Speaker Alban Bagbin (R) exchanging pleasantries with President John Dramani Mahama
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has disclosed that he rejected an appointment to chair the Board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIS) by President John Dramani Mahama.
He made this disclosure while bemoaning the practice of Members of Parliament taking on ministerial and other executive positions, including being members of boards of state agencies.
According to him, this practice grossly affects Parliament’s role of overseeing the work of the Executive.
He argued that members of the House cannot sit on boards of state agencies to make decisions, and then the same decisions are brought to them as legislators to approve.
“I, for example, as Majority Leader in 2009, when I was offered a position to be Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, I rejected it. I could not see the authority of a Majority Leader – the leader of the House – as a minister to be under the dictates and directives of the Executive. So, I have always argued against the Majority Leader, the leader of the House, being a Minister of State.
“People disagreed with me and they continued. Today, I was offered to be Chair of the National Health Insurance Authority. As you all know, Speakers chair it. I rejected it because I think it’s not proper to go and chair the board, submit reports under the supervision of a minister. The Speaker is now under a minister, and the report will come to the House and the House will now be presided over by the minister – the Speaker,” he said.
“I said, no, I rejected it but that’s what used to happen. Some of you don’t know that it’s not proper. You cannot go and chair the boards, the corporations, work over there, submit reports through the minister, the minister submits the report to Parliament. Then you come and preside over those reports and approve or disapprove. Please, issues of conflict of interest and prejudice arise,”he added.
Watch the Speaker’s remarks in the video below:
@kaks2010 We keep learning by reading and listening. Thank you speaker! #fypシ゚ #goviral ♬ original sound – KaksOsahenBa🌹
BAI/VPO
