Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin said on Saturday that the legislature, being the bedrock of democracy, should lead in the compilation of the next Constitution due to its representative composition and ability to make laws, compared to other arms of government.

He said the situation where the Executive and Judiciary towered above the legislature in terms of nomenclature needed reconsideration as modern democracies were turning to this reality.

Speaker Bagbin made these statements at the opening of a three-day orientation programme for Members of the Ninth Parliament (MPs) in Ho.

However, the orientation programme was boycotted by the Minority side of Parliament, who cited the high-cost implications of holding the training programme outside the chamber.

The programme was organised by the Parliamentary Service and the Parliamentary Training Institute (PTI) to orient the legislators to effectively and efficiently discharge their mandate of legislation, deliberation, oversight, investigation, and other regulatory functions.

Speaker Bagbin indicated that the heartbeat of democracy worldwide was the legislature, and it must be understood as the nerve centre of the people to effectively position itself for recognition.

He indicated that the next four years offered a critical opportunity for a turnaround to make MPs more prominent than the other arms of government and urged Members to rewrite a new story for themselves and live it.

The Speaker further urged the Members to ensure that their presence in the House was positively felt, impacting both themselves and others, rather than just “passing through,” saying it should be a two-way scenario.

He admonished the MPs to focus, serve, and sacrifice, adding, “Don’t allow your political differences to enslave you or be enslaved by our history.”

Speaker Bagbin paid glowing tribute to Dr. Ibn Chambas, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, and Ms. Hanna Tetteh, all former MPs who are presently serving in various global capacities, as dividends of hard work and tenacity of purpose.

He said new MPs had given him tremendous hope in their ability to learn quickly, and he was expectant of a blissful future for Parliament.

Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, the Clerk of Parliament, explained that MPs shoulder the critical responsibilities of lawmaking, oversight, representation, control of the purse, and conflict and grievance resolution, among others, which require a profound understanding of parliamentary practice and procedure, the rules of engagement, and the institutional framework within which a legislator operates.

He stated that while the task ahead was daunting, it was not insurmountable, saying the dynamic interplay of constituents’ expectations for their role and the formal roles of MPs as envisaged under the Constitution would undoubtedly require a careful balance for their success.

He said the Speaker had pledged his commitment to ensuring that MPs were well-equipped to deliver on their constitutional mandate through the organisation of more such training programmes to build their capacities.

Again, the Parliamentary Service remained steadfast in its commitment to providing MPs with the necessary procedural, legal, technical, and administrative support services required to facilitate their work as MPs, he said.

Mr. Djietror said Parliament was a distinct institution with its own unique set of norms and rules of engagement and urged MPs to make a continuous effort to acquire knowledge, leveraging the experiences of seasoned Members to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and dynamics of their work.

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader, said the orientation offered an opportunity to learn and reflect on the values that should guide Members in the next four years to ensure that Ghana maintained its admiration across the continent and beyond.

“For us to continue to maintain such high standards, remain in the same position, and sustain the envy of the rest of the world, we must build our skills and competencies to strengthen our Parliament through the acquisition of the needed tools and ensuring their effective utilisation for our growth,” he said.

Topics to be explored at the training include the rights of the majority and minority caucuses of Parliament, conflict management, consensus building in a majoritarian legislature, the legislative process, private members’ bills, and the art of reviewing and analysing legislation.

Others involve mastering the rules of procedure, skills in advocacy, lobbying, and negotiation for legislators, and scrutinising the budget and economic policy of the government.