MPs of the Fourth Parliament Shameful start, disastrous end?

THE good old book, the Bible, states emphat­ically that God created all things under the sun and also those beneath the ocean. He then created man in His own image to have domin­ion over all the things that He has created.

To be able to effectively take charge of all the possessions, the Creator offered man an extraordinary honour, worth and value, which He also possesses to enable man to duly represent Him so that every other creature would be a subject or subordi­nate to him (man). In this case, man, by this virtue, becomes the owner (the leader, if you like) of all creatures. Very exciting and inspiring.

Since then and even after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, all leaders in society have been accorded some kind of uniqueness, though not special human beings. This goes with how they are addressed and regarded in society.

This is extended somehow to someone in a unique position who can effect changes in oth­ers’ lives in a way like a Head of State, sage or magistrate. So, you hear British subjects referring to their magistrates as “Your Worship,” although Americans would say “Your Honor.” At the same time, the Ghanaian will say, My Lord.

We also, at times, hear “Your Highness” or “Your Majesty” in the royal monarch settings, and we say “Your Grace,” “Rever­end”, etc., in religion. In politics, people in higher positions are often ascribed to as “Your Ex­cellency” and “Honourable”

“An Honourable person is someone who believes in truth and doing the right thing and tries to live up to those high principles. This word is also used for people who are deserving of being honoured.”

The citizenry ascribes decency, ethics, honesty, justice, nobili­ty, respect, and uprightness to people they hold in high esteem, such as those who represent them at the national assembly of lawmakers.

In Ghana today, once some­one enters parliament or is placed in any form of political position, she or he is given the “honourable” title. This is done irrespective of whether or not indeed the person is honourable or not. That notwithstanding, the person, after being honoured with the title “Honourable,” could have still lived to that title, but that is not the case. Some of our Members of Parliament do not deserve to be using the title “Honourable”

Since the inception of the Eighth Parliament, several unfor­tunate incidents have occurred in the chamber of parliament, which connotes dishonour, the diametrically opposite to what they bear as title.

This current parliament, in the first place, started on a very wrong footing, exhibiting dis­honour and disgrace rather than honour.

For the first time, citizens of this nation saw the military forcefully entering the chamber of Ghana’s parliament for the simple reason that the minori­ty and majority had crashed beyond reconciliation, and the only option left was a military intervention.

Since then, many odd is­sues have happened within the revered chamber of the pres­tigious parliament of Ghana. I am at a loss as to how someone supposed to be honourable will cheat on the same people who elevated him to such an honour­able position. It was extremely shameful to hear that some members of the August House of Legislation are so dishon­ourable and unfaithful that they cheat the system by signing the attendance register and later run to other matters not related to the House.

The First Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Joseph Osei Owusu, is on record to have not­ed that “There are some people I have noted; every day I check, their names are here, but I have not seen them here in a whole month.” This, indeed, is a “bad practice.”

This serious and disgraceful act aside, we have witnessed, as a nation, where some of these ‘honourable’ men and women of our parliament traded insults and used intemperate language openly in the chamber. Some of these incidents were carried out on national television.

Some of them have no respect for themselves and others, and they say anything, anywhere and anyhow, as well as attack each other in the media, especially on live radio and TV programmes, some of which are watched and listened to by children and the youth. My sincere apologies to the decent ones and the people they represent.

Some of them also blatant­ly caused a commotion in the chamber, the nation remembers very well the unspeakable event regarding the swearing-in of the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Madam Lydia Alhassan and the sacking from the chamber, the MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, by the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, expressed dis­appointment at the conduct of the lawmakers several times. Not long ago, he expressed his frustration with the MPs, liken­ing their behaviour to that of kindergarten children. Bagbin’s comments highlighted his disap­pointment with the conduct of the MPs, who he feels are failing to uphold the dignity of the parliamentary institution.

People we pay from our taxes absent themselves from parlia­mentary sitting, prompting the former Leader of the House, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, to intimate that most MPs absent themselves to look for money to solve financial challenges they incurred during the electoral process and, therefore, called for a review of the processes for electing Members of Parlia­ment to address this challenge. “The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Bagbin, on several occasions, has expressed con­cern over the non-attendance of parliamentary sessions by most members.”

One would anticipate a change of behaviour among the mem­bers of Parliament, but it is not forthcoming. It appears they are ending the fourth parlia­ment worse than they started. The very recent attitude of parliamentarians following the impasse on which side becomes the majority as a result of the declaration of four parliamen­tary seats vacant by the Speaker can be best described as appall­ing and shameful.

Their behaviour on the floor of the parliament best fits the description by the Speaker as kindergarten children. The disorder and rowdyism, among others, were unparliamentary. How can what we saw on the floor of our parliament hap­pen? Turning such a place into a marching grounds? Demeaning the very place that provides your dignity? This is shameful, to say the least.

Our MPs must learn that it is he who (the personality) lives or works at a place that adds prestige, value, reputation or honour to it. Heaven is accorded all that it is known for because of Who lives there, The God Al­mighty. The Manhyia Palace is so much renowned because of the occupant, Otumfour Osei Tutu 11. Why is the White House in the US is deemed as the most powerful place in the world? It simply means it houses the most powerful man, the President of the USA.

With their behaviour and at­titude, our MPs are just deterio­rating the powers and the image of the house. Parliament is a national prestigious, and respect­ed place of the good people of Ghana, represented by very few who are supposed to be honour­able.

It is a shame and unspeakable what we hear and see of our parliamentarians. Much as we understand and appreciate that they are humans and, therefore, human tendencies may, at a point, show up, we expect them to exhibit decorum, respect for procedure, composure under pressure, effective commu­nication, integrity and ethical conduct and above all, tolerance for one another.

Perhaps it is time to also take a look at the MPs’ qualifica­tions again to include love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance and other such virtues to avoid these.

It is believed that our MPs are not angels rather, they are hu­mans, but citizens expect them to live above reproach.

Indeed, all of them cannot be said to be doing the wrong things. There are many ex­ceptionally good and genuine honourable ones. To such kudos, and please teach the rest what you practice.

NANA SIFA TWUM (PHD)