The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has criticised sections of the public who suggested that Members of Parliament (MPs) should be given bicycles instead of four-wheel vehicles.

Speaking at the Speaker’s Breakfast Forum on March 4, 2026, Bagbin argued that comparing Ghana’s Parliament to that of the United Kingdom is misplaced, as the conditions of service and lifestyles of citizens in both countries differ significantly.

“I listened to some of our senior citizens on GTV talking about MPs being given bicycles instead of cars or four-wheel drives. The MPs have no problem with being given bicycles because it reduces a lot of pressure on them. With a bicycle, you know exactly how far you can go. But it is this missing link between Parliament, the MPs and our citizens that makes senior citizens go on TV to call for bicycles to be given to MPs, “he said.

He noted that while in the UK it is sometimes possible to see a Prime Minister riding a bicycle, Ghanaian MPs cannot be expected to adopt the same practices.

“And when you want to compare, in the UK we sometimes see the Prime Minister riding a bicycle. I am a Ghanaian. I am a Dagao, from the Dagaaba people and I am asked to behave and act like a British person.

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“People misunderstand everything, and that is why we have degraded ourselves to the point where we don’t value what we have. Instead, we keep buying what others have, not what we produce. I was unaware of the rich history of the Dagaba people and their use of V8s.

“I am only now learning that, just as the white man or the British values a V8, so too does the Dagao person. It is quite amusing that the speaker was talking about this.”

The Speaker further remarked that the public often undervalues Ghanaian traditions and priorities, choosing instead to adopt foreign practices.

He humorously added that he was only now learning that the use of V8 vehicles by MPs could be seen as part of the Dagaaba people’s identity, just as bicycles are associated with some British leaders.



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