Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has reiterated the urgent need for a comprehensive healthcare support system tailored to the demanding nature of parliamentary work.
His call comes in the wake of the sudden passing of Ernest Yaw Kumi, Member of Parliament for Akwatia, who died on July 7, 2025, at the age of 40.
The Speaker’s sentiments were conveyed in a statement read on his behalf by First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, during his closing remarks at the end of the Second Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.
In the statement, Speaker Bagbin described the passing of the young MP, reportedly due to heart failure, as a devastating loss to Parliament and the nation.
He noted that the MP’s demise should serve as a wake-up call on the intense pressures legislators face in the execution of their duties and the toll it takes on their health.
“We were profoundly saddened by the untimely passing of our colleague Hon. Ernest Yaw Kumi, the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, who passed away on July 7, 2025, at the youthful age of 40.
“His demise, attributed to heart failure, is a painful reminder of the demanding nature of our calling. As a House, we must begin earnest discussion on a comprehensive healthcare support programme tailored to the unique pressures of our parliamentary work,” he stated.
Parliament goes on recess