Cheers and jeers on Bagbin's ‘royal’ style of dressing

Bagbin ditches ceremonial cloak, wears traditional outfit

Ghanaians praise Speaker for promoting made in Ghana products

Kwesi Pratt Jnr scolds Bagbin, says he is not ‘king' of parliament

All eyes were on Parliament this week as sittings resumed on Tuesday, January 25,

Read full article.2022, after a month’s break.

As expected, many were fixated on when matters and discussions on the contentious Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) will rear its head in the business of the House as a result of the fisticuffs between MPs on the same issue late last year.

However, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon. Alban Bagbin had something up his sleeves as he showed up in parliament in a royal traditional outfit.

Alban Bagbin ditched his usual ceremonial outfit for more indigenous wear from the Volta Region.

It would be recalled that before the House was adjourned for the Christmas Holidays, the Speaker announced that he would only be using the Speaker’s cloak for ceremonial occasions this year as part of his commitment to change the dress code and code of conduct of MPs.

True to his words, at the commencement of proceedings today, the Speaker entered the Chamber, clad in kente cloth over a white lace shirt and a black and gold crown and gold necklace, parliament’s verified official Facebook page reported.

In his official welcome to the House, the Speaker urged the Members to take a cue from his outfit and dress in traditional wear just like the first President of the nation, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

“From now on I want to see our members appear in parliament decently adorned in traditional dress,” he said.

Social media users particularly those on Twitter praised the Speaker for promoting made in Ghana products.

Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin goes traditional.
This is the first time a speaker under the 4th Republic is conducting official business in the chamber with a traditional outfit other than the usual gown pic.twitter.com/hJpFy7aV6g

— Nana Fapimso ???? (@pnorvinyo_17) January 25, 2022

Alban Bagbin Just puts Ghana once again on the map. Well done speaker pic.twitter.com/6RtBRWcpQn

— TontonChoco The Marshal???????? (@MSodine) January 25, 2022

The bar has been raised! Speaker of parliament Alban Bagbin showing us how it’s done✅ pic.twitter.com/d5XQNztFTg

— Seli Baisie (@seli_baisie) January 25, 2022

Speaker Alban Bagbin goes traditional in parliament. I’m loving it … no more gowns. ???????? pic.twitter.com/3odmUeYbgQ

— OFORI ANIM (@OforiAnim) January 25, 2022

However, not everyone was impressed with the new way of dressing that the Speaker had introduced.

Managing editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, criticized the way and manner in which the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, dressed into the Chamber to preside over Tuesday’s Parliamentary sitting.

He indicated on Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday, January 26, that he was unimpressed by the message the Speaker’s costume communicated.

“This is a country we have been talking loudly about the modesty of public officials. It’s been up for discussion over a long period of time...how modest public officials must appear…all these talks about huge presidential convoys is all related to the modesty of public officials. Then the Speaker of Parliament chooses a dress code which has nothing to do with the promotion of modesty. all these headbands with what looks like gold and large necklaces and so on…what is modest about that? I’m talking about the symbol…what symbol are we putting out there?” he quizzed.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr further stated that the outfit and costume worn by the Speaker must demonstrate the kind of relationship he enjoyed with MPs.

He stressed that the symbolism was a shocker to him.

“The symbolism that this thing presented yesterday [Tuesday, January 25, 2022] was what really shocked me. In any case whatever dress code that we choose ought to reflect the relationship between the speaker and Member of parliament. If you have a speaker who presents as king in the kingdom parliament…is that the true reflection of the relationship between the Parliament and the speaker….The speaker is not king of parliament…he is essentially an umpire in parliament. The Speaker is not king…The umpire sits there[up] in tennis so that he can have a broader view of the playing field. In any case, look at where the speaker sits in parliament….up there…so it's not about where he sits. I think the symbolism was so wrong,” he told host Dr. Randy Abbey



Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, also expressed concerns regarding the Speaker’s appearance.

In making a submission on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo morning show’ Kwamena Duncan noted that even though he agrees with promoting our culture, a chief linguist (kyeamehene) does not walk about with 50kg of gold chain.

“…yesterday, he wore a crown to Parliament; in fact, I agree, I agree that we must promote our culture but he is a chief linguist and a chief linguist does not wear a crown. Somebody should tell him [Alban Bagbin] that there is nowhere a chief linguist wears a crown with a big ‘cupa’ chain that weighs about 50kg on the weighing scale around his neck. A chief linguist does not dress like that.

“While we endorse the promotion of our culture, it must be promoted in the right way. You don’t go wearing a crown as a chief linguist…,” Kwamena Duncan said.

Below are some pictures of Alban Bagbin in traditional outfit