A group of women in the Eastern Region has accused the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government of President Akufo-Addo and the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of former president John Mahama of being ungrateful to the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the women called the two governments out over what they said was deliberate neglect to honour Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin even though Mr. Bagbin richly deserves it.
“Since 2014, there have been calls from various people from various walks of life including clergymen, traditional rulers, businessmen, Deans of Presiding Members, Council of State members, for a special award recognizing the Rt. Hon. Bagbin for his outstanding service in Parliament.
However, it has not been done.
“Both the Mahama and Akufo-Addo governments have only turned deaf ears to these calls and it is very disrespectful,” the statement by the women who refer to themselves as Concerned Women of the Eastern region said.
It was co-signed by Mrs. Emelia Darkwa of Osino and Madam Elizabeth Amegashie of Akuapim.
According to the statement, the behaviour of the two governments only shows that they do not think that Ghana is worth serving in honesty and with excellence.
“As we speak, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin is the longest serving Parliamentarian in the entire history of the 4th Republic and yet no acknowledgement has been given to the man who first entered Parliament in 1993.”
For some time now, various persons and groups have called for the Rt. Hon. Bagbin to be specially acknowledged and awarded for serving the longest in Ghana’s Fourth republican parliament.
Among those who have made such calls are Chiefs, clergymen, some businessmen and some colleague politicians from both the NPP and NDC sides of the main political divide.
Before becoming Speaker, Mr. Bagbin had served in all the noteworthy offices of Parliament, including Minority Leader during the Kufuor era and Majority Leader during the Mills/ Mahama era.
Recently, the regional Deans of Presiding members presented a citation to the Rt. Hon. Bagbin and used the occasion of their meeting with the Speaker to reiterate calls for special recognition for the man credited with helping nurture many parliamentarians.
“What makes us believe that the lack of recognition is deliberate disrespect is the fact that when Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu celebrated his 20th year in Parliament, President Akufo-Addo travelled all the way to Suame to grace the occasion,” the statement from the women said.
It added that “an icon like Rt. Hon. Bagbin has not been acknowledged and yet all manner of politicians have been given Ghana’s highest award, the Order of the Volta; between the longest serving Parliamentarian who never had a single bad report about him in his 28 years in parliament and is credited with grooming many MPs and the politicians who only served their party’s parochial interest who deserves the Order of the Volta more?”
Hon. Isaac Adongo, MP for Bolgatanga Central once said “Mr. Bagbin’s contribution to the country’s democracy cannot be measured and President Akufo-Addo also hailed Speaker Bagbin for his rich experience in best parliamentary practice during the inaugural ceremony of his second term.”
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Alban Bagbin