-Following Jan 7th Coup De Parliament
The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin has initiated a move to clean house in the lawmaking chamber, following the embarrassing January 7, 2021 Coup d’état instigated against Parliament by some lawmakers.
The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and some of his colleagues from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) isle had ordered a military invasion of Parliament following an inauguration misunderstanding between the Minority and Majority side as the election for new officers escalated into an open brawl.
In the process, some MPs from the ruling party side of the House called in fully armed soldiers in an unprecedented invasion described as a coup d’état. The soldiers proceeded to ignore the privileges in the legislative chamber they had just invaded and proceeded to heckle lawmakers in what could have turned into a bloody mess.
Speaker, Alban Bagbin cited among other challenges forcing him to want to clean the image that incident on January 7, 2021, created.
The incident marred his election as the Speaker. According to him, that dented image among other concerns in the minds of the public cannot be allowed to fester.
The Ghanaian parliament until recently has a dented image largely as a result of recent public misconception, actions or inactions by members and bad press.
With the current hung Parliament and the heightened public expectations, Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Alban Bagbin claims he has taken up the initiative to rebrand the House to rid it of that negative image.
Among those targeted as key stakeholders in rebranding an agreeable image for the legislative arm of government are the media, some of who are participating in a two-day capacity building workshop in Parliament.
Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo who spoke at the opening ceremony of the media training expressed optimism the initiative will build public confidence in the long term in the workings of the House.