Accra, Jan. 7, GNA - Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo, Speaker of the Fifth Parliament, on Wednesday urged members of the new Parliament to work together in unity to make just laws that would be beneficial to nation-building.
She said as representatives of the whole of Ghana, they should
cooperate and aim to build a better Ghana. Justice Bamford-Addo was giving her maiden address in
Parliament shortly after being sworn-in as Speaker by Justice
Georgina Wood, Chief Justice. The retired Supreme Court judge made history as the first woman
to assume the high office of the Speaker of Parliament. She thanked members of the House for endorsing her candidature
and expressed the hope that she could rely on them to steer the
affairs of Parliament during her tenure. She said she hoped to bring her public life experiences to bear on
her duties in the House. "I hope to bring my experiences in public life to my new role in
the discharge of my duties in line with the constitution. with
humility, fairness and maturity." She paid tribute to former Speakers of the House, and mentioned
in particular Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, the immediate past Speaker. Earlier, after being elected unopposed, Mr Alban Bagbin, who led
the Majority NDC side, commended the Speaker for making herself
available to serve in the position. Mr Bagbin said by the election of a female Speaker, Ghanaians
were waking up to the realities of gender equality and the democratic
principles of fairness and justice, including an all-inclusiveness
agenda at the top. He said it was significant that women were now making gains with
the Executive arm of government having men and the two separate
arms of governance being headed by women. He assured the Speaker of the cooperation of both sides of the
House, saying "we sincerely assure you of cooperation..We are
serious minded people and committed. and together we would
move this nation forward. Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, leading the NPP Minority side, said
the Speaker had a distinguished career to bring to bear on work in
the House. He touched on the need for truth in all transactions in the House
and said the minority side was ready to cooperate and work with the
Speaker. Mr Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said the minority must be allowed to
have their say and urged the Speaker to be guided at all times by her
conscience, the Standing Orders of Parliament and the Constitution.
