The Dean of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Law School, Professor Kofi Abotsi believes that the 8th Parliament exceeded expectations despite the challenges it encountered.

He stated that a dramatic shift in the way Parliament has operated over time was not anticipated, despite the close numbers between the two major parties.

He made these comments during Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Monday, January 6, 2024.

“The announcement of the constitution of Parliament itself by the election of the Speaker ushered in what was to come. Did the eighth Parliament play that role? I wasn’t expecting a dramatic shift from how Parliament has always operated. Although I expected that because of the closeness of the numbers involved, we were going to experience something of a different Parliament,” he noted.

Reflecting on highlights of the 8th Parliament, he described some of the incidents in the House as genuinely dramatic and melodramatic moments.

Prof. Abotsi praised the Speaker for his mandatory delivery of constitutional duties during the 8th Parliament.

“In fact, in many ways, the Speaker made the difference in terms of being very strong in his interpretation of the rules, in terms of being very assertive against core differences with the government, including the judiciary, and in terms of the general leadership of Parliament,” he asserted.

He lauded the overall performance of the soon-to-be-dissolved Parliament, asserting it was better compared to previous Parliaments.

“So, in terms of performance overall, Parliament has done, in my opinion, much better than many Parliaments in the past, in spite of the chaos, in spite of the constitution that characterized their operations even to the very end of their term. It has performed well in terms of highlighting issues, generally standing up to other institutions, and generally asserting its autonomy and the mandate which it has established. It has performed much better than many of its counterparts in the past,” he opined.

Meanwhile, the 8th Parliament is set to be dissolved today, Monday, January 6, 2025.

JKB/MA

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