The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and the minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli/Kaleo, Alban Bagbin, has shot down an attempt by members of his party to politicize the recruitment of private security personnel by the Marshall Department of parliament to beef up security in the house.
Some minority members, including MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga; MP for Adaklu, Kwame Agbodza Governs and MP for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, have allegedly gone on air to criticize the recruitment, saying that those who are being recruited to be trained as security personnel in parliament are members of the Invincible Forces – a group affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP)
The minority members said that unless the backgrounds of those being recruited are made public, they cannot guarantee the safety of NDC MPs in parliament if those being recruited are employed.
The minority members further argued that the policemen attached to parliament could do the work of those being recruited.
But speaking to the issue on the floor of the house yesterday after the second deputy majority chief whip, Moses Anim, had raised the matter, Bagbin, who is the longest serving MP, said the NDC MPs were being too partisan on the issue and that their arguments were misplaced.
According to Mr Bagbin, the Parliamentary Service Board, which endorses recruitment of parliamentary staff, has the exclusive right to sanction any recruitment into the Service.
He said that since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1993 when he came to parliament, it had always been the Parliamentary Service Board that had given the authority for the recruitment of private security people to beef up security.
He said when recruitment is being done, advertisement is placed in the newspapers and people are recruited based on their qualifications and not on political lines.
According to Mr Bagbin, it is very wrong for the minority members to say that those being recruited belong to a certain group.
According to him, it is also wrong for matters that could affect the image of parliament as an institution to be discussed on radio stations by members.
He said if the image of parliament is brought into disrepute, the image of members is also affected.
Rumour Mongering
Mr Bagbin, therefore, cautioned against what he termed the ‘rumour mongering’ attitude of MPs that affect the image of parliament, adding that members must always help to protect the image of the institution and not unnecessarily bring its image down.
The majority leader, Osei Kye-Mensah-Bonsu, said that the internal security of parliament rests with the Marshall Department.
According to him, the Parliamentary Service Board sanctioned the recruitment of 50 people for the security department but about 23 had been recruited and trained.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said there are certain areas in parliament that police personnel cannot be stationed to work, particularly in the chamber and offices of MPs.
He said even before police services were provided to parliament as an institution in 2015, it had always relied on private security people for internal security and so the minority must not unnecessarily polticise such recruitments.
Source: Daily Guide
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there are too many persons in parliament who do not deserve to be there. we should look at the numbers again with the view of scaling it down to 150 or 200. the quality is simply not there hence i am not surprise that some of these statements are coming out of members.
He refuses to soil his respectable reputation by going so low as some NDC MP's are doing so you think his political career has come to an abrupt end. Isn't it? In case you don't know, whatever is placed in your hand to do, do it to glorify the God who created as all because nothing can be done in the grave. Besides, we will all give accounts even in minutest things to God. Let's all be guided by honorable things and not necessarily by every thoughts of the masses.
The onaapo bitters with 44.4% alcohol content seems to have dazed the NDC MPs to the extent that they have thrown caution to the winds and running around like chicken without heads.
ndc ple and the truth are like a cat a mouse. the two worse enemies I have ever seen. they will never accept the truth bcos it is bitter yet we the ordinary citizens has to endure a lot of bitterness with this ed1ots in govt. it is only a failure that complains abt everything and that is exactly what ndc is. they are just failures who doesnt know what to do with their lives but hoping that by deceiving the public they can get something. that time has gone. soon most of them will join all of us on the streets then they will know how life is. this political recruitments has been there since the time of Papa J and they know it. but bcos it is time for some others to get something to do they dont like it. it shd all be about them and only them. I know our God is not selfish and He has created us in His own image. this only means that ndc and its members were created by the devil in his/her image. I know the devil himself will be wondering why he created them in his image bcos it looks like they are even worse than the devil now. soon he (devil) will come for them be4 they overthrow him
Some NDC are angry with Bagbin because he spoke the truth.
It appears some of our elected members of Parliament are ***barred word*** and not prepare to read and learn before making contribution or comments on issues. The behavior of some MP,s shows that they need more education and orientation. Thanks
Your political career has come to an end as far as the NDC is concerned. Who is going to vote for you as a flagbearer.