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The day Speaker turned the Chamber into a lecture hall
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Friday, December 16, 2021, would go down in history of Ghana’s Parliament. It was the day when the honourable Speaker of Parliament, Rt-Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, for some obvious reasons, decided to turn the Chamber into a complete lecture hall to enlighten members of parliament made up of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucuses about the rules and regulations as well as the laws and the Standing Orders of Parliament.
SPEAKER’S APOLOGY TO GHANAIANS
Incensed by the controversies and brouhaha that transpired in parliament during his absence to seek medical attention in Dubai in the latter part of last year, Speaker Bagbin did not mince words when he apologised to Ghanaians and subsequently condemned members of parliament for the nasty incidents recorded in the House and also for flagrantly flouting and undermining the laws of parliament as well as the Standing Orders that regulate their operations in the Chamber.
LECTURING THE PARLIAMENTARIANS
Behaving like a professor and lecturer addressing his students, the Speaker took his time to dissect the laws of parliament as crafted in the 1992 Constitution, how they regulate and affect the operations and activities in the house, the roles of the substantive Speaker and his two Deputies in the absence of the Speaker as well as actions and setbacks that infringe procedures and processes in the House. It was so interesting and delightful to watch on our television screens as the entire members of parliament kept their silence with attentive ears to listen to the wise counsel by the Number One Gentleman in our August parliament.
The Speaker drew an inference on governance by using himself as an example of the President of Ghana who had sought permission to travel outside the country on official assignment. In his absence, the Vice President, the Number Two Gentleman of the land who stepped in as the caretaker president used his powers to reverse certain decisions that had been taken by the president. He asked whether that would not automatically undermine the authority of the president as stipulated by the law and create a constitutional crisis in the country, thereby affecting governance?
CONTROVERSIES OVER THE PASSAGE OF THE 2022 BUDGET
Apparently, Speaker Bagbin was making reference to the recent brouhaha in parliament over his earlier decision concerning the rejection of the 2022 Budget and the subsequent decision by the Second Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, Member of Parliament for Bekwai Constituency who sat in the Speaker’s chair during his absence to reverse the rejection decision by the Speaker with what could be described as controversial due processes and procedures and to allow the Majority to approve that same budget, even though the Minority had earlier raised certain objections in the document. That was the genesis of the controversies that sparked off in parliament.
This is not the time to go forward and back about the controversies surrounding the rejection and subsequent approval of the budget because the matter has been largely dealt with.
The Speaker made it clear that having taken his time to read the Order Paper, votes and proceedings and the official reports of the days on the issue, he felt convinced that members should accept the view of conscience of the nation that they owed Ghanaians an apology and he had proceeded to do just that assignment.
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR MPs ABERRATIONS
He said as Head of Parliament, the voice of the Legislature, who speaks for and on behalf of Parliament, hence the title Speaker, he had with all humility apologised on behalf of the House and members for the aberrations of conduct and behaviour of members on those days. According to him he had taken responsibility for what happened in the House and admitted that the House was neither dignified nor exalted by those unruly behaviour of members. He promised to do everything within his power and authority to lead the House to chart a path of transformation, decency and change for the better. He proceeded to state that the conduct of members on those days touched on the legality of decisions arrived at in the House and how they arrived at those decisions. That, he said, would help members to look at those issues dispassionately, in humility, devoid of egos and partisanship.
ALLOWING 1992 CONSTITUTION TO REFLECT MPs OPERATIONS
He then advised the MPs to allow the 1992 Constitution, the enabling laws, precedents and Standing Orders of the House to lead the way and urged them to think about how to strengthen the work of parliament and by extension Ghana’s democratic governance. He admonished them to bear in mind that as MPs, they also represented the people-the citizenry-not just political parties. He described what happened in the chamber as grave disorder with its resultant comedy of errors and warned that he would not take lightly a repeat of such disorder and indiscipline in the House.
Indeed, the Speaker has done what is just and right by apologising to the people of Ghana under whose ticket our MPs rode on to where they are now, for the nasty incident that transpired within parliament during his few days of absence in the country and we need to applaud him for that sterling quality and initiative. He has, indeed, proved that he merited the position he is occupying at the moment and Ghanaians appreciated him for the gesture.
