Gov’t may not be able to pay salaries in the next 3 months – Speaker Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin has predicted that government may not be able  honor some financial obligations including payment of salaries of public sector workers in the next three months if necessary steps are not taken.
 
For this, public sectors may have to ready themselves to experience further financial burdens than they already are experiencing.

 

 “This is not to discourage the committee from doing their work. If something is not done within the next three months, the government may not be able to even pay salaries,” he said.

 

 

This was disclosed to Members on the floor on Thursday, February 24, 2022.

 

Mr. Speaker, however, did not give reasons behind his forecast and did not explain further information he said was at his disposal.

Parliamentary Updates: “You make me sick” – Speaker Bagbin to MPs

You make me sick – Speaker Bagbin to MPs

 

Speaker Bagbin has called on the Marshall Department to be on standby because he will be “compelled to get people arrested and sent out” for putting up indiscipline behaviors on the floor of the house. The Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin is bent on restoring discipline and positive reputation of parliament.

 

 

 

He was nauseated at the chitchat, loitering about and seeming lack of readiness of some members while business had taken off in the House.
“There is no parliament that I know when the speaker is talking members of parliament are also talking. Speakers are heard in silence for good reason. What is happening in this parliament is completely unacceptable.” He tells the house.

 

 

 

Appalled by consistent indiscipline behavior that some members display on the floor, Mr. Speaker cries, “I am not sure you have appreciation of the temperature of the country. Neither am I sure you know the arduous nature of the responsibility that is placed on your shoulders.”
 

 

 

 Furious that as he was addressing the issue of disruptive behavior, some members were still misbehaving, the speaker charged a member to “shut up!” He said “As I’m talking the same thing happening.  The Marshall department, get ready. I will be compelled to get people arrested and sent out. You make me sick.”

 

 

 

He further cautioned parliamentarians to change from misconducting themselves and to accept the decision of the people and work together because Parliament is for serious national business and not a place for joking.
“The parliament we are in has never been in Ghana, even gold coast. This is a different type of parliament.”

Parliamentary Updates: Speaker Bagbin will not tolerate undue delay of c’ttee reports

A formal communication from the Rt. Hon Speaker Sumana Bagbin to members of parliament, Tuesday 22, Feb 2022 reminds parliamentary committees and clerks of those committees that speedy execution of their duties are the main pillars of parliamentary work.

 

 

 

He pointed out that parliamentary committees have become slow in their delivery of work and this has generally affected the functionality of parliament as a whole. He was unhappy that a new session has begun yet no committee has submitted reports for consideration in the house.  “We are in a new session; no report whatsoever has come to the house. There is no reason given to us as to why there is a delay for us to consider the referral on what to.”

 

 

 

Parliamentary committees are required by law to comply with reporting timelines to facilitate smooth running of parliamentary business and not to carry-forward matters referred to them, into a new session, unless leave has been sought and granted by the house. “We must be guided at all times that, our commitment to our democracy means we are doing diligent work in a manner that is efficient and timely.” Speaker Bagbin told the house.

 

 

 
The speaker explained that apart from bills introduced by or on behalf of the president, which must not be delayed for more than three months, the constitution does not provide a specific period, within which a committee must complete its work.  However, the standing orders does say, “… every committee to which a matter is referred, shall report to the house before the end of each session of Parliament. If a committee finds itself unable to complete any investigations, enquiries or other matters referred to it before the end of the session, it shall so report to the house.”
 

 

 

Another source of worry to the Speaker is clerks neglecting their duty of taking minutes at parliamentary committee proceedings. He cautioned committee clerks to be sure to take minuets of committee proceedings or be ready to face the law.  
“The minuets are as important as the reports of the committee. Absence of minutes of committee meetings will be regarded as dereliction of duty. It obstructs the work of parliament and obstruction of parliament is equal to contempt of parliament. Clerks must be mindful of timelines of reporting to parliament and take steps to provide the minuets together with the report of the committee.”
 

 

 

The Rt. Hon. Speaker touched on what he describes as the growing trend of members of the various committees raising new objections to committee reports on the floor of the house instead of at the committee levels.  He instructed members to ensure to be present at committee meetings to be able to register their opinions at the committee levels.
 

 

 

He also acknowledged the heavy workload on the Public Accounts Committee and called for an increase in the number of its membership and the formation of sub committees to lighten the weight of work on the Public Account Committee.  
 

 

The leadership of the house is directed to work closely with committee leaders to streamline their reports.