1. Hon Members, it is with a deep sense of honour and responsibility that I heartily welcome you to the 2nd Meeting of the 1st Session of the 9th Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
2. While the recess afforded us the opportunity to engage the global parliamentary community in statutory conferences of networking, experiential learning, parliamentary relations and diplomacy, I trust that the break has been restorative and afforded Hon Members the time and space to engage with constituents and reflect on the onerous responsibilities ahead of us during this session.
3. We are grateful to the Almighty God for his protection over our lives and for keeping us safe during the period of the recess.
4. I must acknowledge that while the House was on recess, almost all committees were actively engaged on monitoring and oversight field visits or capacity building activities.
5. Notably, the Committee on Human Rights visited the Nsawam Medium Security Prison to assess the general condition of the facilities, engage with prison authorities and interact with the inmates.
6. Similarly, the Committee on Local Government conducted visits to the Integrated Recycling and Compost Plants (IRECOP) in Oti and Volta Regions, with the objective of assessing and monitoring the operations of these plants, which are fundamental to addressing the pressing hygiene and sanitation challenges facing this nation.
7. In addition, other Committees, including the Committee on Roads and Transport, the Committee on Education, the Committee on Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs as well as the Committee on Security and Intelligence, engaged themselves in various capacity building, oversight and stakeholder activities to advance the work of the House.
8. These efforts are commendable exhibition of Hon. Members’ dedication to duty, and exemplify Parliament’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that governance and service delivery are held to the highest standards. During the course of this Meeting, we look forward to receiving reports on the activities of the various Committees for the consideration of the House.
9. I must remind the House, however, that a number of referrals made to Committees during the First Meeting are yet to be reported on. Given the tall list of business before us in the course of this Meeting, it is expected that Committee work will intensify.
10. I, therefore, urge Chairpersons and Members of Committees to pay prompt attention to all referrals to ensure timely submission of reports and swift action on matters brought before the House.
11. Hon members, we resume today with a full schedule ahead. The term runs till the end of July or on exceptional circumstances, end of the first week of August. That is not a long haul. But it is long enough to make meaningful progress if we approach our work with seriousness. I call on the leadership of the House to ensure that the programming of business is timely, strategic, and consistent. Time is a public resource. We must not waste it.
12. Let me take the opportunity to highlight a few of the items listed in the Draft Agenda for this Meeting:
i. We have one bill at Committee, the Ghana Cocoa Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025;
ii. Three Private Members’ Bills, the Property Rights of Spouses Bill, 2025, Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, have completed the processes as required by the Standing Orders and are expected to be presented for First Reading during the course of this Meeting;
iii. We also expect to lay for consideration of the House, the Corporate Insolvency and Restructuring Regulations, 2025.
13. So far, 17 Papers are ready to be presented to the House for consideration. But I must hasten to add that the House is yet to receive the full list of proposed public business from the Government. Members business will come as they are ready and admitted by me.
14. We also have four reports that are pending before Committees. We furthermore expect to tackle the reports of our two ad hoc committees:
i. The Report on the Ad hoc Committee established to investigate the violent disorder that characterised the Meetings of the Appointments Committee on Thursday, 30th and Friday 31st January 2025; and
ii. The Report of the Ad hoc Committee on the Design of a Pension Scheme for Members of Parliament.
15. Added to these, is the Ada Songor Lagoon Salt Mining report must be tracked, and followed through to a logical conclusion.
16. Hon Members, Committee calendars must be honoured. Reports must be completed, not shelved. Every committee chair has a duty to ensure that his/her committee meets, deliberates, and delivers on deadlines. These are not optional duties. They are the mandatory constitutional functions we have all sworn to perform. Article 106 (14) is mandatory on public bills and must be adhered to the letter. It says
“106 (14) A bill introduced in Parliament by or on behalf of the President shall not be delayed for more than three months in any Committee of Parliament “
17. Hon Members, as a chamber painstakingly built on a rich cultural and historical legacy, Parliament stands as one of the most impregnable pillars of Ghana’s democracy. Our resilience, vigilance and the choices we make within these walls, will either sustain or flourish this time-tested democracy or derail it.
18. This House is where power is legitimately held to account, where policy is examined, and scrutinised, where the views, interests and hopes of our constituents find structured expression. Our routine assemblage of plenary sessions here must not be mere formalities. We are here as an equal partner of the Executive to govern the people in accordance with the Constitution and the sovereign will of the people.
19. Hon Members, as you can all attest to, the times and the context in which we operate are challenging. The people of Ghana look up to this Parliament for leadership that is ethical, purposeful and proactive. A leadership that inspires confidence and hope. A leadership that justifies the trust and investment.
20. This Parliament sits in a nation grappling with economic pressures, social tensions, and legitimate worries about whether public institutions (Parliament inclusive) are meeting the expectations of the moment. Across the country, citizens are paying close attention to our acts of commission and omission.
21. They are watching our every step. Not out of mere curiosity, but because they know that the decisions taken here affect livelihoods, determine the rate of development and the future of our nation.
22. This Meeting, therefore, presents another important opportunity for us to advance key legislative business, engage in constructive deliberations on pressing national issues and ensure that government implements its programmes and policies within the tenets of openness, transparency, accountability and responsiveness – all to the benefit of the citizenry.
23. We cannot meet the expectations of our people with theatrics aimed at distracting, or delays aimed at derailing the business of the House. We can only fulfil the aspirations of this expectant Nation with rigour, a clear sense of urgency and purpose. Duty calls. And we must respond promptly.
