Alban Bagbin Archives - Apex News GH

Use Parliamentary language, not the language in a chop bar—Speaker of Parliament

Mr. Alban Bagbin, the Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, has cautioned Members of Parliament against using what he describes as a chop bar language. The Speaker said this during the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s appearance in Parliament to update the house on government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP). Mr Bagbin urged the members of the house to: “Use Parliamentary language, not the language in a chop bar or marketplace but in Parliament.” Meanwhile, the Finance Minister has said government is committed to the welfare of the country’s pensioners. He said: “Government is committed to the wellbeing of our senior citizens and pensioners. “The government will honour their coupon payments and maturing principles.” He reiterated that he had convened to the pensioner bond holders that persons who did not participate in the bond offerings have therefore been exempted.” “I have met with them on three occasions where I explained the terms of the new bonds. I subsequently wrote to their convener to let him know that all pensioners who did not participate in the bond offerings are exempt,” the Finance Minister stated. He called on members of the house to support government to get the board approval from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He stressed that the IMF deal will enable the country recover quickly from its economic challenges. “I will urge Members of Parliament to support the government to secure the board approval for macro stability,” he said. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0256336062

Opinion, Politics

If you are sick, resign for somebody capable to takeover – NPP chairman tells Speaker

Subin Constituency 1st Vice chairman Hopeful of the governing New Patriotic Party Chairman Aziz Soja has said that if the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is sick or is a “chronic sickler” he should resign for somebody capable to take over from him to curb all the confusion at Parliament due to his absence. Chairman Aziz Soja accused the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, of being the cause of all the confusion happening in Parliament. According to him, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin always falls sick when it is time for important votes in Parliament, but he quickly becomes strong when it is time for trivia matters. “So, anytime it is time for a serious vote, then Bagbin will be sick. If you are sick or you are a “chronic sickler” just resign so that somebody who is capable can take the role of the Speaker.” “The confusion at the Parliament is a result of the absence of the Speaker.” Chairman Soja stated that, the Speaker decided that he will not be in the chamber to preside over the house. Chairman Aziz Soja said that Parliament has become a joke, and the MPs don’t even revere the seat of the Speaker of Parliament anymore. He added that the NDC MPs are those causing all the confusion in Parliament. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: +2335555568093

Opinion, Politics

PNC congratulates Speaker of Parliament, tasked Judges to emulates from….

The opposition People’s National Convention (PNC) has extended their calls to Ghanaian judges and lawyers to emulate from the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin’s wardrobe change and also come up with a traditional made in Ghana uniform different from their current one. The party congratulating Mr Bagbin’s decision to ditch the colonial Speaker’s cloak for a traditional African wear also encouraged members of parliament and all institutions of state to emulate “this fine showing of our culture”. Below is the full PNC statement: GREAT MOVE SPEAKER, The PNC commends the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament for that show of our rich culture. The Speaker was looking too handsome in his regalia and that is a clear representation of the Ghanaian culture other than the usual gown. He is certainly adding to the numerous call, especially by the first gentleman of the land- President Nana Akuffo Addo, that public sector workers can be in African prints. Also President Kuffour in 2006 directed all public institutions to wear local textiles on Fridays to help boost the local industries who are into textiles production. It will also help us as a country to appreciate and patronise our own products and to live as Africans. Not only should members of parliament emulate this fine showing of our culture but this should be emulated by all institutions of state. We only need to add a cultural touch to what we inherited from the Europeans. Our courts could adopt a dress code that will still ensure discipline and at the same time showcase our rich tradition. On the 7th of January 2021, our Supreme court judges wore torn and faded uniform to the inauguration ceremony of President Nana Akufo-Addo and the PNC wondered whether it was due to lack of funds to purchase materials to sew new uniform or they were popping up with the status quo of our colonial masters. Prof. Kofi Awoonor mocked educated Ghanaians in his poem ‘We have found a new land’. It was about Africans imitating the dressing of their colonial masters and abandoning their own. The judges and lawyers can also come up with a uniform different from their current one that should have a local touch, and that will be admirable. The PNC is of the believe that our economic condition and our ways of life would be improved the moment we decide to patronise our own products and live as Ghanaians and as Africans. Aside this monumental strides by the speaker, the Party wishes to indulge him to put his feet on the ground by remaining objective and neutral to ensure a healthy debate in the house. His ability to manage the house in the wake of E-levy shall be a test of his ability to remain a good a Speaker who will lead the house to strengthen our democratic credentials. PNC: Service with honesty -signed- Janet Asana Nabla General Secretary

