and will never grow to do so.

Their blood was not political party colours. Their blood was red.

Your’s sincerely,

Still sad, still angry and still pissed Adoma

During the second meeting of the first session of the 8th Parliament, the Speaker noted that any member who fails to adhere to this order, will see the wrong side of the House.

His comment was in reaction to some legislators whose posture and audible comments were interfering with his welcome address on Tuesday.

“Hon. Members, the honeymoon period is over. We are in a transitional period now, and we will start enforcing the rules,” the Speaker cautioned.

Commenting further, he was hopeful that the recess had afforded them the opportunity to interact with their constituents and also helped them to understand their needs.

“From experience, I know these recesses are not only very special but healthy periods of an MP’s life. These are not signatory moments but rather mobile Johnny Walker season where MPs visit constituents.

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“I hope your visit to the communities and people has exposed you a lot more to the realities of the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian and has, thus, humbled and prepared you to better represent the interest of the people and the nation in the House,” he noted.

The calling out gesture forms part of the protest which started on Monday where many citizens are urging the incumbent to fix the country.

On Friday, many MPs, DCEs and MCEs of various constituencies were posted together with photos and videos showing untarred roads, broken bridges and poorly developed projects among others that need apt attention from political leaders.

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Check out some of the tweets below:

For these politicians who have their work cut out for them in their respective constituencies, the support of their spouses in their political journey is something that is highly commendable.

Meet the beautiful wives of 5 of the most famous NPP MPs:

1. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu

The Member of Parliament for the Suame constituency, Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu is married to Irene Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu. He always ceases the opportunity to show up with his pretty wife at any gathering he would be gracing the occasion.

2.Oppong Nkrumah

The Member of Parliament for the Ofoase Ayirebi Constituency, Vincent Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who doubles as the Information minister is married to Akua Oppong Nkrumah.

3. Francis Asenso Boakye

The member of parliament for the Bantama Constituency in the Ashanti Region of Ghana is married to the CEO of Beautiful Beneath, Juliet Gyamfi

4. John Ntim Forjour

The Member of parliament for the Assin South constituency is married to Lady Tracy Ntim-Fordjour. The pretty young lady is the strong tower behind the MP who doubles as a minister of God.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by John Ntim Fordjour‪, MP (@ntimfordjour)

5. Kennedy Agyapong

The maverick member of parliament for the Assin Central Constituency, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong recently tied the knot with his second wife, Christina in a colorful ceremony.

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, says Ghanaians did not give the opposition party enough power to reject some of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees.

Although he believes some of the nominees performed abysmally in their former role and should not have been re-appointed, he said the NDC in Parliament lacked the capacity to fail the said appointees.

He said Ghanaians should rather vent their anger and frustrations at the appointing authority.

“Ghanaians did not give us power to appoint ministers. They have not given us sufficient power to fail ministers. So that should be made very clear. If Ghanaians had given us the power to appoint ministers, we would be in government.

“Ghanaians have chosen that, you are the person we want. We believe in your judgement as Akufo-Addo and he has exercised his judgement in retaining a Finance Minister, and you’re coming to accuse us. You are not accusing the person who did the nomination,” he said.

Prior to the approval of the ministers-designate, there were calls from some Civil Society Organisations and sections of the public for some of the nominees to be failed for not impressing at the vetting.

The Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Appointments Committee vehemently opposed the nomination of three appointees – Hawa Koomson, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto – on various counts which included being untruthful to the Committee and misconducting themselves in their public lives.

But the Minority Caucus in Parliament failed to marshal enough MPs to push their decision through during the plenary.

This infuriated the NDC foot soldiers and leading members of the party including Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi who accused the Minority leadership in Parliament of betrayal.

“Do you think that if Ken Ofori-Atta had been rejected then the next person would be Ato Forson? If Ofori-Atta is rejected, the same Nana Akufo-Addo will nominate and he may nominate a worse person than Ofori-Atta. So if you have any blame, put it on the person who did the nomination.

