8th Parliament is different; adjust to it – Bagbin to MPs

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has said one of the challenges with the 8th Parliament is the refusal of some critics to recognize that the nation has a hung Parliament.

According to him, he has so far lived to the promises he made to be impartial in his judgements in the House.

“There is a change. A change of composition, a change of focus and direction and that needs a different type of leadership. We cannot continue to use those old rules; we have to develop new rules. The rules that will push forward the decision of the good people of Ghana,” he reiterated on Ghana Television Thursday.

Mr. Bagbin stressed that his critics have no bases for their numerous allegations against him adding that he is also not immune to mistakes.

“This Parliament I have made it clear that I will do all I can to be as impartial as possible. I am human, I don’t know it all, I can make mistakes.

“But to be categorized as being biased or obstructing government business or being partial is just a figment of the imagination of people who are stuck to the old order where they are used to power,” he stated.

Speaker Bagbin also used the opportunity to urge his colleagues to come to terms that they are in a new era that demands a shift from the old ways of handling affairs in the House.

“The power of the Majority, this is what we want and we must get it. That is the position. If not, my rulings have shown that I have disagreed with both Majority and Minority at different times. So it is only a surprise because some of my colleagues don’t understand that the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic is completely different from the other Parliaments,” he added.