Citizens may revolt against Parliament if we don’t stop being partisan – Bagbin warns

Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has warned of a potential public unrest against the Legislature due to extreme partisanship in the House.

He has warned that until the interest of the masses are prioritised by Parliamentarians rather than pushing for partisan agenda in the House, a revolt by the masses will be inevitable and will bring dire consequences.

Speaking at the University of Ghana (UG) Alumni Lecture on the theme “30 Years of Parliamentary Democracy: The Journey Thus Far,” the Speaker noted that the interest of the public in the legislature is dwindling due to its failure to address issues that are of national concern.

He advised that Ghana takes a cue from the recent incidents in other regions including Kenya  and Burkina Faso where the actions of the leadership led to the occupation of the legislature by the youth, with the Parliament House of Burkina Faso being set ablaze about a decade ago.

Speaker Bagbin pointed out that citizens are increasingly becoming frustrated with lawmakers who do not unite for the common good of the people, arguing that prosecuting a party agenda has overtaken that of the State interest which has become a source of worry for many citizens.

He held that the people’s belief that Parliament is disconnected from the realities of the people is being fueled by the partisanship exhibited by the MPs in Parliament.

He cautioned that if this trend continues, it could incite a revolt against elected officials who prioritize political gains over genuine governance.

Mr. Bagbin called for collaboration amongst the MPs which he says would create some level of a renewed commitment to champion the causes that matter to the masses.

“Given the low trust levels and given that many believe democracy has not delivered, our democracy and parliament in particular, is faced with the challenge of relevance and the need to prove to citizens that we can deliver on our mandate, particularly of holding the executive to account and ensuring that corruption and waste are at the barest minimum in all our countries.”

“Recently in Kenya, citizens went after their MPs and set a part of Parliament ablaze. They said MPs are irrelevant and a part of, instead of being a solution to their daily problems. This was ten clear years after a similar occurrence in Burkina Faso, where the parliament was set ablaze by dissatisfied citizens. This tells us how important the question of relevance is. If we do not prove our worth to the people we represent and lead, the writings are clearly on the wall!”

Source:onuaonline.com