“Even if we all (NDC MPs) voted against him, he will still be a minister. So the problem is not with the approval, the problem is with his nomination”

The NDC General Secretary stated that the NDC as a party was very disappointed by the first approval of ministers.

The veteran politician further said even if the Minority MPs had succeeded in rejecting some of the nominees, there is no law that bars the President from re-nominating the candidate for the same portfolio.

The former Wenchi West MP indicated that Ghanaians denied the NDC of constituting a government during the 2020 election and it will be unfair to accuse the NDC Caucus in Parliament of not being able to reject some appointees.

President Akufo-Addo is yet to release the list of Deputy Ministers for his second term and with the controversy that surrounded the vetting and approval of substantive sector nominees, it is unlikely to be a smooth sail for the individuals to be appointed.

According to the Ofoase-Ayireb Member of Parliament, he had to take that moment serious like he would do in any election since anything could have happened.

He disclosed this on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen as he describes the outcome as a bit of a surprise after he polled 156 votes.

“I didn’t have to be complacent so I engaged as many MPs as I could and campaigned rigorously because I didn’t want any Indian film experience.

“Though I had my own target, I did not expect the numbers I had,” he said.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah added: “The outcome has strengthened my faith in God and I am convinced the Lord will always protect his own if only we work in honesty and in truth.”

On Wednesday, March 3, 2021, Parliament, by a majority decision and consensus, approved the nomination of 13 ministerial nominees while 10 were approved by consensus.

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• Oppong Nkrumah, Dr Afriyie Akoto submit documents to Appointments Committee

Three nominees, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, minister-designate for Information, Hawa Koomson, minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture and Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, who were earlier rejected, were approved.

Parliament, after hours of sitting, which dragged through Wednesday night to about 3:00 am Thursday, approved all 13 ministerial nominees in the Appointments Committee’s report.

The prolonged sitting was partly due to a debate from both sides of the House over the clarity in what was meant by a ‘majority decision’ as captured in the report recommending the approval of three of the 13 ministers-designate.

After unfavourable attempts to use a headcount, Speaker Alban Bagbin resorted to the use of a secret ballot to decide whether the nominees should be approved or not.

According to Mr Agyapong, he cannot fathom why the lawmakers will decide to violate the COVID-19 protocols.

He expressed worry over their disregard for social and physical distancing despite the wearing of nose masks.

Some MPs from both sides of the House were spotted in pictures on the official Facebook page of Parliament, dancing their hearts out.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Burning Issues, the lawmaker disclosed that he was not present at the seminar.

“I was not present at the seminar but I have seen visuals of some MPs shaking hands, hugging and others and if it is really true, then what they did is bogus,” he fumed.

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Mr Agyapong stressed the action of his colleagues must be condemned.

“The MPs are supposed to lead good lives for constituents to follow and if they are breaking the protocols how will they expect Ghanaians to obey the protocols?

“You media should criticise the MPs because we are not above the law,” he said.

The workshop was organised by Parliament for new lawmakers and aimed at equipping them with the requisite skills to enable them to effectively navigate their way in Parliament.

Some of the MPs, spotted in pictures on the official Facebook page of Parliament, were seen dancing their hearts out.

They were MPs from both sides of the House.

The workshop was organised by Parliament for new lawmakers and aimed at equipping them with the requisite skills to enable them to effectively navigate their way in Parliament.

The workshop was attended by the Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Alban Bagbin; Majority Caucus Leader, Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu; Minority Caucus Leader, Haruna Iddrisu; the Clerk to Parliament, Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah; some former MPs and experts.

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, February 4, 2021, announced to the House that some 15 MPs and 56 staff have tested positive for the virus.

According to him, the said MPs and the staff have been contacted and advised to self-isolate for treatment.

The MPs are, therefore, pleading with their colleagues to adhere to the directive and self-isolate to avoid mass infection.

