You're an accomplished man; save your legacy - Kufuor to Bagbin on issues in parliament

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has urged the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to consider the impact of his actions on his legacy and take immediate steps to resolve the current parliamentary deadlock.

In an interview with Asempa FM, Kufuor expressed that the responsibility to address this stand-off rests with Bagbin, who has both the authority and the mandate to restore order to Parliament. He encouraged Bagbin to reflect on how his legacy might be affected if the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic fails to conclude in the customary manner.

“I will plead with the Speaker that the solution lies in his bosom. He is an accomplished man on a powerful seat, and he is the third most powerful person in the country. The 8th Parliament has two months to rise, and every Parliament has a life,” Kufuor stated. He added, “He has been a great servant, so he should be concerned that in the last few days of his reign, the House is in disarray. It is his own record that is being destroyed. Before every Parliament rises, there are certain things which ought to be done to ensure smooth transition and operation of government. So if they can’t sit and handle these nice and important things, then it’s unfortunate.”

Parliament has faced disruption since October, when the Speaker declared four seats vacant, leading to tensions within the House. When Parliament reconvened on 7 November 2024, Bagbin was forced to suspend proceedings indefinitely due to the absence of Members of Parliament from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Bagbin explained that, without enough MPs present, the House lacked the quorum necessary for decision-making. Additionally, no agenda was available because the Business Committee of Parliament had not convened to set one, following the absence of the NPP MPs who had originally requested the session.

Expressing his frustration, Bagbin noted, “Unfortunately, the signatories who made the request have not shown up, and therefore matters that they wanted us to handle, which are admitted for the consideration of the Business Committee, are not on the order paper.” He added that there was no order paper for the session since the Business Committee could not meet, resulting in an absence of agreed-upon business to address.

“In view of this, we have as usual got a quorum to sit, but we have no business before us to transact because the Business Committee, as you know, prepares a report, and this report is adopted by the House as business agreed by the House to transact during the course of the week,” Bagbin continued. “In view of the failure of the Business Committee to sit, as a result of the refusal of those who requested the recall to show up, we are compelled to once again adjourn the sitting of the House.”

Former President Kufuor's appeal underscores the critical role of the Speaker in ensuring that Parliament fulfils its mandate effectively. With the Speaker's unique authority, Kufuor believes it is essential for Bagbin to take decisive action that preserves both his legacy and the operational integrity of the 8th Parliament. As parliamentary disruptions continue to stall essential governance activities, the Speaker’s intervention remains pivotal to restoring order and ensuring a productive closure to this parliamentary term.

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