The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has raised urgent concerns about the security situation within the parliamentary enclave, stating that the safety of both members and staff remains a significant issue.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Parliamentary Service Board for the ninth Parliament, Bagbin highlighted the growing insecurity, revealing that attacks on parliamentarians and their staff have become a worrying threat.
“One of the challenges that need to be addressed is to secure the parliamentary enclave to ensure the safety of members and staff,” Bagbin stated.
He added, “This has been a worrying matter for Parliament for some time now, we are actually insecure here.”
The Speaker went on to explain that there have been instances where individuals have managed to breach the parliamentary grounds, posing a danger to those within the compound.
“We are not safe. Sometimes people can come in and attack us or staff and anytime there is an attempt to apprehend them, they scale over the wall and escape into the forest,” he said, expressing deep concern about the ease with which security breaches are taking place.
Bagbin stressed that securing the parliamentary enclave is vital for the proper functioning of Parliament, as it directly affects the ability of lawmakers to carry out their duties without fear for their personal safety.
“This is vital for the functioning of parliament,” he emphasised.
In light of the issue, the Speaker expressed confidence that the Ninth Board of Parliament would work diligently to address the matter. “I believe the ninth board will work assiduously to make this a reality,” he said, underlining the importance of resolving the security concerns swiftly.
Bagbin called on the leaders of the house to take immediate action in following up on the security matter.
“I will call on the leaders of the house to follow up on this matter,” he concluded.
