Story, Nana Sifa Twum, House of Lords - London

The Queen of England has called The Right Honorable Paul Boateng, to the Upper House of the United Kingdom Parliament, The House of Lords.

He was among three distinguished personalities who have caught the eyes of the Head of the Commonwealth and the Defender of the Faith to be among the Lords also known as the House of Peers in the Palace of Westminster The short but impressive ceremony in the chambers of the Lords also saw The Right Honorable Rita Margaret Donaghy and Right Honorable John Huttons’ initiation as members of the elite Assembly.

The House of Lords is the upper house of the parliament of the UK, the United Kingdom's national legislature. The Parliament comprises the sovereign, the House of Commons (which is the lower house of Parliament and referred to as "the Commons"), and the Lords. The House of Lords, like the House of Commons, assembles in the Palace of Westminster

Unlike the House of Commons, membership of the House of Lords is not attained by election but is instead made up of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal. The Lords Spiritual are 26 senior bishops of the Church of England who hold office by virtue of their ecclesiastical role within the established church The Lords Temporal make up the rest of the membership; of these, the majority are life peers who are appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister Membership was once a right of birth to hereditary peers but following a series of reforms these now form only a small portion of the membership. As of April 2010 the House of Lords has 707 members, 57 more than the 650-seat House of Commons

The occasion called Introduction was administered by Lord Janner of Braunstone. He was supported by and Lord Ouseley with Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Professor Kwaku Danso Boafo present. The full, formal title of the House of Lords is The Right Honorable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. Lord Boateng's full title is Baron Boateng, of Akyem in the Republic of Ghana and of Wembley in the London Borough of Brent. The occasion which coincided with Ghana’s republic Day saw Lord Boateng swearing the official oath pledging his full allegiance to Her majesty the Queen of England, after which he had a Handshake with Lord Ouseley which was greeted with a large applause from members and the public galley.

Among other things Lord Boateng will join hundreds of illustrious and privileged citizens of the UK to debates legislation, and has some power to amend or reject bills.

The Right Honorable Paul Yaw Boateng, Baron Boateng, born 14 June 1951 is a British Labour Member of Parliament politician who was the MP for Brent South from 1987 to 2005, becoming the UK's first black Cabinet Minister in May 2002, when he was appointed as Chief Secretary to the treasure. Following his departure from the House of Commons, he served as the British High Commissioner to the South Africa from March 2005 to May 2009. In a chat with the media later, Professor Danso Boafo indicated that it was a real honour for the good people of Ghana. He said Ghana now has the second largest members in the UK parliament as an ethnic community after India. He observed that there are currently three members of the UK parliament with Ghanaian ancestries, adding that it puts the country in a stronger position in terms of world politics.

He commended The Right Honorable Boateng for his selfless devotion and dedication not only to the UK and Ghana but to the entire humanity. “This has seen him rising through the world’s political and social ranks.” He acknowledged.

The Ghanaian Envoy noted that The Right Honorable Boateng has not only identified himself with the Ghanaian community but has also fought in seeking development and prosperity for his nation.