Parliament: The Romance between the Parliamentary Press Corps and the Speaker
The Corps should take the opportunity to improve and capacitate the skills of its members and fantasize the romantic relationship.
The current Speaker of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic is an astute, intelligent and a flowery politician. He was the longest serving Member of the House in the 4th Republic.
Ghana’s Fourth Republican Democratic dispensation is 30 years old.
Speaker Alban Bagbin is an icon in the citadel of parliamentary democracy. He started as a chair of an important committee of the House called Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs.
He once led his party as a Minority Leader, and later as a Majority Leader.
He was elected as a 2nd Deputy Speaker of the 7th Parliament of the 4th Republic.
During the tenure of that Parliament, he was honoured by the House for his dedication and commitment to the growth of Parliamentary Democracy in our country.
Since his election and assumption of office as a Speaker, he has instituted some sterling measures for the growth of the institution.
Visible among them is the relationship he has courted with an important organ of the House, which is the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC). This is the light, ears and the eyes of the House.
The absence of the Corps dims the House. The citizenry will not know what pertains in the House. How the e-levy was passed and even how some few disgruntled members turned the chamber into a boxing arena. Thank Allah for PPC.
It was a bizarre spectacle that negatively affected the House in the 8th Parliament. (I pray, no more repetition).
He has so far demonstrated that by donating a well-furnished office to the corps, participating in most of the activities of the Corps and in addition giving the corps the opportunities for its members to travel with the House, (Members) on international trips and conferences to cover the International assignments of the members of the House.
Currently, two of our members are out of the jurisdiction doing same.
Such a romantic relationship is productive, appreciative and must be applauded.
He is setting an excellent precedent.
The Corps should take the opportunity to improve and capacitate the skills of its members and fantasize the romantic relationship.
Let me also commend the previous and the current leadership of the corps for consummating this ‘sexy’ marriage between it and the Speaker.
Together, we shall concretize the relationship and produce more talented, experienced and specialized journalists for this principal organ of the state.
Allah bless the Speaker
Allah bless the PPC
Allah bless the leadership
Allah bless the members especially my good self
Allah bless the Parliament of our Republic and our nation, Ghana.
By Ahmed Osumanu Halid
