New Chamber: Speaker, MPs have lost touch with the realities – Ernesto Yeboah

The Leader of Economic Fighters League, Ernesto Yeboah, has described a call by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for a national debate on how to support parliament to have a functional edifice that will help deepen democratic governance and accountability in the country as a misplaced priority.

According to him, the two leading political parties have lost touch with reality on the grounds.

It is recalled that following backlash from Ghanaians, the 7th Parliament dropped the planned project aimed at building a new chamber after public outrage over the matter throughout last week.

A statement said: “The Board (Parliamentary Service), has, upon reviewing representations made to it by well-meaning Ghanaians, accordingly taken the development of the new Chamber block out of its present agenda.”

But the current Speaker, Mr Bagbin has reignited the discussion on it.

Speaking to Alfred Ocansey on the 3FMSunrise Morning Show, Ernesto Yeboah indicated what the speaker considers as a national conversation is rather a way of making themselves more comfortable and that they do not really have the interest of those who elect them.

“This, in the speaker’s mind is far away from a national conversation. What he considers as priority is a conversation over how they can make themselves more comfortable."

“It is very clear that the political establishment made up of the NPP and NDC are completely out of touch with the reality on the ground. Especially in times like this when young people are going through the most erosions economic dangers and difficulties of their lives,” Ernesto said.



The Speaker, who said he had visited many Parliaments across the world, compared Ghana’s Parliament with others in some African countries that gained independence after Ghana’s and indicated that those countries had functional chambers and offices that had all the necessary facilities.

He said in 1992, the decision was made to refurbish the current chamber temporarily for Parliament, while a parliamentary enclave was to be built, “but we are still left in Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s conference room”.

In sharp contrast, Mr. Yeboah says “some parliaments across the world wish they have the kind of chamber that we have and do not appreciate”.

He added that some parliaments around the world even go the extent of sitting on floors hence there’s no need for any conversation over a new chamber.