INERTIA CREEPING INTO MPs FOLD
It appears that our parliamentarians are filled with some amount of inertia judging from the way they easily forget some of the laws crafted in the 1992 Constitution and their own Standing Orders regarding their operations in the House. That could either be deliberate or they are just doing that to frustrate and circumvent the laws for their selfish agenda and that is most unfortunate.
This particular shortfall in their operations brings to the fore as to whether there has been continuous refresher courses and training programmes to upgrade themselves in parliamentary processes and procedures. The way the leaders of both sides of the House misinterpreted and misrepresented the laws during the last few weeks in the debate and the passage of the 2022 budget, raises doubt about how they are abreast of issues regarding the operations in parliament.
It is the view of many Ghanaians that as law makers, our MPs need to be conversant with what pertains in the law so that they can easily interpret them with ease without any shred of doubt. That is why Ghanaians applaud the Speaker for the initiative and also setting the tone for more education and update to our parliamentarians to be in tune with the changing trends. More of such briefings are needed periodically to sharpen their skills and intellect on parliamentary processes.
MATURITY IS NEEDED IN MPs WORK
It is important to drum home to our MPs that parliament and for that matter our democracy has come of age, and therefore, our MPs who have been selected through the mandate of the people to lead us must behave responsibly and demonstrate resilience, fortitude and forthrightness as they go about their avowed duties in the August House. They must begin to strengthen their channels of communication and interaction, foster dialogue and consensus building, encourage broader stakeholder consultation and allow the process they have adopted to our young democracy to thrive.
AVOIDANCE OF THE UNNECESSARY CONFRONTATIONS
These unnecessary confrontations, confusion, attacks on one another and chaos within parliament must give way to constructive criticisms to promote peace and development in our dear nation. We salute the Speaker for the profound speech and we hope that the MPs will return from their recess fully refreshed to consider issues raised in the Speaker’s address and apply them for their own good.
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By Charles Neequaye
GHANA’S Parliament is a peaceful one. The arguments on the floor of the House can be fierce, but the House doesn’t catch fire. Ghana’s democracy has passed the acid-test of constitutional pluralism, and her legislature is a model of democratic beauty others are learning from.
Sometimes it is edifying following proceedings in Parliament and you are likely to catch the voice of Honourable Alban Bagbin in full flight. He doesn’t talk much. His English vocabulary does the talking.
Last week, I heard another MP talking on bad dressing, and I must congratulate him on his brilliant exhibition of vocabulary, delivered in Westminster tradition.
Such explosive delivery titillates the floor of the House and brings joy to members and Mr Speaker.
In the parliament of some countries, there is no need for such niceties. The floor of the House is regarded as a battle ground. Others, including lady members, see it as a boxing ring, where the spoken word is often jettisoned and supplanted with punches and upper-cuts.
PART-TIME
So the average parliamentarian trains part-time as a boxer, in case boxing skills will be needed in the House to iron out knotty points.
The ladies’ pedicure and manicure are carefully designed to fulfil a dual purpose. One is to showcase trendiness and the other is to scratch the faces of opponents in the House whether they are ladies or gentlemen.
Sometimes, the Speaker has to keep shouting and banging for well over 15 minutes as a recalcitrant MP dashes across and grabs the tie of another MP, thus precipitating a free-for-all brawl. Some MPs return home with a half nose, a missing left ear and a double forehead.
None of the offending parties is sanctioned because brawling in parliament is seen as a democratic process, since some MPs are so stubborn that only a sidekick to the ribs can mellow them. Meanwhile, a free-for-all is good exercise for the MPs, some of whom have grown too fat due to over-feeding.
Fortunately, the parliament of Sikaman has a civil democratic culture and debates get fierce but punches are not unleashed. For comic relief however, MPs do some break dancing once in a while.
When ROPAB was passed into law, some MPs caused a stir by bursting into song and dance. Mr. Speaker was be wildered, but obviously pleased that his announcement of the passage of the bill had brought joy to the House.
Others were not happy, though. The bill and the debates had caused them enough distress. As for the passage, it was like cutting their throats. They groaned in their hearts. No punches, no karate. That is democracy in its maturing stage. It is tempered with reason and civility. One day, it will be their turn to laugh and dance.
Now, the MP who spoke on bad dressing did a good job by all standards and added value to his delivery by going highfalutin. He wanted a law to be enacted against bad dressing, because it was not good for society.
What constitutes bad dressing? That is a very difficult question. Judging what is good or bad as far as dressing is concerned will obviously depend on the setting or context.
