By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, Aug. 06, GNA – The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumani Bagbin, has urged Ghanaians to tightly hold on to democratic principles.
“Don’t take for granted the peace and stability we are enjoying as a country now…our forefathers indeed have done a yeoman’s job to bind us together despite our diversity and we must strongly uphold these values and tenets of beliefs and lifestyle,” he said.
The Speaker was responding to a question whether or not the behaviour of Ghanaians now indeed called for military rule at a press soiree with the Western Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association.
The Speaker said 30 years of constitutional rule was not a mean achievement that must be denigrated with coup or any violent extremists’ activities.
He said Ghana’s uniqueness in the scheme of things was carefully arranged by pioneering members of the country, which placed a call on the current generation to take up the mantle and practice of democracy even unto a higher pedestal.
He recalled the days of coups and military rules in Ghana and said, “I am not very sure those calling for military rule or coup were born in those years and so did not witness anything…l say again that lets guard our peace and stability and work collectively as a people to maintain it.”
Mr Bagbin appreciated the efforts of the media for greatly contributing to the peace and stability of the Country …”you have been so important in this democracy and I will laud you at this time and advise that you continue to undertake your duties with utmost allegiance to Ghana as the fourth Estate of the Realm”.
Mr Bagbin also expressed worry at the attitude and conduct of most Ghanaians, adding, “we won’t need to trivialize issues and happenings around us, rather , we must be awake as watchmen guarding our peace as a country, see something , Say Something.”
He expressed concern over the happenings in neighbouring countries and prayed Ghanaians would help to protect the Country through vigilance.
Mr. Desmond Cudjoe, the Western Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, thanked the Speaker for the recognition to the work of Journalists and prayed that renumeration and conditions of service of practitioners would be greatly improved.
He also called for the establishment of MPs office to ensure that members of the constituency had a decent place to engage their members of parliament rather than queuing in their various houses.
GNA