24. Hon members, this leads me to some happenings that saddened me greatly during the last meeting. Let me be blunt. Some conduct witnessed in the course of the First Meeting of this session fell far below the standard, dignity, and honour of a democratic legislature.
25. I am referring to those moments of great disorder, disgrace, and dishonour that brought the name of this House into disrepute, and discredited members in the eyes of right-thinking Ghanaians who look up to Parliament for exemplary leadership. Such incidents of misconduct are unbecoming of Hon Members and must not be repeated.
26. This is a House which operates on ethics, values, rules and laws that are neither ornamental nor discretionary. They exist to safeguard order, engender free speech in decency and responsibility, and preserve fairness and inclusivity. Our rules were promulgated to ensure that debates, no matter how spirited, remain decorous. When rules are ignored and tempers override reason, we do not merely undermine each other, we degrade and undermine Parliament itself.
27. This chamber must be a model of public service, not a theatre for showmanship. Debates must be firm but civil. Differences must be handled with principle, and reason, not violence and emotion. The people expect intelligence, not insults. They expect substance, not spectacle.
28. Let me be unambiguous: no misconduct or crime will go unpunished. Members must conduct themselves with dignity. The business of this House is too important to be derailed by conduct that serves no public purpose.
29. It is worth repeating what I have said before. The honeymoon with the rules is over. The Deputy Speakers and I will be stricter in the enforcement of the standing orders. We will not allow disorder, absenteeism, or procedural shortcuts to become the norm. Those who wish to be heard must first be present. Those who seek the floor must respect the House.
30. There is still time for this Parliament to raise its standing and strengthen its legacy. But it will not happen by mere whimsical wish. It will require discipline, presence, preparation, and respect for procedure. These are the pillars of an effective legislature.
31. To our newer colleagues, let me speak without any equivocation. It is easy to be caught up in the visibility of the chamber: the cameras, the headlines, the drama of plenary. But the real test of your effectiveness lies backstage, in your committee work. It is in committee rooms, away from the spotlight, that legislation is sharpened, oversight is enforced, and the real work of Parliament is executed. Committee participation is foundational to all we do here.
32. I encourage you to throw yourselves into the work of the House with focus and humility. Learn the rules. Join the debates. Attend your Committees meetings. Ask the hard questions. Speak up for your constituents. And do not mistake noise for impact. The real work will not always make the news headlines, but it will always make a difference.
33. I equally urge the veterans who are here to devote themselves to committee work. We cannot afford to have Ccommittee’s that are dormant, nor members who treat committee work as second fiddle to other endeavours. A Parliament is only as strong as the strength of its Ccommittee’s.
34. So in spite of the fact that each of you has a seat here by virtue of your constituents’ mandate, you cannot prioritise their demands above committee work or other parliamentary duties.
35. The same applies to follow-through. Too often, referrals which are made to Committee are not dealt with expeditiously. This will not be tolerated again. I urge all Chairman and Members of Committees, to ensure that referrals are acted on promptly; that reports are submitted within time, and that recommendations are not left in limbo. This House must not be seen as a talk-shop but more importantly, it should be felt as a dependable and responsive body.
36. Hon Members, I also want to recall the public mood. Ghanaians are watching this House with a mixture of hope and doubt. They want to believe in Parliament. However, they are weary of years of unmet expectations. They expect Parliament to function not as an echo chamber of partisan interests, but as a space where issues are confronted with clarity and courage. If we do not rise to this moment, if we allow pettiness to crowd out principle, we would have failed the expectant public.
37. Ultimately, if Parliament falters, democracy suffers. It is that simple.
38. Hon members, permit me to address a matter that has weighed heavily in recent months. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of official communications from law enforcement and investigative bodies directed at this House. These requests, many of which relate to the conduct of Members, must be treated with the seriousness they deserve.
39. Some of these matters relate to allegations arising before those accused became members of this House. Others, regrettably, concern conduct alleged to have taken place while members were in office. Either way, they raise questions that touch directly on the standing of this institution and the public’s perception of our collective integrity.
40. Let me sound this loud and clear: parliamentary privilege is not immunity from lawful inquiry. It is not a licence to disregard the law. The immunities granted to this House and its members are designed to protect the independence of the legislature, not to obstruct justice. These provisions are institutional safeguards. They were never intended as escape routes for Hon Members.
41. Where allegations are raised, due processes must take their courses. Our position on this is unnegotiable: Parliament will not stand by while members are subjected to unlawful or politically motivated persecution. But neither will Parliament offer protection to those who seek to misuse its privileges to frustrate legitimate investigations.
42. I remain committed to fully upholding the constitutional and procedural protections afforded to every member of this House. The dignity of Parliament requires that its rules and privileges be respected. But it also requires that we do not mistake privilege for impunity. No member can act as though the confidence of the electorate is a shield against scrutiny.
43. Privilege is not impunity. Immunity is not invisibility. The law binds us all. And the law is the law.
44. As we commence this Meeting, let us rededicate ourselves to the work ahead with patriotism, unity of purpose, and collective resolve to secure the interest of the nation, always bearing in mind our solemn duty to people of Ghana.
45. To all Hon Members, I extend my best wishes for a productive meeting. There is much to be done, and the public expects much from us. Let us give them reason to believe in this House again.
46. May the good Lord guide our utterances, our actions and deeds. May He lead us through a productive 2nd Meeting of the 9th Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
47. I thank you for your keen attention. May we have a fruitful and impactful Meeting.
