The Parliament of Ghana
Ghana achieved independence on March 6, 1957. The political struggles that preceded this historic event date back over a hundred years ago.
The early period of the nationalist struggle for political independence created political awareness and a desire to assert the right of self-determination both for the individual and the State.
As far back as 1850, Ghana, then the Gold Coast was given its own Legislative Council to advise the colonial Governor in enacting legislation mainly in the form of Ordinances “for peace, order and good government of the subject.”
The Legislative Council was purely advisory as the Governor exercised all legislative and executive powers. The Mace, the symbol of authority of Parliament, is entrusted to the Speaker.
The daily Speaker’s procession into the Chamber is led by the Marshal with the Mace signifying the ceremonial opening of each Sitting day in the House.
Ghana has a unicameral Legislature composed of 275 Members of Parliament from single-member constituencies with an Executive President who appoints Ministers majority of whom by the Constitution to have to come from Parliament.
Parliament operates very much on the lines of the Parliament of Westminster. It follows to some extent, the Westminister model, making provision for Ministers to be questioned in Parliament, and also for Members of Parliament to make statements on matters of public importance, for them to introduce motions on the matters which they consider important and for them to approve the policies of Government in general.
The Government, for example, cannot enter into any international agreement without the ratification of Parliament: and various such controls exist.
In recent times, the speaker of Parliament is Alban Bagbin (NDC). He has been the speaker since 7 January 2021. The total number of Parliamentarians are 275. New Patriotic Party (NPP) has 137 members, National Democratic Congress (NDC) also with 137 members and 1 Independent member. Read More…
Author: Esther Ametepe