Speaker Bagbin Highlights Importance of Private Member’s Bills in Ghanaian Democracy

In his address, Speaker Bagbin praised the private member’s bill initiative for its significant contributions to Ghana’s democratic evolution. The forum delved into the experiences, lessons learned, and future prospects of the Private Members Bill Regime in Ghana, shedding light on its impact on the relationship between the legislature and executive branches while offering recommendations for enhancement.

Acknowledging the groundwork laid by former Speaker Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye, Speaker Bagbin highlighted the distinction between private member’s bills, introduced by individual MPs, and public bills, typically introduced by ministers on behalf of the executive.

While the 1992 Constitution of Ghana does not explicitly grant authority for the enactment of private member’s bills, provisions such as Articles 93(2), 108, 22(2), and 185(3) implicitly support their introduction.

The Speaker noted that private member’s bills are a well-established feature in numerous Commonwealth parliaments, including those of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Norway, Nigeria, and Kenya.

Historically, Ghana’s Parliament faced constraints under Article 108(a) of the Constitution when attempting to pass private member’s bills. However, this changed in June 2020 when the House resolved to commence the passage of such bills.

Despite this milestone, Speaker Bagbin highlighted significant challenges such as financial and logistical burdens associated with processing private member’s bills. He emphasized the substantial costs involved in organizing stakeholder consultations to gather expert input for such legislative initiatives.

Furthermore, Speaker Bagbin lamented Ghana’s lack of a developed lobbyist system seen in other parts of the world, which could facilitate financing for MPs to advocate for their bills effectively. He called for greater support from civil society to assist MPs in navigating these challenges.

The event also marked the launch of the 20th anniversary celebration of the UGPH by Madam Margaret Donkor, a Deputy Director of the Public Engagement Department of Parliament.

A panel discussion enriched the event, featuring insights from the Honorable MP for Madina, Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, and Political Science Lecturer Dr. Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh.

The gathering concluded with a collective call to strengthen Ghana’s legislative landscape through continued dialogue, advocacy, and collaboration among parliamentary stakeholders and civil society.

By Jeorge Wilson Kingson || ghananewsonline.com.gh