The Executive Director of the Centre for Citizenship, Constitutional and Electoral Systems, James Kwabena Bomfeh, has expressed concern about what he describes as troubling attitudes in Ghana’s Parliament.
Speaking on Noon Target in reaction to the Electoral Commission’s decision to rerun the Kpandai Constituency elections on Tuesday, December 30, following a Tamale High Court directive, Mr. Bomfeh lamented the conduct of lawmakers after Parliament officially declared the seat vacant upon receipt of a letter from the Clerk.
“It is sad to see some of the things happening in Parliament. Sometimes the words, the comments, the attitudes, the posturing, including pronouncements from the Speaker himself, I don’t think it augurs well for our democracy,” he said.
Mr. Bomfeh criticized Members of Parliament for failing to treat their responsibilities with the seriousness they deserve. He described the chamber as increasingly characterized by “over-partisanship and playfulness,” where debates often descend into “you do me, I do you” exchanges, turning a forum meant for intellectual rigor into “brawn and sometimes childish display.”
He urged MPs to embrace discipline and uphold the honor expected of them, stressing that Parliament must remain a place of dignity and constructive engagement.
On the Kpandai Constituency issue, Mr. Bomfeh questioned Parliament’s decision to declare the seat vacant while the matter remains pending in court, suggesting the move undermines due process.
