Accra, Jan. 6, GNA - Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, Speaker, on Tuesday urged Ghanaians to stay united and do away with tensions resulting from religious and political differences. He said the nation should draw lessons from legislators of Fourth Parliament, who were able to forge a common front and work together in harmony.

The Speaker was giving his last address in Parliament hours before the House would go into dissolution at the stroke of mid-night to usher in the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. Mr Sekyi Hughes said although members of the House saw issues from different perspectives they all had one common vision for the nation and this should serve as a lesson to all Ghanaians to help address the challenges of poverty and injustice.

He touched on some challenges of the Fourth Parliament, saying the lack of funds hindered the completion of some projects. He urged the incoming Parliament to draw upon the experiences of the outgoing parliament for some hindsight and perspectives. Mr Abraham Ossei Aidooh, Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, urged Leaders of the next Parliament, Membership and Staff to ensure that the process of autonomy of the Ghanaian Legislature, which began in the outgoing Parliament was enhanced and entrenched. He congratulated the Speaker, Members who re-elected as well as those who lost their election bids for their high sense of duty in the last Parliament.

Mr Aidooh suggested resourcing the Legislative Drafting Unit of the House to place it in a better position to provide legislative drafting services to Members of Parliament and added that Leaders of the House should lead in the preparation of a Constitutional Instrument on the conditions of service of parliamentarians. The Parliamentary Service Regulation (C.I 11) deals mainly with the Staff of the Service and not the Members of Parliament. Deputy Minority Leader Edward Doe Adjaho paid tribute to the House on its consensus building.

The Speaker of Parliament later inaugurated a GH¢ 350,000 first phase of a refurbished building, located at Ridge in Accra, to be used as Parliamentary Committee Rooms and Offices for Research. The project, which was achieved with financial assistance from the Danish Government, consists of a meeting room, a secretariat, lighting, acoustics, a parking lot and fenced premises. 06 Dec 08