Speaking to Adom News, the immediate past Minority Spokesperson on Health, Kwabena Mintah Akando, said he got scared when the Speaker made the announcement.

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He also expressed shock over reports that some of those who have tested positive still report to Parliament.

MP for Tempane, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, MP for Abirem, John Osei Frimpong, who all added their voices to the call, urged their colleagues to be responsible and sensitive to the plight of persons who may have underlining health conditions.

MP for Daffiama/Bussie/Issa, Dr Sabastian Sandare Ngmenenso, also said the identities of the stubborn MPs who have failed to self-isolate should be known to their colleagues.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said that would ensure that all public institutions comply with the provisions of Article 286 of the 1992 Constitution and Public Office Holders (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act,1998 (Act 550).

The Act states: “A person who holds a public office shall submit to the Auditor-General a written declaration of all property or assets owned by, or liabilities owed by him, whether directly or indirectly, before taking office at the end of every four years; and at the end of his term of office.”

It lists the President, Vice-President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, a Member of Parliament, and Minister of State or Deputy Minister as those required to declare their assets.

Others are the Chief Justice, Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature, Chairman of a Regional Tribunal, Commissioner on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, and the deputies.

The rest are judicial officers including members of the regional tribunals, ambassador or high commissioner, secretary to the Cabinet; head of ministry or a government department or equivalent office in the Civil Service.

Mr Whittal explained that as the new government appoints new ministers with Parliament constituted, it was incumbent on constitutionally mandated bodies to remind the officials of their responsibilities under the Asset Declaration Act.

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The CHRAJ Commissioner said: “We expect that MPs, government appointees and other public office holders listed in the act must declare their assets before the resumption of work.”

“If you accept the appointment you must be ready to do what the Constitution says,” he said.

Mr Whittal called on Speaker, Sumana Bagbin, to ensure that MPs did what was right by declaring their assets, adding they should have done this before the swearing-in.

He said so far as they were paid from the Consolidated Fund the Constitution expected them to declare their assets and that non-declaration was against the law.

The Constitution demands that the Chairman, Managing Director, Secretary, General Manager, and Departmental Head of a public corporation or company in which the Republic has a controlling interest, Governor of Bank of Ghana and the deputies are required to declare.

Heads of Department of the Bank of Ghana and Chancery of Ghana Embassy or Ghana High Commission, Chairman of the Electoral Commission and the deputies; and Chairman of the National Commission for Civic Education and the deputies are also required to declare.

Officers in the Armed Forces seconded to civilian establishments and institutions; members of the Tender Boards of the Central, Regional and District Assemblies; officials of the Vehicle Examination and Licensing Division not below the rank of Vehicle Examiner; and Presidential Staffers and Aides among others are not left out.

They MPs and their Speaker thronged the auditorium in their numbers to file past the mortal remains of Ghana’s first President of the Fourth Republic.

Majority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and the first Deputy Speaker, Joe Wise were all spotted filing pass the late former President’s body.

Others included the second Deputy Speaker and Fomena MP, Andrew Amoako Asiamah and Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak.

Clad mainly in red and black attires, the legislators took turns to view the body as today, Tuesday, was their scheduled day to do so.

Monday was set aside for members of the public, heads of security agencies, leaders of political parties, along with traditional leaders as part of the three-day state burial.

The final funeral rites of Mr Rawlings which will mark the last day of the state mourning will be on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

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The ceremony will be held at the Independence Square in Accra from 9:00 to 11:00 am.

Watch a video the legislators’ filing pass below:

In his most recent live stream, the singer said he was surprised to see Members of Parliament run and attack each other on Thursday while electing a new Speaker.

Shatta Wale said the actions of the parliamentarians were comparable to that of “rugby players” or “American football players” and not that of honourables’ as they are called.

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The singer, in doing the stream, wore the helmet American footballers wear to protect the ir heads, saying he was selling same to the parliamentarians since their work had become a violent one that requires protection.

