Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin
The Member of Parliament for Tema East, Isaac Ashai Odamtten, has acclaimed the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, before the General Assembly of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) as one of the best in the Fourth Republic.
At a meeting with Assembly Members on Wednesday, Mr Odamtten encouraged them to be exampled by the Speaker saying that Bagbin’s sense of duty to his country is what has culminated into his elevation to the third highest office of the land.
“Even though we have what some people call a ‘hung Parliament’, the Legislature is still functioning dutifully. This is because the Rt. Hon. Bagbin has been able to ensure that the national interest is given priority by both the NPP and NDC sides of the House.”
He said the maturity that the Speaker has so far displayed has also helped bring dignity to the Legislature and set a new standard for the Speakership of Parliament.
The MP added that Ghana has a reason to be grateful to God that Bagbin became the Speaker of the Eighth Parliament because if an immature person had been elected instead, the country would have been on a standstill.
According to Ashai Odamtten, Bagbin is fulfilling a divine destiny as Speaker at this time when the country is so politically polarized, saying he may have been specially preserved by God for the current times in the country’s governance.
“I urge you to learn from the Bagbin story; he was just about to retire from active politics and Parliamentary Service when he was elected as Speaker; his divine destiny has been fulfilled and in future when the time comes and you have also prepared yourself like Bagbin, your divine purpose will also be fulfilled.”
He said he understood that a lot of the time, personal sacrifices by Assembly Members may not be noticed or come up for praise, however he urged them to keep on saying in life one reaps what he sows. “The Presiding Member of TMA, Mr. Joseph Korto, is hardworking and because of his good performance, he led Regional Deans across the country to Speaker Bagbin in Parliament in his capacity as National Dean and I was so happy when I saw it in the news” Mr. Odamtten said.
The meeting had been presided over by the National Dean of Presiding Members, Hon. Joseph Korto and had had Mr. E.T. Mensah, the Greater Accra Regional Representative on the Council of State as a guest as well.
Also in attendance were staff from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
Hon. Ashai Odamtten used the opportunity to request for improvement in the water supply situation for Tema, pointing out that population growth in the Metropolis has made the existing water supply inadequate.
The MP also used the opportunity to encourage all Assembly Members, and indeed the people of Tema to abide by all the necessary COVID-19 protocols so that the fight against infections will succeed in the Metropolis.