We don’t need military officers at voting centres – Bagbin warns

By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH

The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has called on the military to keep their officers from stationing at the various polling stations during and after the December 7, general election.

The Speaker reveals that his outfit would engage the President, flagbearers of the various political parties, security services, among other stakeholders, on measures to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.

Mr. Bagbin said this during his opening remarks to welcome Members of Parliament (MPs) back from recess on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

The Rt. Hon. Speaker maintained that the military must stay away from polling or voting centres unless they are called in to deal with a situation.

“We don’t want to see the military during the election. When there is a need to call them, they will be called, but they should not be at polling or voting centres.

“Honourable members, the clergy and notable civil society leaders will be actively involved. The signs and signals of happiness in the country are not those of assurance and hope” he reiterated.

The Rt. Hon. Speaker continued saying “Hon Members, another important subject worthy of your careful consideration is law and governance. Thomas Jefferson tells us that ‘the care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government’. Clearly, that is our mandate here as legislators. Our citizens deserve better and we all must collectively unite to uphold their rights and safeguard their freedoms.

I have therefore thought it wise to initiate an engagement with the Chairpersons of the Electoral Commission, Media Commission, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and the National Commission on Civil Education to discuss how Parliament could collaborate and work with them to create the right and just environment for free, fair, peaceful and credible elections. This I believe will inspire confidence in the process and faith in our democratic institutions.”

Below is the full speech of Speaker’s opening remarks

OPENING REMARKS BY THE SPEAKER OF THE 8TH PARLIAMENT OF THE 4TH REPUBLIC OF GHANA, TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2024

Hon. Members, welcome from a long and eventful recess to the Third Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 8th Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. I know you are still busily engaged in your constituencies, mobilizing your constituents for the ongoing voter transfers and proxy applications exercise which the Electoral Commission is processing. Having been part of this business for a long time, I can appreciate the weight of the responsibilities on you and the demands on your person and resources. Despite this stress I know it is a process most of you would have loved to see completed before returning to the House to continue with the plenary session. Unfortunately, national parliamentary duty calls, neither me nor you can say no. I had to summon Parliament and I am grateful you dutifully complied to the summons.

Some of you who couldn’t make it at your party primaries are also planning and putting in place strategies to sustain life after Parliament while members who fortunately have received the mandate of the voters and their parties to contest the December 2024 parliamentary elections are also engaged in campaign activities. This meeting is thus tight and challenging.

That notwithstanding, Parliament is called upon to consider some critical legislation, motions, agreements and oversight responsibilities to deepen the democratic culture and to ensure a smooth transition to the 9th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana.

The Agenda for this meeting therefore includes urgent legislations for consideration. These are:

1. Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Bill, 2023,
2. Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Amendment) Bill, 2021,
3. International Business or Economic Transactions, Bill, 2024
4. Parliamentary Transition Bill, and
5. Budget Bill as part of the 19 Bills at various Committee stages. The over 80 bills yet to be presented to the House may have to be considered in due course.

Five instruments before Committees, 72 more to be presented, 149 papers before various Committees, 59 more to be presented and some agreements, lined up to be passed or approved. Copies of the Agenda of the meeting will be given to every member. This meeting is however proposed to end with the month of July, unless otherwise decided by the House. The weight of business to be considered by the House at this meeting is clearly immeasurable.

Hon Members, another important subject worthy of your careful consideration is law and governance. Thomas Jefferson tells us that ‘the care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government’. Clearly, that is our mandate here as legislators. Our citizens deserve better and we all must collectively unite to uphold their rights and safeguard their freedoms. I have therefore thought it wise to initiate an engagement with the Chairpersons of the Electoral Commission, Media Commission, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and the National Commission on Civil Education to discuss how Parliament could collaborate and work with them to create the right and just environment for free, fair, peaceful and credible elections. This I believe will inspire confidence in the process and faith in our democratic institutions. We will definitely not be doing this alone. The President, Council of State, National Security Council, Flag bearers and National Executives of political parties, the Security Services, particularly the police, the clergy and notable civil society leaders will be actively involved. Hon Members, the signs and signals of happenings in the country are not that of assurance and hope. The joblessness, homelessness and hopelessness of the youth cannot be taken lightly. We must act together and now to prevent a journey to calamity or no return.

Hon. Members, as the English conductor Sir Thomas Beecham once noted, there are two golden rules for an orchestra: start together and finish together. Let us as, a political class, start together and finish together. The public doesn’t give a damn what goes on in between.
With these, it is clear that we have a significant amount of work ahead of us and I therefore urge all members to prioritize their work and ensure that we make progress on these important matters.

Conclusion

Hon Members, on this note, I welcome you to the third Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.

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