Private Members Bill is a key Indicator of Ghana’s Democracy – Ras Mubarak
The former MP who is on record as the first Ghanaian legislator to have sponsored a private members bill also commended previous Speakers of the Fourth Republic Ghanaian Parliament for their various roles in promoting the PMB
A former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kumbungu constituency, Ras Mubarak, has advised Members of the Executive arm of government not to take advantage of the provision on Private Members Bill (PMB) as such practice will defeat the purpose of the legislation.
According to Ras Mubarak, the Private Members Bill is meant to have MPs who are not part of the Executive arm to push for legislations they deem necessary for the running of the country, hence, it would be wrong for ministers or their deputies to also take advantage of the PMB.
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He said such acts “must be discouraged”.
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The former MP who is on record as the first Ghanaian legislator to have sponsored a private members bill also commended previous Speakers of the Fourth Republic Ghanaian Parliament for their various roles in promoting the PMB.
He noted that the PMB is a key indicator in advancing Ghana’s Democracy.
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He appreciated the fact that despite the challenges encountered at the onset, their efforts have paved the way for others to participate and sponsor Private Members Bills.
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He encouraged Civil Society Organizations, citizens, private sector and non-governmental organizations to explore the opportunities of initiating Private Members Bills.
Mubarak made these suggestions in a presentation during the launch of the Open Parliament Engagement and Networking in West Africa (OPEN West Africa) in Accra. It was held on Tuesday August 17, 2021.
The launch was to discuss the Private Members’ Bill and its impact on Ghana, among others.
The Open Parliament Engagement and Networking in West Africa project seeks to establish a community of parliamentary Monitoring Organizations (PMOs) in the sub-region to share experiences and best practices towards promoting parliamentary openness in the ECOWAS Parliament and national parliaments in the sub region.
The project is being implemented with support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
By Deborah Dzivenu
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