By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, Nov. 03, GNA – Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to rise above partisan interests and work together in the national interest as the House commenced the Third Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament on Tuesday.
Welcoming Members back from recess, Mr Bagbin said Parliament was returning to a meeting of significant importance, with key matters, including the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, constitutional reforms and other major legislative business expected to dominate proceedings over the next eight weeks.
He reminded MPs that their engagements with constituents during the recess formed an integral part of their parliamentary responsibilities and should inform deliberations in the House.
The Speaker said Parliament faced a demanding workload, including the consideration of 11 bills, nine legislative instruments, 44 papers, 582 committee referrals, 58 motions and more than 200 outstanding parliamentary questions.
Mr Bagbin called on committee chairpersons and members to expedite work on referrals and submit reports within the stipulated timelines to ensure effective scrutiny of government policies, programmes and budget estimates.
A key area of focus, he noted, would be the anticipated Constitution Amendment Bill to be introduced by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to review several non-entrenched provisions of the 1992 Constitution.
Mr Bagbin emphasised that constitutional reforms must be pursued through broad national consensus rather than partisan competition, describing the Constitution as the collective property of the Ghanaian people and not that of any political party or government.
He also urged MPs to give serious consideration to the proposed Parliament Bill and Budget Bill, which seek to modernise Parliament’s legal framework and strengthen legislative oversight of public finances.
On the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, the Speaker reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the House proceeds with the necessary motion to rescind its earlier decision at the third reading stage and conclude consideration of the Bill during the meeting.
Mr Bagbin further cautioned against the frequent suspension of Standing Orders to expedite the passage of legislation, stressing that thorough scrutiny was essential to producing sound and constitutionally compliant laws.
Expressing concern over declining standards of public discourse, he warned that Parliament would adopt a stricter approach to enforcing rules on decorum, order and parliamentary language to preserve the dignity of the House.
The Speaker also announced plans to deepen Parliament’s digital transformation through the full implementation of a biometric attendance system and the piloting of electronic voting, while exploring the responsible use of artificial intelligence in parliamentary work.
He said technology remained critical to building a more efficient, transparent, and accountable legislature.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Email: [email protected]