Errant MPs will face consequences - Speaker warns

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban S. K. Bagbin, says he will now apply the whip on Members of Parliament (MPs) who demonstrate bad character in the performance of their duties as representatives of the people.

He warned that he would go all out to disapprove the travels of MPs who misconducted themselves.

“Subject to good behaviour, this time I will apply the whip and I will disapprove your travels when I see you misbehaving,” he warned.

Addressing a three-day orientation training for new members of the ninth Parliament, Mr Bagbin told the legislators: “Do not beg me because I will not give you the opportunity to travel.

“If MPs continue misconducting themselves, at the end of the day, you would erode the basis of our existence,” he said.

The Speaker’s warning came in the wake of recent escalating disorderliness in the House, with such disorderly conduct happening both in the chamber and at committee sittings.

The training brought together some experts and senior colleagues with hands-on experience to enlighten the MPs and staff of the Parliamentary Service Board on topics such as rights of the Majority and Minority, conflict management and consensus-building, responsibilities of MPs, mastering the rules of procedure, skills in advocacy, lobbying and negotiation for a legislator, and monitoring and evaluation of public services and capital.

Stop the theatrics

The Speaker said the theatrics that MPs displayed on the floor of Parliament these days were not meant for every day, even if it could be tolerated once in a while.

He likened the situation to a football match where the ball owner could decide to take the ball away once the opposing team scored against his team.

Highlighting the critical importance of the legislature, he said Parliament was not just a cornerstone of democracy but was democracy itself.

Mr Bagbin said Parliament was the only institution that was democratic as compared with the Executive that belonged to one political party and found it very difficult for them to reach to all citizens of the country.

“That is why this initiative of the Minister of Lands and Forestry about how to fight galamsey is a very good initiative because you are the people that lead that fight,” he said.

Cultivate self-leadership

Mr Bagbin, himself a seven-term former MP, reminded the legislators that as MPs, they bore a huge mandate and responsibility, and urged them to cultivate self-leadership as the best step to a successful political career.

“You must cultivate the culture of keenly and patiently observing and listening to colleagues, particularly those of diverse and different shades of opinions and interests to be able to acquire insight.

“This will help you to formulate new ideas and innovative approaches to accomplish bigger and bolder things,” he said.  

Mr Bagbin further urged the MPs to guard against bad peer influence, stressing that “you are unique and nobody is like you”. 

I’ll be impartial

The Speaker also urged the MPs to apply the knowledge and competencies to quickly understand, accumulate and accommodate the norms, rules, ethics and etiquette of parliamentary law, practice and procedures, and the intricacies of governance and public policy.  

He acknowledged that smooth transaction of business in the House called for an impartial, fair and firm referee, saying he had already pledged as the Speaker to offer members that character of leadership.

Mr Bagbin, however, concurred that his two deputies had very serious challenges in doing the same, particularly following the decision of the Supreme Court.

In his view, it was very difficult for the deputies to try and play the impartiality because the Supreme Court’s interpretation had placed them in a position, firmly, of partial referees “that they are Members of Parliament and they represent constituencies and they have a vote and they can even vote while presiding”.

“So that has added a different layer with a serious challenge, and I see it as they preside and try to be impartial.

They do their best, and I always see and observe it,” he said.