Bagbin back as Majority Leader

By Edmund Smith-Asante, ACCRA

Mr Bagbin (standing in front row) delivering his acceptance speech in Parliament on Wednesday

Former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing as well as Health in the Atta Mills-led government, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, yesterday took back his seat in Parliament as the Majority Leader.

The Majority Leader has been a Member of Parliament since 1993. He was re-elected by the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to replace Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, who is currently the Minister of Defence.

In his acceptance speech on the floor of the House at the beginning of a three-day emergency sitting, Mr Bagbin assured the Speaker that “as a colleague from January 7, 1993, I will give you all my support together with my colleagues to ensure that this House becomes the citadel of democracy in this country.”

He noted that the Speaker was a pride of the House because he was a product of the House and Parliament was happy that for the first time, it had been able to produce one of its speakers.

Commending the outgoing Majority Leader, Mr Bagbin said he had done a lot to add to his personal work and the work of Parliament, which was visible in the handover notes he had received from him.

He also lauded the Minority for their very vibrant effort exhibited when he was being taken away from the House, and also their exhibition of love, trust and confidence in him.

“I can only pray and hope that that trust and confidence will continue and I pledge not to abuse it. 

“We will continue to work together as a House and I will insist that on many issues, we come to a consensus. Matters of welfare are motivational and I am very sure that together with my colleagues in the leadership, we will take them up seriously,” he stated.

He said what was important and compelling was for Parliament to not only continue to serve the people of Ghana, but also exhibit good leadership.

Mr Bagbin said colleagues had expressed serious concerns about the lack of rules and regulations clearly detailing the conduct of Members of Parliament and expressed the hope that the completion of a code of conduct for Parliament would address that.

He said when the code is adopted, “that would clearly tell the world that the term honourable is really earned.”

Mr Bagbin also gave the assurance that he, together with his colleagues, would reach out to the public to try and clear some misunderstandings concerning the work of Members of Parliament. 

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Edward Doe Adjaho, expressed the hope that Mr Bagbin would use his vast experience to assist the House and live up to expectation.

Quoting a statement made by a former Chief Justice, the late Edward Akufo-Addo, he said “When you are in government don’t destroy the Bar because when you destroy it when you are in government, when you come back as a lawyer, the Bar will not be there for you.”

He said the statement showed that when Members of Parliament went out as ministers, they needed to preserve Parliament “so that Parliament would be there for us when we have to come back and take a position.”

Delay in assuming role

Dr Kunbuor explained to Parliament that its official records did not have a record of any new leader because at the last sitting of Parliament on July 18, 2014, there were no clear in-house arrangements as to the order of succession to allow Mr Bagbin replace him.

Welcoming Mr Bagbin back to his seat, the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, expressed the hope that together with him, Parliament would be moved a notch higher than the case currently.

He asked Mr Bagbin to live up to the trust and confidence that the House had reposed in him and help to deal with the many outstanding issues in Parliament.

Writer’s email: Edmund.Asante@graphic.com.gh  

This story was first published by the Daily Graphic on October 2, 2014