The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called on the Executive to grant Parliament ownership of the land currently hosting its operations, saying the legislature needs a permanent seat to improve its work and meet the evolving demands of lawmaking.
Mr Bagbin disclosed that a formal request has already been submitted to the government for the release of the parcel of land to enable Parliament to construct new facilities. He said the current arrangement, where the legislature relies on rented or shared facilities, poses significant infrastructure challenges that affect its mandate.
He made the remarks on Thursday at the launch of Parliament’s five-year corporate strategic plan, which outlines reforms aimed at modernising the House and strengthening its institutional capacity.
“We plead with the Executive to release the parcel of land around here for us to develop,” Mr Bagbin said. “We need to have a permanent seat for the pillar of democracy to be housed in a Parliament House.”
According to the Speaker, the present infrastructure has several limitations, including restricted access to some structures within the parliamentary enclave.
“So you see, some of the structures here we can’t have access to them until we ourselves pay, including the banquet hall. And now it’s falling into disuse. We have to spend a lot of money to bring it back,” he explained.
Mr Bagbin stressed that Parliament, as an independent arm of government, should not continue to operate as a tenant within the State House, arguing that ownership of its facilities would enhance efficiency and institutional independence.
“We have been crying, and I hope you support us in that, that at least we should be liberated from being tenants of the State House to having our own premises as an arm of government,” he said.
The Speaker noted that the newly launched strategic plan was developed in response to these infrastructure constraints and broader institutional challenges facing the legislature. The plan, he explained, seeks to modernise parliamentary operations, improve existing facilities, and introduce digital systems to support legislative work.
As part of the modernisation agenda, Mr Bagbin also announced plans to pilot an electronic voting system in Parliament to address challenges associated with decision-making on the floor of the House.
“There are a lot of limitations – infrastructure limitations. It has not been easy. Even when we’re about to make a decision and there’s no consensus, you have to rely on the human resource, and you see the challenges,” he said.
He added that the introduction of e-voting would streamline parliamentary proceedings and improve transparency. “Now we are trying to roll out an IT system where we can have e-voting in the House. We are starting the pilot, and we believe it will ease the struggles you usually see when it comes to decision-making.”
The push for improved parliamentary infrastructure comes amid broader national discussions about strengthening democratic institutions and enhancing governance systems in Ghana. Parliament has in recent years undertaken reforms to modernise its processes, including digitisation initiatives and capacity-building programmes for Members of Parliament.
Parliamentary Affairs Correspondent Kwaku Asante reports that some MPs have welcomed the Speaker’s call, describing it as a necessary step toward enhancing the independence and operational efficiency of the legislature, though discussions with the Executive on the request are expected to continue.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
