Speaker of Parliament packs ahead of January 6 deadline

The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho has informed members of the Sixth Parliament under the Fourth Republic to vacate their offices by 6th January 2017.

“I have myself as Speaker, already packed and only awaiting the conclusion of our final proceedings so as to vacate the Speaker’s office to enable the incoming Speaker assume his role seamlessly,” he pointed out.

Speaking on the floor of the house on Tuesday, at the final sittings of the current parliament, he noted “all of you non-returning Members must leave this Parliamentary precinct with enthusiasm and hope and demonstrate same by packing out and vacating your respective offices by 6th January 2017, in order to facilitate a smooth transition for the incoming MPs-elect to replace you.”

Mr. Doe Adjaho on behalf of the leadership and the entire membership extended a “heartfelt congratulation” to the president-elect, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, to the high office of President of the Republic of Ghana.

He indicated, “Indeed we are gratified that another former Member of this house has been elected to the high office of the Republic of Ghana and Commander in Chief of its Armed Forces. Having served as a member of this august house for three consecutive terms, it is our expectation that his excellency the president-elect, will bring his understanding and wealth of parliamentary experience to bear on his executive office.”

The Speaker of the House of Representative reminded the house that the outgoing president, John Dramani Mahama is also a former Member of Ghana’s Forth Republican Parliament, a position he ably held for three consecutive terms just as the president-elect.

Interestingly, both the outgoing and the president-elect entered Parliament in the same year and left in the same year, he revealed.

He commended John Mahama for accepting the results declared by the Electoral Commission, saying it is an indication of a statesmanship.