Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has criticized the behavior of legislators in response to public concerns.
The Rt. Hon. Speaker advised members of the Legislature to conduct themselves in a manner that garners public acceptance.
He highlighted public perceptions of MPs’ behavior, emphasizing the need for improvement.
Speaking to the MPs on the floor of Parliament Tuesday, July 09, 2024, the Speaker noted that the feedback he receives from the public is that the “MPs behave like kindergarten kids on the floor.”
“Some of you have complained to me that you meet some of these security personnel and some other officials and when you say ‘I am a member of Parliament’, the response you get is that and so what?
“I think that this problem is from how we conduct ourselves. Will they ever tell a judge or a minister ‘and so what’? Why is it that they say that to Members of Parliament? We need to look at it first,” he stated.
These conflicts typically arise from disagreements over legislative procedures and political tensions between the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Prominent incidents include physical altercations during the Speaker of Parliament election and heated debates during the approval of the 2022 budget.
These occurrences have sparked worries about parliamentary decorum and the efficiency of Ghana’s legislature.