For example, going virtually naked on a holiday beach is considered good dressing. But when a man and his wife storm a church room in their birth-time suits (naked) the pastor and his deacons will surely take cover. It means a sartorial revolution has precipitated and only the Holy Spirit can hold tempers at bay.
STYLISH
In the streets of Sikaman, a lady with a very short skirt is admired by some as trendy and stylish. Others would think she is indecent and a bad influence. But the question that arises ultimately is this: Don’t people have the right to wear what they want to wear, so long as the unseemly parts of their bodies are not laid bare?
Certainly, nobody will go totally naked in the streets, unless the person is either in-sane or is a Black Stars supporter painted in the national colours. Even then, he’d be in what is called ‘pioto,’ with his ‘instrument’ well-positioned. That is called proper dressing.
So in the streets, this kind of dressing will be considered good or bad depending on the setting and the extent of exposure of the private parts (breasts, thighs, lower back, buttocks, etc).
Personally, I feel the churches should be very scrupulous about the dressing of those who go in to worship. The ushers should be tasked with ushering away badly-dressed worshippers. Incidentally, they are the worshippers who like the front pews, and the pastor is so distracted he can’t preach any meaningful sermon.
However, a law on dressing is something I won’t advocate, for the simple reason that, first, there is no clear definition of what is bad dressing and second, society must be left to evolve its own dress culture so that fashion and creativity in fashion design will not be stifle Any law to regulate dressing will kill such creativity.
This article was first published on Saturday July, 2006
Most people think stress is just in your head. When you feel overwhelmed, overworked, or emotionally drained, you might think you just need a good night’s sleep or a quick mental break.
However, science and biology show us something entirely different. Chronic, long-term stress is not just an emotion—it is a full-body physical condition. When you live in a constant state of survival mode, pushing past your limits without real rest, your body pays a very heavy physical price.
Here is a clear, step-by-step look at how ongoing stress physically breaks down the human body, explained simply.
Step 1: The endless flood of stress chemicals
What happens normally: When you face a sudden emergency, your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. They give you a quick burst of energy, speed up your heart, and help you react fast. This is a great survival tool for short bursts.
How stress breaks you down: If you never truly relax, your body never turns off that alarm. Your bloodstream stays flooded with cortisol and adrenaline day after day. Over time, having these chemicals constantly sloshing around acts like a slow poison. It damages your blood vessels, raises your blood pressure, messes with your metabolism, and even wears down your DNA, making you age faster.
Step 2: The silent internal fire (Chronic Inflammation)
What happens normally: When your brain senses danger or stress, it assumes you might get hurt, so it tells your immune system to cause inflammation (swelling and heat) to fight off germs and heal injuries.
How stress breaks you down: When stress lasts for months or years, your immune system gets confused and leaves that “fire” burning permanently. Instead of healing an injury, this silent internal inflammation starts attacking your healthy cells, joints, and organs. Over time, it paves the way for serious health issues, heart trouble, and total body fatigue.
Step 3: Turning your muscles into armor (Fascial Hardening)
What happens normally: Your body is wrapped in a web of strong connective tissue called fascia that holds your muscles, bones, and organs together. When you face pressure or trauma, that tissue automatically tightens up to protect you like a suit of armor.
How stress breaks you down: If you stay tense for years, that tissue never softens back up. It freezes in place, creating tight, painful physical knots (often called emotional lesions). Blood and oxygen can’t flow easily through those locked-up areas, leaving you stiff, aching, and physically unable to truly let go of tension.
Step 4: Burning out your body’s engine (Nervous System Overdrive)
What happens normally: Your nervous system has two main gears:
The Gas Pedal (fight-or-flight mode for dealing with emergencies).
The Brake Pedal (rest-and-digest mode for healing and repairing your body).
How stress breaks you down: Chronic stress forces your foot down hard on the gas pedal 24/7. Your heart beats faster than it should, your digestion shuts down, and your body is denied the deep rest it needs to repair itself. Eventually, your heart and nervous system run completely out of fuel from sheer exhaustion.
Reclaiming your health and sovereignty
Chronic stress wears you down slowly by keeping your body chemically toxic, inflamed, and locked-up in physical armour, and running on empty.
By understanding that stress is a physical breakdown rather than just a bad mood, you can stop glorifying endless endurance. It allows you to recognise when your body is screaming for a reset, helping you shift away from burnout and back toward true physical calm, balance, and sovereignty.
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