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Speaker Launches 30th Anniversary Celebration of Parliamentary Democracy
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The Rt. Hon. Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, in his colourful Ghanaian kente cloth yesterday, launched the much anticipated 30th Anniversary Celebrations of Ghana’s Parliamentary democracy.
Recounting a brief history of the Fourth Republic, the Speaker noted that “in 1960 we jettisoned the 1957 Constitution which was fashioned according to the Westminster model of parliamentary practice. We adopted our First Republican Constitution on 1st July 1960. We then had military interruption between 1966 and 1969.” 
He added that “The Second Republic, which was ushered in in 1969 also got interrupted: that subsequently paved way for the Third Republic in 1979. In 1981, that was also truncated until 1992 when we had our Fourth Republican Constitution adopted through a referendum. It has been a journey of vicissitudes toward the peaceful democracy that we enjoy today.”
Commenting on the programmes lined up for the celebrations the Rt. Hon. The speaker mentioned that the year-long celebrations will zone the country into six (6) zones where activities such as lectures, mock parliaments, football competitions ns, and health walks among others would be organised.
The Speaker also used the opportunity to congratulate the past speakers of the Fourth Republic for their immense contribution towards Parliamentary Democracy.
He mentioned Rt. Hon. Daniel Francis Annan (late), the pioneering Speaker of the First Parliament of the Fourth Republic, who served from 7th January 1993 to 6th January 2001, Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey (late), the Speaker of Parliament from the 7th January 2001 to the 6th January 2005, Rt. Hon. Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi-Hughes Speaker of Parliament from 7th January 2005 to 6th January 2009, Rt. Hon. Justice Joyce Adelaide Bamford-Addo, the Speaker of Parliament from 7th January 2009 to 6th January 2013, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho Speaker of Parliament from 7th January 2013 to 6th January 2017 and his immediate predecessor, the Rt. Hon. Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, who took over as the Speaker of Parliament on 7th January 2017.
In a speech read on behalf of the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by the Chief of State, Hon. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, the President noted that it is for the good of the country that Parliament continues to develop the capacity to insist on accountability in all aspects of the lives of the people of Ghana, stressing that no institution is better suited for this than the representatives of the people.
“As President of the Republic, I assure you that, out of duty to our children and grandchildren, and generations yet unborn, my government will do everything it can to help strengthen Parliament” he assured the House.
In his welcome address, the Clerk to Parliament, Mr Cyril K. O. Nsiah, said the Parliamentary Service remains resolute in performing its non-partisan role of providing the requisite technical and procedural support services required by Parliament to execute its constitutional mandate.
“we will continue to emulate the rich culture, values and norms of independence, non-partisanship and diligence inherited from the lineage of experienced former Clerks to Parliament and former staff of the Service as we assiduously pursue organisational objectives and goals through the needed structural and institutional reforms to optimise our service delivery capacity to assist Hon. Members of Parliament carry out their functions” he indicated.
The Majority Leader, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and the Minority Leader Hon. Ato Forson believed that even though 30 years of Parliamentary Democracy might seem relatively young and little to celebrate as compared to countries like the United Kingdom and the United States of America, considering where Ghana find itself with several parliamentary and constitutional crisis within West Africa, the 30th anniversary is worth celebrating.
The yearlong celebration is under the theme “Thirty Years of Parliamentary Democracy under the Fourth Republic; The Journey Thus Far”
The launch of the 30th-anniversary celebrations which was done in the Chamber of Parliament, saw MPs from both sides of the House, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Staff of the Parliamentary Service and other guests dancing happily to the local musical melodies courtesy of Voices of Democracy and the Ghana Armed Forces Band.
African leaders have been urged to strengthen political commitment and domestic investment to end preventable maternal deaths and AIDS by 2030.
The call comes as African health ministers and policymakers meet in Accra to deliberate on health financing, health security and universal health coverage across the continent.
Mr Edouard Bizimana, Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the African Union’s (AU) 25th Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra.
He said Africa needed increased domestic investment to build resilient health systems as it continued to grapple with infectious diseases and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Mr Bizimana, who is also Chairperson of the AU Executive Council, said although Africa accounted for nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population, it bore 24 per cent of the global disease burden while having less than three per cent of the global health workforce and only one per cent of global health expenditure.
“Despite maternal mortality declining by nearly 40 per cent since 2000, Africa still accounts for about 70 per cent of maternal deaths globally, while almost two-thirds of people living with HIV reside on the continent,” he said.
Mr Bizimana said the growing burden of NCDs was placing additional pressure on already stretched health systems.
“These figures are not merely statistics. They represent painful human realities, preventable losses and unacceptable inequalities, they remind us that health is not an expense it is a strategic investment and a prerequisite for our sovereignty and development. “he said.
Mr Bizimana said recent global health emergencies had exposed Africa’s vulnerability and underscored the need to expand local production of medicines and vaccines, strengthen the health workforce and improve emergency preparedness.
“Our citizens expect resilient health systems where every mother can give birth safely, every child has access to essential healthcare and every African enjoys quality health services regardless of where they live,” he said.
The two-day summit, being held ahead of the 20th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, has brought together health ministers, policymakers and health stakeholders to identify solutions to Africa’s health financing and security challenges.
Madam Florence Samizi, Tanzania’s Deputy Health Minister, called for stronger collaboration among AU Member States to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
The summit is being held on the theme: “Advancing Justice, Equality and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, Tuberculosis, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa.”
The meeting is expected to adopt the Accra Declaration, a roadmap to strengthen Africa’s health systems and advance health sovereignty by 2030. -GNA
Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Department of Political Science, Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato says the imprisonment of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, will have little meaning unless it leads to a broader crackdown on illegal mining.
In a post on his Facebook page on the July 21, 2026, Dr. Zaato said the judgment should mark the beginning of efforts to completely eradicate galamsey and hold all those involved accountable, regardless of their political affiliation.
He said the country must work towards restoring polluted rivers, protecting forests and ensuring that people implicated in illegal mining activities are prosecuted.
According to him, those the President has publicly acknowledged to be involved in galamsey should face prosecution.
He called for the prosecution of district chief executives (DCEs), members of Parliament (MPs) and senior political party officials who have been accused of engaging in or supporting illegal mining.
Dr. Zaato further urged the government to take decisive action to end the destruction of the country’s forests caused by galamsey.
He maintained that the imprisonment of Chairman Wontumi would only have a lasting impact if it results in a comprehensive and impartial fight against illegal mining across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
