Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Ghana’s outgoing Majority Leader, is calling on the incoming NDC administration to retain Speaker Alban Bagbin for the 9th Parliament.
Either than that, the Effutu Member of Parliament is calling on the President to choose someone who is already a Member of Parliament rather than choosing an outsider to occupy the position.
According to Afenyo-Markin, the Speaker’s performance in the 8th Parliament has been commendable and deserves to be retained. He contends it would be unfair on the part of the government to change Bagbin if his performance is anything to go by.
During the House’s first sitting Monday, December 16, 2024, after a long break following the impasse over the vacant seats and also for the general elections, the Majority Leader indicated that Speaker Bagbin’s institutional empowerment has been unmatched.
“Mr Speaker, the institutional empowerment you have given to Parliament is unmatched, and it is likely because we have you as speaker coming from within. Mr Speaker, I don’t know whether you will be retained or if a new person will be appointed… If they decide to maintain you, I know parliament will continue to benefit.
“But should they decide to retire you, which I know they can do, if they choose to bring in a new Speaker, that person should come from within. We don’t want an outsider,” he stated.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin explained that they would prefer an existing member of the house, “someone who will understand us.”
He extolled Speaker Bagbin’s leadership for the House saying “Mr Speaker, let me commend you for the four years of your leadership in this House. We may have had our disagreements, but it is clear that the welfare of members has been key to your leadership. Nobody can take that away from you.”
Monday’s sitting was held at the Accra International Conference Centre, where members of the House are set to meet and debate pending matters before the current Parliament’s closure.
