Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has asked the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) not to sideline Parliament in their negotiations with the Executive.
In his submission, the Speaker indicated the IMF and the World Bank must be more democratic than they are. He said in negotiating deals with Ghana, they must engage the parliament because in the end, they are responsible for mediating on behalf of the people as such power has been entrusted to them.
The Speaker noted that “the two institutions should know that in negotiating these things, they must hear from this House and get our stamp, and then they carry the whole country along.”
He lamented that “when it is only with the Executive, then it means that the world’s structures we’ve established have outlived their usefulness, and we now have to get new structures, including the United Nations. We have to change those structures to respond to the current relatives of our time. That is a notice to the IMF and the World Bank.”
To the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, the Speaker of Parliament admonished him to seek approval from parliament before implementing any policy or policies that may or may not have to deal with both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Alban Bagbin, told Ken Ofori-Atta that the Jubilee House represents the state, whereas the Parliament of Ghana represents the people within the country. Thus; decisions cannot be reached without the involvement of the people or the representatives elected by the people to make decisions and deliberate matters on their behalf.
Alban Bagbin
“This is where the powers are, and this is where sovereignty resides. Sovereignty is in the people, and we represent the people. And the powers of government are also in the people. So anytime there is any key issue like a key policy, you need the approval of this House; very important. You can get the go-ahead from the Jubilee House, but this house is the one that would approve and say it is in the interest of the people so go ahead and implement it.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo To Deliver State of The Nation Address On 28th February
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will deliver this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 28th February 2023.
This was announced by the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin during the parliamentary sitting session; under Article 67 of the 1992 constitution, which mandates the President to update the nation through Parliament on the state of the country.
The Speaker also said the House will next week also launch the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of parliamentary democracy under the Fourth Republic and that each and every one of the Members of Parliament should look forward to it with great expectation.
The President will use the opportunity to inform the nation about the state of the nation and the plans he intends to implement for a successful second term. The nation will hear him speak also about the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) initiative, which he has not appeared in public to make comments about since its commencement and the ruckus it has come with.
Generally, the address touches on various aspects of the economy including; education, security, health and agriculture.
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