Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to be of good behaviour if they want to be respected by the public.
Reacting to concerns by some MPs about how they are treated by some sections of the public, the Speaker said the public perception of MPs is not very good.
Alban Bagbin pointed out that the feedback he has from the public is that “MPs behave like kindergarten kids on the floor.”
“Some of you have complained to me that you meet some of these security personnel and some other officials and when you say ‘I am a member of Parliament’, the response you get is that and so what?
“I think that this problem is from how we conduct ourselves. Will they ever tell a judge or a minister ‘and so what’? Why is it that they say that to Members of Parliament? We need to look at it first,” he added.
He, therefore cautioned parliamentarians to be mindful of their conduct, adding that they should conduct themselves as leaders of the State.
He also implored the lawmakers not to take their duty lightly.
The 8th Parliament of Ghana has witnessed several scuffles and confrontations among members.
These altercations have often stemmed from disagreements over legislative procedures and political tensions between the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Notable incidents include physical confrontations during the election of the Speaker of Parliament and heated exchanges during the debate and approval of the 2022 budget.
These events have raised concerns about parliamentary decorum and the effectiveness of the legislature in Ghana.
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