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Tag: Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Alban Bagbin

  • This is not your Ministry, go and sit down! – Bagbin ‘barks at’ Ursula in parliament

    This is not your Ministry, go and sit down! – Bagbin ‘barks at’ Ursula in parliament

    Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has scolded the Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, for interrupting a debate on a yet-to-be-laid Legislative Instrument (L.I.) in the House.

    The L.I., which seeks to restrict the importation of strategic products into the country, sparked a heated discussion among the MPs on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

    The Minister, who is also the MP for Ablekuma West, questioned the relevance of the debate, saying that she had no idea what the MPs were debating, since the L.I. had not been officially laid before the House.

    She remarked, “Mr. Speaker, I believe that the L.I. has not been laid. So I have no idea what they are debating in this House today. There is nothing before the House. So, as you indicated to the minister that we are not yet there, I was of the opinion that you would tell my colleagues on the other side that there is nothing before us.”

    The Speaker, however, was not pleased with her comments and asked her if she had been present from the very beginning of the proceedings. He also asked her if she listened to herself when she was talking.

    “Hon. Minister, were you here from the very beginning?” to which Ursula Owusu-Ekuful responded, “No, I have been here since morning, even before the prayer,” he reportedly asked.

    The Speaker further probed, “Then why did you say no? Do you really listen to yourself when you are talking?”

    “Yes, I do,” she responded.

    “The Speaker interjected again, saying, “If you were here from the very beginning, and I asked if you were here from the very first beginning, you said no. Then you continue, and now you are telling me you were here even before I entered. So, it meant you were not listening to yourself,” he said.

    Defending herself, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful stated, “This is the first time I am appearing in the House this week. I have been here since the beginning of proceedings today, and I do listen to myself very carefully.”

    Expressing his dissatisfaction, the Speaker retorted, “I don’t think so,” and Ursula responded by stating he was entitled to his opinion.

    The Speaker then ordered her to resume her seat, emphasizing, “Hon. Minister, this is not the Ministry of Communication; this is parliament. Resume your seat!”

    Later, the Speaker clarified that the issue was brought to his attention by the Minister of Trade, Kobina Tahir Hammond. Despite being persuaded by KT Hammond, he sought input from the House before officially allowing the instrument to be laid, leading to the ongoing debate on the L.I.

  • “Do you really listen to yourself when you are talking?” – Speaker Bagbin and Ursula ‘face off’ in parliament

    “Do you really listen to yourself when you are talking?” – Speaker Bagbin and Ursula ‘face off’ in parliament

    A heated exchange occurred in Ghana’s Parliament as Speaker Alban Bagbin confronted Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, during a debate on a yet-to-be-laid Legislative Instrument (L.I.).

    The parliamentary discussion revolved around the proposed restriction of the importation of strategic products into the country, with active participation from both the Minority and the minister.

    Ursula Owusu-Ekuful caught the Speaker’s attention by questioning the legitimacy of discussing the L.I. when it had not been officially laid before the House.

    She expressed her confusion, stating, “Mr. Speaker, I believe that the L.I. has not been laid. So I have no idea what they are debating in this House today. There is nothing before the House.”

    The Speaker interjected, questioning Ursula’s presence from the beginning of the session. Ursula responded that she had been present since the morning, even before the prayer.

    The Speaker challenged her, highlighting a contradiction in her response and questioning, “Do you really listen to yourself when you are talking?”

    Ursula affirmed that she indeed listens to herself, leading to further contention. The Speaker expressed doubt, stating, “I don’t think so,” and Ursula defended herself, asserting that she had been present since the beginning of the proceedings.

    “This is the first time I am appearing in the House this week. I have been here since the beginning of proceedings today, and I do listen to myself very carefully,” she is reported to have said.

    In response, the Speaker ordered Ursula to resume her seat, emphasizing, “Hon. Minister, this is not the Ministry of Communication; this is parliament. Resume your seat!”

    Later, Speaker Bagbin clarified that he raised the issue on the floor after Minister of Trade, Kobina Tahir Hammond, brought it to his attention.

    Despite initial conviction by KT Hammond, Bagbin sought the opinion of the House before allowing the instrument to be laid, resulting in the ongoing debate on the L.I.

  • Pres. Akufo-Addo eulogises the late Nana Ampadu: he was a legend, believed in my vision

    Sunday, 9 October 2022, the memorial and thanksgiving service for the late musician Nana Kwame Ampadu took place at the Obo Community Centre, in his home town Obo Kwahu.

    In the same town, on Saturday, his funeral service was held following a state burial on Friday, 7 October 2022, at the forecourt of the State House in Accra.

    In attendance at the state burial were hundreds who came to pay their last respects to the music icon who came to prominence in 1967 when he released his song ‘Ebi Te Yie’ which was believed to be a protest song against the then-governing National Liberation Council (NLC) which toppled Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

    Aside from members of the Clergy, members of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), members of the Obra Drama Group among family, friends and the general public, creative arts stars like Kojo Antwi, Akosua Agyepong, Obour, Grace Omaboe (Maame Dokono), Adwoa Smart and David Dontor were in attendance.

    Also present were dignitaries like the Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Alban Bagbin, the Minister for Interior Hon Ambrose Dery, the Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei Opare, former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the Clergy and H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who noted the outpouring of grief following Nana Ampadu is testament to how dear and impactful he was to the music industry in Ghana.

    “Talk of the commencement and growth of Highlife music and one of the people whose name would be on the lips of every Ghanaian would be Nana Kwame Ampadu,” the President eulogised.

    “Indeed, the outpouring of grief by many Ghanaians, following the news of his death, is an appreciation of the impact his music had on successive generations of Ghanaians. He was one of Ghana’s music icons and undoubtedly, a legendary Highlife artiste whose music transcended our national borders,” Mr Akufo-Addo noted.

    “Nana Ampadu believed in my vision for the transformation of Ghana and assisted me tremendously on the campaign trail in the run-up to the victory of my party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and myself in the elections of 2016 of which we remain eternally grateful,” he revealed.

    “His was a life well-lived, and he will be sorely missed by all who had the opportunity and privilege of knowing and meeting him,” the President concluded.

    The MUSIGA, which Nana Ampadu once served as President, also extolled him for his immense contribution to the growth of the union over the years and in particular the role he played in the establishment of the Ageing Musicians Trust Fund.

    Known since 1973 as the ‘Ndwontofoohene (King of Singers)’, the man who is acclaimed for composing more than 800 songs is survived by a wife, Madam Joyce AB Frimpong, 24 children and 30 grandchildren.

    He was 76 years old.

    Source:ghanaweb.com