He added that the MPs’ actions proved his point that the fuss over his fight with Stonebwoy at the 2019 VGMA was unnecessary.

In a statement, the party’s chair noted that the members of the NDC caucus “through creative skills, experience, perseverance and determination, shown that the wings of the oppressor can be clipped and they indeed clipped it.”

According to him, “without unity, unwavering determination and steel-like courage, we could have suffered further oppression and suppression by the forces of anti-democracy. Together we will emerge stronger and better and defeat those who seek to wind back the clock of our democratic progress.”

Read his full statement below:

I feel particularly proud of the men and women who represent our party in parliament. I do not have the right words to commend our gallant, courageous and strategic Honorable MPs for fighting through the night to ensure that our country elected Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin as Speaker of the 8th Parliament of Ghana.

It has been a long tedious struggle on what seems like a lonely journey from December 7 2020 till now, amidst intimidation, bullying, and outright violence visited on our compatriots.

Without unity, unwavering determination and steel-like courage, we could have suffered further oppression and suppression by the forces of anti-democracy.

Members of parliament have, through creative skills, experience, perseverance and determination, shown that the wings of the oppressor can be clipped and they indeed clipped it.

I feel particularly proud of the men and women who represent our party in parliament. I do not have the right words to commend our gallant, courageous and strategic Honorable MPs for fighting through the night to ensure that our country elected Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin as Speaker of the 8th Parliament of Ghana.

Let me also say that I admire the patriotism of those New Patriotic Party members of parliament, who saw reason in our cause and voted our way in choosing the speaker. I can only say kudos!

I salute all party members across the country and ask for calm and moderation as we trust in leadership for further political actions.

Ours is a struggle to make Ghana better for all. The Rescue Mission continues and with God on our side we shall surely overcome.

Speaking on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM, monitored by Adomonline.com, the rapper said the trading of blows in Parliament meant laws don’t work in the country.

The last time we had a brief from the police… their last words were that the case was closed and we are in a country where MPs snatch ballot boxes so how do you expect laws to work…? That was like two years ago, he said.

Kwaw Kese also partially blamed Mr Okyere’s family for being apathetic towards the demise of their beloved member.

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Its pathetic because aside him working for me he was working for other people and he had family and all these people have shown no interest.

They should come together. The family should be the backbone of the case but no one cares, he said.

Mr Okyere, the head of MadTime Entertainment, was brutally killed by unknown assailants who broke into his house at his Manet Gardens residence on the Spintex Road in Accra on Thursday, March 13, 2014.

Watch the video below:

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu expects salaries for the MPs to be at par with that of Appeals Court judges.

According to him, since 2016, MPs have not had their salaries reviewed upwards unlike the ordinary Ghanaian worker who has, for some time, enjoyed little increment after four years of work.

Members of Parliament currently take salaries in the region of GHS14,000 monthly but are demanding a 30% increment to GHS21,000 per month, according to sources.

At a press conference by the leadership of Parliament ahead of the dissolution of the 7th Parliament, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu backed the Minority Leader on his demands.

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Mr Mensah Bonsu, addressing critics who say MPs do not deserve huge salaries, said per article 114(1) of the constitution, the legislators deserve every bit of their remuneration and even more.

Also joining the discussion was Tamale South MP, who asked the public to appreciate their work, adding there is no security of tenure for their service.

Meanwhile, the committee of the whole of Parliament has rejected the presidential committee report on emoluments for article 71 officeholders (2017-2021) in respect of the executive.

The report by the five-member committee chaired by Prof. Yaa Ntiamoa Baidu was laid on the floor on Monday by Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu for members consideration.

At a heated meeting of the house in-camera, Members of Parliament demanded three conditions from the executive to be included in their package before the House approves that of the executive.

To him, the media is deliberately inciting the public against MPs, by setting the agenda that it was unnecessary to provide personal police protection for MPs.

