By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, Feb.11, GNA – Speaker of Parliament Alban S. K. Bagbin has charged parliamentarians to eschew egoism, indiscipline, and superiority complex and exhibit exemplary leadership to the youth.
That, he said, would promote unity, healthier and stronger Parliamentary work for sustainable national development.
Speaker S, K. Bagbin gave the admonition at the Speaker’s First Breakfast Prayer Meeting of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship (PCF) at Parliament House on Tuesday.
The meeting was under the auspices of Speaker, Alban S. K Bagbin, which was held on the theme, “A Better and a Stronger Parliament” anchored on Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the Nation Whose God is the Lord, The People Whom He was Chosen to be His Heritage”.
The Speaker bemoaned the recent disturbances that have characterized parliamentary proceedings and cautioned that he would not hesitate to crack the whip on erring parliamentarians to ensure order, harmony, and decency in parliamentary business.
He said Parliament was the bedrock of democracy and not an avenue for politicking or religious fanaticism, and tasked parliamentarians to be guided by national interest.
The Speaker charged Parliamentarians to be remembered for righting the wrongs in society and not promoters of brute and indecency.
“Your legacy must inspire greatness, set an example for the youth and be a catalyst for change,” he asked the Parliamentarians.
Speaker Bagbin, therefore, proposed the setting up of a “National Integrity Awards” to recognise and reward individuals who had exhibited the highest degree of decency, professionalism, and integrity in their respective fields whilst those whose conduct had brought shame and embarrassment to the country would be given “Vulture Award”.
The Speaker suggested that a committee be set up, comprising the Clergy, academia, and accomplished personalities, to assess the performance of individuals who would be proposed for recognition.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Nicolas Duncan Williams, the General Overseer of Action Faith Chapel International, during a word of exhortation, noted that a kingdom divided against itself would fall and underscored the need for consensus building to foster national development.
The prayer meeting brought together Members of Parliament (MPs), the Clerkship, the Clergy and Staff of the Parliament Service.
The congregants prayed for President John Dramani Mahama, Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman, Speaker of Parliament Alban S. K. Bagbin and the entire nation.
In attendance were MPs, ministers of State and the Clergy including Archbishop Nicolas Duncan Williams, General Overseer of Action Faith Chapel International, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, President of Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, Kwaku Asante-Boateng, Vice President of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, Ebenezer Djietrior, the Clerk to Parliament, and Voices of Democracy.
The Speaker’s Prayer meeting is organised by the PCF at the beginning of each meeting of Parliament, to commit the House into the hands of God and seek divine guidance.
GNA