Accra, Sept 17, GNA – Following a request by
some Constituency Executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress
(NDC) for the Tema East Constituency to be renamed after Mr 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.
“Mr
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 News
conference in Accra on Monday, where he shared the high table with Nana fimale
IV, the Chief of Nuba in the Jomoro traditional Area.
The request comes in the wake of a call by
some NDC executives for Mr Bagbin to be immortalised for his illustrious
contribution to Ghana’s governance. The executives 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 Mr Bagbin deserved to be immortalised because of his invaluable
contribution to Ghana’s Fourth republican democracy, pointed out however that
his footprints were more on Parliament than anything else.
They added that he would be more fittingly
immortalised if he is named after Parliament or a committee block in the August
house.
Nana Endeh pointed out that Mr Bagbin’s long
stay in Parliament had not only been a passing one, but one that was impactful.
“For me, it is a very compelling fact that
both our current President, Nana Akufo-Addo, and his predecessor, former
President John Mahama, benefited from his 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 Mr Bagbin was the only MP, who had 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 Mr 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 Programme (PGA) and Chairman for the committee on
subsidiary legislation,” Nana Endeh listed.
He added that Mr Bagbin’s wealth of experience
also included; 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
that, his incorruptibility was 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 Mr Bagbin’s personal
attributes made him exceptionally qualified for immortalisation.
He said Ghana would be cheating itself greatly
if Mr Bagbin was not given an opportunity to serve in a higher capacity as he
had really outgrown Parliament.
GNA