Following a request by some Constituency Executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the Tema East Constituency to be renamed after Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, some traditional rulers are asking that that request be revised higher.
They want a Committee block in Parliament House, rather than a Constituency, to be named after the longest serving MP in the history of the 4th Republic.
“Hon. Alban Bagbin is synonymous with Parliament and not any single Constituency, and so we think that it is more appropriate to rename Parliament House itself after him rather than any Constituency,” Nana Endeh lll, a prominent chief of the Upper Axim traditional area said.
Nana Endeh made the request at a press conference in Accra on Monday, where he shared the high table with Nana fimale IV, the Chief of Nuba in the Jomoro traditional Area.
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The request comes in the wake of a call by some NDC executives for Hon. Bagbin to be immortalized for his illustrious contribution to Ghana’s governance. The executives had called on the Electoral Commission and Parliament to name a Constituency after the respected Nadowli Kaleo MP.
The Western regional chiefs, who agreed with the position that Hon. Bagbin deserves to be immortalized because of his invaluable contribution to Ghana’s Fourth republican democracy, pointed out however that Hon. Bagbin’s footprints are more on Parliament than anything else and therefore he would be more fittingly immortalized if he is named after Parliament or a committee block in the August house.
Nana Endeh pointed out that Hon. Bagbin’s long stay in Parliament has not only been a passing one, but one that is very impactful.
“For me, it is a very compelling fact that both our current President, Nana Akufo-Addo, and his predecessor, Ex-President John Mahama, benefited from Hon. Bagbin’s Parliamentary experience while in Parliament,” Nana Endeh said.
He listed some of the credentials of arguably, the most respected MP in the 4th republic to buttress his point. Among others, he said Hon. Alban Bagbin is the only MP, who has served as both Majority and Minority Leader for two terms and crowned all of that with becoming Second Deputy Speaker.
“As a matter of good point making, it is worth noting that Hon. A.S.K Bagbin as Leader of Government Business, Chairman of the House, Business and Special Budget Committee,
Member of Ministerial Leaders in Health of the Harvard University, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
“Our illustrious Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament is also a Founding member, of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) which is headquartered in Canada, Member, Parliamentarians for Global Action, New York, Member of International Law and Human Rights Program (PGA) and Chairman for the committee on subsidiary legislation,” Nana Endeh listed.
He added that Hon. Bagbin’s wealth of experience also includes his having served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and Ranking Member of the Appointments committee of Parliament. “He has led parliamentary delegations to international conferences and received many local and international awards,” Nana Endeh said.
The Upper Axim chief added that apart from this, Hon. Bagbin’s incorruptibility is a reputation that ought to be promoted to encourage other politicians to emulate him.
On his part, Nana Fimale IV, a prominent chief of Nuba in the Jomoro traditional area, said that Hon. Bagbin’s personal attributes makes him exceptionally qualified for immortalization. Coming shy of campaigning for him, he said Ghana would be cheating itself greatly if Hon. Bagbin is not given an opportunity to serve in a higher capacity as he has really outgrown Parliament.
I will operate an open-door policy