Opinion

Bagbin orders Amoako Atta to reverse road tolls directive

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has ordered the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta to immediately withdraw a press release calling for the cessation of collection of road tolls. The order follows a statement by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu who called the attention of the House on the development and accused the Minister of Roads and Highways of usurping the powers of Parliament whose enactment birthed the tolls. “Mr. Speaker, I think we take a serious view of the conduct of the Minister for Roads as it is an attempt to usurp the powers and mandate of this august house. To suggest as if, this country is not governed by law while he is in a hurry to carry the directives of the President, he cannot be in a hurry to usurp the mandate of this house. And be in a hurry to reverse legislation that this august have not so approved. “Mr. Speaker, it is my submission strongly that the budget itself has not been approved by this house, not its principles or its objectives let alone talk about consequential legislation that may require of him. So Mr. Speaker, in order not to create a society of normlessness, I will have simply said that the Ghanaian public should ignore him because what he is doing is clearly against the letter and spirit of the law,” Haruna added. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin consequently directed the Minister to withdraw the press statement since Parliament has not yet approved the 2022 budget for any measures in there to take effect. He stated that in his view the Minister of Roads and Highways action cannot amount to disrespect rather it is incumbent of the House to educate him on the meaning of his action. “And so until this budget is approved all that is contained in the budget are proposals, we (Parliament) have the authority to approve. They have the authority in pursuance to Article 1, 7, 9 to prepare and lay before the House. So those are policy proposals that are presented before the House, until they are approved, nobody and I mean nobody can start implementing something that doesn’t exist. “So the Minister being a senior member of this house I think that he might have reacted wrongly and therefore I call on him to honorably withdraw that directive. Failure to do so would be a serious breach of the directive of the Speaker and that would amount to contempt of Parliament,” he warned. However, the Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was not enthused about the directive. He indicated that Alban Bagbin’s directive cautioning the Minister for Roads he will be cited for contempt of Parliament if he fails to comply as harsh. Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, though admits the minister erred, argued the move was for the public good. According to the Suame MP, the announcement of the scrapping of road tolls by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in his budget presentation resulted in spontaneous commotion at various toll booths, so the directive from the roads minister was to avert any escalation. Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

Politics

The Speaker would not have the authority to reject budget– Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has stated that the Speaker of Parliament does not have the authority under the law to reject the budget. Last week, Speaker Alban Bagbin has threatened to reject the budget because there has been a cut down in the budget for the Legislative and Judicial arms of government. In an interview monitored by Apexnewsgh.com, Mr. Osei Mensah Bonsu expressed, that it would have been prudent if the Speaker of Parliament had engaged with the leadership of the House before coming out those remarks. “I think that this is not really a matter that, honestly, the Speaker should have spoken to in the plenary. I think that he should have continued the engagement. After all, I’m the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs; I’m also the Majority Leader. This is not a matter for the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry though but it is for the Majority Leader,”. “Maybe he could have sought my intervention to engage the presidency. The truth is Parliament cannot make a request which indeed and in truth may perhaps go outside what the basket of the national resources can contain. There is a reason why when we made the request, there will be this backstage consultation.” “Well, if I have to be blunt, the Speaker would not have the authority to do that but I’m saying that if there is a misunderstanding, we can resolve it without escalating the misunderstanding.” He said in an interview monitored by Apexnewsgh.com Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

Politics

Parliament, Jubilee House budget tussle may end up in court – Rashid Draman

The Executive Director of the Africa Center for parliamentary affairs Dr Rasheed Draman says the seeming budget tussle between Parliament and the Presidency may end up in the Supreme Court. The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin Tuesday, March 16 issued a stern warning to Committees which will consider the 2021 budget estimates against approving the estimates with the figures offered by the presidency. The speaker further disclosed that he will not forward the appropriation bill to the president for his assent when passed if negotiations are not done to find a common ground over the decision by the Presidency to reduce the budget estimate for Parliament and the Judiciary. Speaking to Starr News, Dr. Draman said “over the years, what has happened is that the legislature is starved of resources, yet we wake up and say we want the legislature to be almost if you like, equal to the executive in terms of checking and making sure that the executive is accountable for its stewardship and how the affairs of the nation are conducted.” “I think this is very exciting, and there’s nothing that stops parliament from saying ‘ if you don’t give us the resources to do our work, we are also not going to give you the resources that you need to do your work.’” He added “let’s test the limit and if this has to end up at the supreme court, let it go there. Because you see this by the Rt. Honourable Speaker seems to want to reset the button and make sure that the power asymmetry that exists between the legislature and the executive is corrected once and for all.” Starrfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

