Ghana’s legislature, in the Fourth Republic, is struggling to win social recognition as an important second arm of government, according to the Speaker of the country’s parliament, Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey.

Addressing about 100 Ghanaians on the night of Tuesday, July 16, at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC, the Speaker explained that according to Ghana’s 1992 constitution, “parliament is as important as the executive branch of government; but this notion has not sank into our national psyche especially because of the history of military interventions.”

The speaker is leading a five-member high-powered delegation to the United States on a three-week study tour that ends July 31. The delegation includes Majority Leader of parliament and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Papa Owusu Ankomah; Minority Leader, Hon. Alban Bagbin; Majority Chief Whip, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu; and Hon. Doe Adjaho, Minority Chief Whip.

Because of Ghana’s historical background of an adopted hybrid political system, it is very difficult to work with it, observed Bagbin who is serving his third term as a parliamentarian. He said, “in 1992 Ghanaians decided that democracy is better than dictatorship” and recognized that Ghana’s political system needs to be fine-tuned.

Owusu Ankomah, in an upbeat mode, told the invited Ghanaians who had assembled on a relatively short notice, that members of the parliamentary delegation were in the United States representing “our people and not our parties.” He said, “We believe our nation is in the present situation because maybe God willed it that Ghanaians experience consensual politics.”

According to the Majority Leader, there is almost numerical equality on both sides of the political isle in Ghana’s parliament necessitating harmony and compromise in the chamber. “We cannot afford not to talk to one another,” observed Owusu Ankomah, with obvious reference to the nature of relationship between the two dominant political parties in Ghana’s parliament, the New Patriotic Party, NPP and National Democratic Congress, NDC.

In response to a question, both Bagbin and Ankomah agreed that to retain, lift or amend the provision of indemnity from prosecution of out of office presidents in Ghana’s 1992 constitution, should require a great deal of public debate.

Bagbin pointed out that the indemnity clause has been in Ghana’s constitutions since 1969 [beginning of the Second Republic] and different governments have taken advantage of it. “We have, as a nation, to agree on this because of previous experiences,” Bagbin cautioned, with respect to the indemnity clause debate.

“Indemnity clauses are at variance with democracy,” Hon. Bagbin, the Minority Leader opined.

By far, the most exciting exchange of views between Bagbin and Ankomah at the meeting concerned whether it is appropriate for some parliamentarians to make public statements and comments about an issue for ongoing debate in parliament. “I don’t think there is anything wrong for a pressure group to hold a press conference about an issue under debate in parliament as opposed to waiting until a bill has passed,” Bagbin indicated. He cited the case of the Value Added Tax, VAT, which was not commented upon very much in public when it was initially introduced in parliament; “foresight is better than hindsight.”

Papa Owusu Ankomah disagreed vehemently with Bagbin’s position on the issue of public comments by parliamentarians about an ongoing debate.

Bagbin, responding to another question, said, “We started in 1996 to have the constitution amended.” He cited a number of provisions he would like to see amended in the 1992 constitution, including Articles 11 and 18.15 as well as the Code of Conduct for parliamentarians. Bagbin called for transparency in the declaration of assets by public office holders.

Bagbin told the meeting attendees that the government in power is making provisions to have the District Chief Executive, DCE, position to be electable.

Responding to a question about $20.000 car loans for parliamentarians, Owusu Ankomah indicated not only did he dislike that arrangement but also is not in favor of provision of housing for ministers and other public officials. “But the system is such that even junior civil servants have housing. But this government is working to change it,” the majority leader pointed out. He assured concerned Ghanaians that “the car loans will be repaid, ex gratia.”

Bagbin explained that the idea of car loan for parliamentarians in Ghana was not mooted by parliament but rather the executive branch, through the initiative of the ministry of finance after careful cost-benefit analysis based on four scenarios. “We did not enter parliament because we wanted cars,” Bagbin opined. He said, “It costs more to campaign than the price of a car.”

According to Bagbin, although paycheck deduction for the car loan repayment started last September, some parliamentarians have not received their cars from the dealers, as at the time of speaking. Relative to questions about the car loan program, Bagbin raised the issue of low remuneration for Ghana’s parliamentarians. He mentioned the fact that as the Minority Leader in parliament he has an office allotted to him, “without a budget to run it.” He quipped, “It is not normal to commit suicide.”

Bagbin commented, only briefly, on questions and uncertainties raised about Ghana government’s move to obtain a $350 million loan facility through a relatively unknown brokerage company, International Finance Consortium, IFC (not Washington, DC-based International Financial Corporation, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group). “I don’t know much about the loan; I was called upon to approve it and we have to pray to God,” Bagbin said, in response to a question.

As minority leader in parliament, Bagbin does not always have to pray to God in expectation that the government in power will do the correct things in the interest of Ghana. Rather, he has a political duty to protect the common interest of Ghanaians for which he could seek God’s help, that which is omnipresent.

Explaining the role of his office, Bagbin said, “As minority leader, it is my duty to point government to the other side of the coin.”

With respect to the loan arrangement with IFC(onsortium), Bagbin could have pointed out to Pres. John Agyekum Kufuor’s government that more and more foreign loans would continue to lead Ghana deeper into an unproductive dependent economy.

Rt. Hon. Ala Adjetey detailed the difficulties and challenges associated with his duties as speaker of Ghana’s parliament. “It is an extremely difficult position. The duty of Speaker is non-partisan; but must work for the nation. The opposition always suspects you and your own party members doubt if they were correct in nominating you,” the Speaker explained. “I have said, I am nobody’s poodle, I intend to handle matters as I see them, to the best of my ability and conscience; I try to make decisions that allow me to sleep soundly at night. I don’t claim perfection, I am human; but in my own small way, I try to do the right thing,” Adjetey indicated.

“The Speaker says he must be impartial, that does not mean he must be neutral,” Bagbin commented on Mr. Adjetey’s declarations about how he conducts the duties of his office.

While the Speaker and Minority Leader think they have difficult job assignments, Owusu Ankomah, gave the impression that he has a more challenging task since he is a member of both the legislative and executive arms of Ghana’s government, under the 1992 constitutional arrangements. He explained that he has to represent the executive in parliament, as a cabinet minister and must protect the interests of parliamentarians, as Majority Leader. But he cautioned, “Politicians are not charitable when it comes to having advantage over the opposition.”

All the three speakers of the five-member delegation were quite effusive in acknowledging contributions of Ghanaians living abroad to the upkeep of their folks back in Ghana and urged them to do more. Owusu Ankomah called on Ghanaians living abroad to be advocates for their country. He told Ghanaians at the meeting, don’t forget the country that spawned you and nurtured you.”

Bagbin pointed out that all the political parties in Ghana rely on Ghanaians living abroad “to win power.” He remarked, “If Ghana was in full piece and not pieces, you would like to be at home. We want you home; but we recognize that our country is just a toddler and we are learning the democratic culture.” It would have been more appropriate if Bagbin had said Ghanaians are learning the democratic culture imposed on us by history. Traditionally, most Ghanaian and African cultures had had democratic foundations before the dominance of colonization, an adjunct to European world imperialism.

HE Francis Tsegah, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Ghana embassy in Washington, commended the Ghanaians who managed to be at the meeting, on short notice. It was through Mr. Tsegah’s effort that the delegation made time for the meeting. Good riddance.

When asked to comment on the proceedings of the late night weekday meeting, a male attendee indicated that he was saddened by the conditions under which the lawmakers have to do their jobs in view of the low level of remuneration in Ghana, as explained by the Minority Leader.