MPs Return From Break

Parliament Of Ghana

MEMBERS OF Parliament (MPs) yesterday resumed sitting to complete the fourth session of the fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic after breaking for the 2012 general elections.

The lawmakers were seen in groups taking unofficial stock of the outcome of the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections in which some big shots from both sides of the House were dethroned.

Apart from dethroned MPs for Talensi and Lawra/Nandom, John Akologu Tia and Ambrose Dery who boldly turned up at yesterday's sitting, most of the political heavy weights including Nabdam MP Moses Asaga and Effutu MP Mike Hammah who lost their seats still appeared to be in shock as they failed to surface at Parliament.

In a welcome address, Speaker Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo congratulated all the MPs who went through the political exercise for inching up the country's democratic credentials, a notch up the ladder.

“Both the victor and the vanquished should be commended for offering themselves up for consideration to be elected to serve our country. I am particularly impressed by your hard work, maturity and cooperation in seeing our country through yet another general election”, Justice Bamford-Addo eulogized the MPs.

She appealed to them to work tirelessly towards sustained peace especially after the elections to ensure continued development of the country.

Justice Bamford-Addo further urged the lawmakers to do well, as they have always done, to be well focused and ensure that all scheduled businesses are attended to with the needed dispatch.

“Honourable Members, as we gather here to commence business for this meeting, let us not downplay this important Meeting as it tapers to our four year constitutional mandate,” she added.

In a related development, the Parliament Press Corps (PPC) has congratulated and welcomed all elected MPs to the House.

A statement issued by the PPC Dean Andrew Edwin Arthur said “The Executives and the entire membership of the Parliamentary Press Corps wish to congratulate and welcome all parliamentary candidates who have been elected as Members of Parliament to represent their various constituencies.”

The PPC welcomed the newly elected MPs and assured them that as partners in deepening democracy and ensuring that the constituents got what they deserved, “our work as reporters will never be in doubt”.

“The PPC is by this release congratulating all the 29 women MPs elected including Hannah Serwah Tetteh (NDC-Awutu Senya), Hannah Bissiw (NDC-Tano South), Sena Okity-Dua (NDC-Ledzokoku), Ursula Owusu (NDC-Ablekuma West), Adwoa Sarfo (NPP-Dome/Kwabenya) and Rosemund Comfort Abrah (NPP-Weija/Gbawe).

The PPC believed that the increase in number of female MPs from 19 to 29 was very commendable, but must be increased in the future to enable them partner their male counterparts to give a variety of dimensions to the country's legislation.