Politics

When did ‘small boy’ Sammy Gyamfi join NDC? – Koku Anyidoho

Former Deputy General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Koku Anyidoho has lambasted the National Communication Officer of the party, Sammy Gyamfi for attacking the party’s leadership in Parliament including the Speaker of Parliament. Describing Sammy Gyamfi as an upstart who recently joined the NDC, Koku Anyidoho wondered why and how he could muster the courage to attack the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader, Hon Haruna Iddrisu and the Minority Chief Whip, Hon Muntaka Mubarak for their role in approving some ministers-designate of President Akufo-Addo. “It was about two weeks ago that we heard that a certain small boy in the NDC who feels the NDC is his bonafide property; the boy who recently joined the party has attacked the Speaker of Parliament and the leadership of the NDC in Parliament,” he chastised. “This boy who joined the party recently wants to be carried in a palanquin; he has no respect for anyone and he says whatever he wants and now he has clashed with the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin,” he chided. The Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills however applauded the courage of the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin for responding to Sammy Gyamfi and also for making it clear that he will not sit down and allow his office to be abused. Mr Koku Anyidoho stressed the need to build a healthy institution and a healthy governance process as it is the agenda of the Atta Mills Institute to promote a good governance system in the country. “As for the politics we will do it but we should not allow the culture of insult to take over the governance process. We thank Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Bagbin for saying that he is not a Speaker of a political party but a Speaker for Ghana’s Parliament,” he applauded. He reminded Sammy Gyamfi and his likes who are attacking and calling the Speaker of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka as betrayals to think of how Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin assumed that position when both the NDC and NPP have an equal number of seats in Parliament. He, however, could not fathom the cause of the insults the like of Sammy Gyamfi in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) rained on the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin when he was not the Chairman of the Appointment Committee in parliament. PeaceFM Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

Politics

‘Does he think I’m at the beck and call of NDC, I’m Speaker for Ghana’ – Bagbin on Sammy Gyamfi attack

Speaker Alban Bagbin has told Class Media Group’s Accra100.5FM, Class91.3FM and CTV in an interaction scheduled for simultaneous airing on Monday, March 15, 2021 on all three channels that he does not belong to any political party now that he occupies the position of the third-most powerful person in Ghana. The longest-serving legislator in Ghana’s political history, after a rancorous Speakership poll, ascended the position a little over two months ago despite his party, the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) having lost the December 7, 2020 presidential election and splitting the 275 seats of Parliament with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP). The former Nadowli-Kaleo MP, who had been a lawmaker since the almost-three-decade-old fourth republic of Ghana, recently came under attack, along with Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and Minority Whip Muntaka Muburak, from the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Mr Sammy Gyamfi, after the house passed some contentious ministerial nominees of President Nana Akufo-Addo despite express directives from the Functional Executive Committee of the party, that those ministers-designate be rejected for various reasons. In a social media harangue, Mr Gyamfi said the NDC no more regarded Mr Bagbin as an NDC Speaker, even though he attained the position on the party’s ticket. The Facebook tirade on Thursday, March 4, 2021, accused Mr Bagbin and the leadership of the Minority Caucus, of betraying the party by approving the nominees. “Some have sold their conscience but ours is intact. And we can work together to rebuild the party from the ashes of 3 March 2021, which I call ‘Black Wednesday’ – our day of self-inflicted shame”, Mr Gyamfi said in the post, adding: “This is the time for us to insist on the right changes in the leadership of the NDC group in Parliament or forget about them completely”. To him, “the current leadership have lost their moral authority to lead and are not fit to sit on the front bench of the NDC side of the house”. “More importantly”, he noted, “it’s about time we understood that we don’t have any NDC Speaker of Parliament”. “No, we don’t!” he stressed, in reference to Mr Bagbin, complaining: “We have a Speaker who rode on the back of the NDC into office to pursue his own parochial agenda and nothing more”. “You trust them at your own peril”, he warned members and supporters of the NDC. Passing a brief comment about the attack on him during a courtesy call by CMG, at which meeting he spoke about the need to strengthen the capacity of the media, Mr Bagbin said: “Recently in the media, on social media, in particular, you have heard the blistering attack on me when I did not play any role apart from presiding [over the business of the house]”. “Because I say I belong or came from a party, does he [Sammy Gyamfi] think I’m at the beck and call of the party?” he asked. “Now, I don’t belong to any party. I’m Speaker of Ghana. I’m not a Speaker of NPP. I’m not a Speaker of NDC. I’m Speaker of Ghana. And I must hold the balance. So, decision-taking; no. My duty is to ensure that there’s an even playing field and the decision is taken and I announce it. That is all”, he explained his role. “And, so, if you sit down and look at me and think that maybe you were my girlfriend before [and, therefore] I should give you an advantage over another who I’ve never met, please, then don’t come to me; you won’t get it. Let’s finish; after work, we can do that business together. Not when I’m working. That’s my nature; that’s how I’ve been up to this time and, so, it’s unfortunate that these things are happening”, he said. Listen to and watch the full interaction with Mr Bagbin on Accra100.5FM’s Ghana Yensom, Class91.3FM’s Class Morning Show and CTV’s Anopa Dwabre Mu, respectively, on Monday, March 15, 2021. Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

