Barring any unforeseeable glitch, the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic which will commence its sittings on January 7, 2017, will see the elevation of the MP for Nadowli/Kaleo, Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin to the position of 2nd Deputy Speaker.
Bagbin, who is currently the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in the Sixth Parliament, was elevated to the 2nd Deputy Speaker position following a consensus reached by his colleague National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs on the Majority side who retained their seats.
Kasapafmonline.com understands that there was some resistance from some few colleague NDC MPs who believe that Bagbin’s elevation to the number three position of the Legislature will be detrimental to the course of the umbrella family.
The Nadowli/Kaleo lawmaker’s rapport with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs on the Minority side became a big issue when the umbrella family MPs met to decide who amongst them should be nominated for the 2nd Deputy Speaker position.
They see Bagbin as someone who could easily be compromised now that the table has turned, with the NPP winning about 171 parliamentary seats in the just ended parliamentary elections to form the Majority while the NDC with its 104 seats forms the Minority in the Seventh Parliament.
But upon a second thought, the opposing MPs realized the outgoing Majority Leader is their best bet for the 2nd Deputy Speaker position considering his rich experience in governance, parliamentary work, and his legal background.
Bagbin who has been in Parliament for almost 24 years now will be the oldest MP in the Seventh Parliament following the exit of Hon. Enoch Teye Mensah, MP for Ningo-Prampram, Hon. Alhaji Seidu Amadu, MP for Yapei/Kusawgu and the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho who until his elevation to the Speaker position was the MP for Akatsi South.
He took over the Majority Leader role from Hon. Benjamin Kumbour having served as Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing and later Minister for Health under the late John Evans Atta Mills’ regime.
Source: kasapafmonline.com
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While I may agree that they should be made to use their rich experience in other areas of the economy apart from parliament, I don't think you should spell out in specific terms what they should do. More so, building financial empire as you stated could be so so out of whack as to what they can do best to help. Why financial empire? Does everyone of them have the requisite skill or the gift to build a financial empire? Let them be allowed to use their giftings to help the country in whatever sector such comparative advantage lies within their abilities. We don't have to dictate to them. It is even not helpful to dictate to our kids as to what their career choices ought to be, let alone matured and experienced folks like these.
Career political MPs should be kicked out of the house. MPs like Kyie Mensah Bonsu, Alban Bagbin and others should be forced out of parliament by introducing term limit in our constitution. MP position is not more important than the president. If the constitution restricts the president to serve a maximum of only two four years term, why not the MPs? Why can't these career MPs use the experience, influence and their name recognition to build a financial empire in the private sector to create jobs, generate taxes for the government and get rich instead of depending on this government for life? Some of them can be more beneficial to Ghana in the private sector than getting stack in parliament: They're not realizing their maximum economic potentials as MPs and in turn Ghana is loosing the opportunity cost at the long last. Term limits is one of the ways to force some of these smart MPs to take their chances at the private sector to maximize their economic potentials.