He said the media is setting the agenda “as if we [MPs] are from Afghanistan, as if we are from Congo River basin, who have been brought to come and put up here [Ghana] to serve the nation.

“Meanwhile, you voted for us [and] you are supposed to love us, get us closer to you but you hate parliamentarians and it is partly because some of you the media, you incite the general public against us, we must be frank. So the Interior Minister is saying that, yes they have enough police people to provide security for MPs and provide security for the whole of the nation, how many MPs do you want them to be killed before we ask of personal security for MPs?” Major (Rtd) Oduro, who is also the MP for Nkoranza North, asked in a media interview on Wednesday in Parliament House.

“I don’t think you are happy that our brother [Ekow] Kwansah [Hayford] has been killed, or you are shedding crocodile tears?” he added.

When he was prompted on concerns being raised by some security experts that we don’t have enough police personnel for that personal MP protection move and that the concentration should be on providing security for all Ghanaians, Major Oduro retorted, “I don’t want to hear security experts, I am also a security expert.”

Following the killing of the Mfantseman MP in a robbery attack last Friday, MPs renewed the call for them to be provided with personal police protection.

Last Tuesday, the Minister for Interior, Ambrose Dery announced in parliament that his outfit has assigned 200 police personnel to provide personal protection to MPs.

He said an additional 800 men were to be made available for other duties in parliament and in the homes of MPs as well.

Following that announcement, there has been some public criticisms with some arguing that operational police work in terms of visibility and patrol duties will be greatly affected.

But reacting to this, the Nkoranza North MP said, “what work have they [security experts] done?

“I am saying that they [police] are visible all over the place. The Interior Minister is saying that he has no problem, you the security expert you are sitting somewhere and saying we have a problem. I am saying that 200 doesn’t cause any harm to the police authorities. They are there and they are saying they don’t have any problem, you are sitting somewhere and you are saying I’m a security expert and they have a problem.”

Major (Rtd) Oduro said the duty of the MPs is to enact laws and make sure that the government sits up and makes sure that everybody gets adequate protection and when something happens “we [MPs] haul them to parliament to come and answer, that is our responsibility.”

Speaking to Joy News’ Evans Mensah on ‘Top Story’ Tuesday, October 13, 2020, he said the move will devoid other state security offices of personnel.

“The reality of what this decision is that effective the time that the IGP finds 200 Police officers to assign for MP protection duties, the areas of operation for the Police – say patrolling or rapid reaction – are going to suffer because he will necessarily have to withdraw Police officers from some of the operational elements,” he explained.

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His contribution follows a disclosure earlier today in Parliament by Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, that government is set to deploy 200 Police officers to serve as bodyguards to all MPs as an interim measure to ensure their safety.

This decision is in response to the murder of the Mfantseman MP, Ekow Quansah Hayford, who was shot dead on the Abeadze Dominase – Abeadze Duadzi – Mankessim Road while returning from a campaign trip on October 9.

The Safety Expert however describes the initiative as amounting to an “MP grievance coup”, and explains that Parliament has wielded its inherent influence to get government to provide members with personal guards as an interim measure.

Mr. Aboagye noted that the effects of the decision will be felt on Police visibility operations until additional recruitment is made for the Police Force.

According to Mr Mahama, even though the reports may be disturbing, there is the need for transparency.

The call of the former president follows reports of some two MPs and 13 parliamentary staff testing positive for the novel virus.

The former president took to Twitter on Friday to make his views known on the case, saying the “reports that the virus has spread to the Chamber and offices of Parliament is very disturbing.

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“While it is important to give hope to citizens, it is absolutely necessary to be transparent and communicate the full picture of the extent of the disease.”

Even though Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu dismissed reports of the cases, Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak stressed it was true.

Read the tweet below:

Reports that the virus has spread to the Chamber and offices of Parliament is very disturbing. While it is important to give hope to citizens, it is absolutely necessary to be transparent and communicate the full picture of the extent of the disease. https://t.co/pilqnrQGqw

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) May 29, 2020