Some Members of Parliament (MPs) are concerned that the new roll call system adopted in the New Standing Orders of Parliament will send the wrong signal to the public.
National Democratic Congress MP for Yapei Kusawgu in the Savannah region, John Abdulai Jinapor, asserts that although legislators may be present in Parliament at various committee meetings, they could be marked as absent.
Making an argument on the floor of Parliament on February 7, he opines that this might create a wrong impression in the public eye, especially if the constituents notice that their representatives are continuously marked as absent.
“Mr Speaker, this is a live telecast of the proceeding. I just saw Honorable Bright, he is at the Roads Committee serving Parliament, in such a situation, how do you let your constituents know that indeed your were in Parliament?
He suggested that it would be best for a system to be put in place for MPs who are genuinely carrying out official duties to be announced to the public.
“So that when the clerk is reading the names, those who have sought permission from you, they should mention that Mr A has indeed asked permission from you and is unavoidably absent,” he added.
This concern was overruled by the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako who was presiding over the House.
He explained that the directive was part of the new standing orders and they would just have to follow through with it.
Mr Amoako moved for the roll call to continue.
On February 6, legislators kicked off parliamentary sessions with the recitation of the National Pledge, which signified the implementation of the new standing orders.
At every sitting, the clerks at the table are required to mention the name of every single MP who stands up to be marked present.
Source: myjoyonline.com / Connielove Mawutornyo Dzodzegbe
