The Last Year Of The 8th Parliament Begins Today

By:Yesmeen Abubakar Tetteh.

Ghana’s parliament will reconvene today Tuesday February 6, 2024 after the Christmas break to commence proceedings for the last year (session) of the 8th Parliament.

The Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin in a statement recalling the lawmakers said the commencement of the Fourth Session of the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic shall commence at Ten o’clock in the forenoon of Tuesday, 7th February, 2024.”

The statememt said the Speaker of Parliament, by Clause (1) of Article 112 of the 1992 Constitution, appointed Parliament House, Accra, to be the place of meeting.

“Know Ye All Men that in the exercise of the powers conferred on the Speaker by Clause (1) of Article 112 of the Constitution, I, Rt Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, by this Constitutional Instrument, appoint Parliament House Accra to be the place….,” it said

The House adjourned sine die, on Thursday, December 22, 2022, to enables the lawamkers take a break for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

As the House officially resumes plenary today, the dynamics with regards to attendance to business in the chamber are expected to change significantly.

This is particular because of the number casualties recorded in the January 27, 2024 primaries of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), where a total of 28 sitting legislators lost their bid to regain the party’s ticket for the 2024 general elections.

The development if not managed properly by the party hierachy, may affect attendance to the chamber thereby negatively impacting government bussiness.

Sitting MPs who lost in the parliamentary primaries and have become bitter may have nothing to lose if they fail to be responsive to happenings in the chamber.

A number of outstanding Bills including gthe Affirmative Action Bill,2023, Social Protection Bill, 2023, Environmental Protection Agency amendment Bill among others are expected to receive much attention during the Meeting.

Some new Bills are also expected to be introduced to the lawmaking chamber.

These include the presidential transition amendment bill, the Advertising council bill, Consumer Protection bill, Ghana Roads Authority Bill, 2023 among others.