MPs urged to highlight their relevance as lawmakers

Mr Alban Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament has urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to highlight their relevance as lawmakers to Ghanaians, through their law-making duties.

He said: “One key role of the MP, among others, is the role of militating for the people. There is a lot to be done to liberate our people since there is no democracy if the lives of the people are not improved.”

Mr Bagbin said when members of Amnesty International Ghana paid a courtesy call on him in Parliament to discuss the progress of the Abolition of the Death Penalty Advocacy.

Mr George Aggrey, the outgoing Board Chair of Amnesty International Ghana, indicated the purpose for the call on the Speaker was to advance further the passage of the Amendment Bill- Armed Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

The two bills had gone through their first readings in Parliament and referred to the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
Mr Aggrey acknowledged the various roles Played by the Speaker in this process, which included his timely responses to all the petitions from the global Amnesty including Ghana, Canada, Germany, Australia, and other countries with similar interests.

On his part, Mr Martin Kpebu, a Private Legal Practitioner, commenting on the importance of amending the Criminal Offences Act and the Ghana Armed Forces Act said prisoners on Death Penalty were usually tortured and lived under extremely deplorable circumstances.

Mr William Nyarko, Executive Director-Africa Centre for International Legal and Parliamentary Affairs said they share in the goals of Amnesty International Ghana and were working together for the conversion of the Death Penalty to a Life Sentence.
Mr Bernard Ahiafor, MP for Akatsi South and a Ranking Member, Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs explained the steps the Committee had taken so far on the proposed amendments and assured the Speaker of the Committee’s commitment to expediting action.