Opinion

Speaker proposes review of how budgets are read

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has served notice that the House will be reconsidering how budget statements are read on the floor of the house in order to reduce the timing for the presentation. This comes after it took the Leader of Government business, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu over 3hours to read the 2021 fiscal year budget. During the presentation, the Majority Leader jokingly said even some of his colleagues in the House who were seated listening to him were even tired. After the presentation, the Speaker said the House will in accordance to its standing orders relook how the budgets are read in the house in future. “We have to look at how budgets are presented in the future. We will do so in future in accordance with our standing orders.” The government is proposing in the 2021 budget statement the introduction of a Covid-19 Health Levy of a one percentage point increase in the National Health Insurance Levy and a one percentage point increase in the VAT Flat Rate to support expenditures related to Covid-19. Reading the budget “To provide the requisite resources to address these challenges and fund these activities, government is proposing the introduction of a Covid-19 Health Levy of a one percentage point increase in the National Health Insurance Levy and a one percentage point increase in the VAT Flat Rate to support expenditures related to Covid-19.” Regarding other sectors of the economy, the budget pegged Ghana’s fiscal deficit at 13.7 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This deficit, according to the budget, include the cost of the financial sector cleanup up. “The fiscal deficit including the financial sector cost for 2020 is 13 .7 per cent of GDP,” the budget said adding that “it was financed from both domestic and external sources.” Regarding Ghana’s debt stock, the budget said the debt rose from 122billion in 2019 to 291.6billion as at the end of December 2020. The debt include the cost of the financial sector cleanup, the majority leader added. Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further assured Ghanaians that there is no cause for alarm in the face of the coronavirus crisis, which hit the country in March, 2020. He said the measures taken by government so far makes Ghana better positioned to recover economically from the pandemic. “Government succeeded in protecting virtually all jobs and incomes in public sector. For the people of Ghana have witnessed since the coronavirus pandemic ahead of the rest of the world, a leadership that is responsible, creative, courageous, decisive and above all very caring. He said the policies such as the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) have seen major results recorded “that have made it easier for people to cope with this unprecedented crisis”. For him, the measures taken were to save lives, protect livelihoods and safeguard economic activities and they did just that. “Mr Speaker, today Ghana is better positioned to recover and rebuild an even more resilient economy. Nobody says we know how to do it but also because the grace of God has been assured for this journey.” 3news Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

Opinion

Why ‘Ramatu’ is trending on Twitter after Akufo-Addo’s SONA

As President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wrapped up his State of the Nation Address, Tuesday, social media platform Twitter, as usual, was inundated with comments about his address, with various hashtags. One hashtag though, which managed to top the trends although it was not centered on the address was ‘Ramatu’ – a name that was chorused by voices believed to have emanated from the Minority in Parliament. The Speaker of the House, Alban Bagbin, somewhat popularized ‘Ramatu’ during the inauguration of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as President of the Republic on January 7, 2021, when he introduced the Second Lady Samira Bawumia as Ramatu Bawumia. The announcement left a lot of the audience shocked, and the Speaker sensing discomfort and murmurings on the premises said “I don’t know if the Second Lady has done an affidavit to change her name but that is what I have here”, referring to the programme brochure. This fan to flame unsubstantiated allegations that the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia possibly has another wife, a claim which has not been denied by the parties involved. Outside the chamber of Parliament, in a giant marquee mounted at the car park of the forecourt of the State House, where President Akufo-Addo delivered his first State of the Nation Address of his second term, the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order 58, conveyed to the President, the gratitude of the House and said a formal communication will be forwarded to the Office of the President after the House has thoroughly debated the address. Having said this, the Speaker acknowledged some dignitaries present. At the mention of Samira Ramadan Bawumia as the spouse of the Vice President, a section of the gathering begun to chorus “we want Ramatu”, eliciting a humorous response from the Speaker who said he does not know who is Ramatu. “Honorable members, I don’t know which of you has a girlfriend called Ramatu but we don’t have any dignitary here called Ramatu,” Bagbin said. Below are a few social media reactions: Ghanaweb Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093

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Use Parliamentary language, not the language in a chop bar—Speaker of Parliament

If you are sick, resign for somebody capable to takeover – NPP chairman tells Speaker

PNC congratulates Speaker of Parliament, tasked Judges to emulates from….

Bagbin orders Amoako Atta to reverse road tolls directive

The Speaker would not have the authority to reject budget– Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu

Parliament, Jubilee House budget tussle may end up in court – Rashid Draman

When did ‘small boy’ Sammy Gyamfi join NDC? – Koku Anyidoho

‘Does he think I’m at the beck and call of NDC, I’m Speaker for Ghana’ – Bagbin on Sammy Gyamfi attack

Speaker proposes review of how budgets are read

Why ‘Ramatu’ is trending on Twitter after Akufo-Addo’s SONA

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