The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has served notice to the Electoral Commission and the National Identification Authority to adequately engage Parliament before coming to lay the Constitutional Instrument on the 2024 General Election.
He said institutions like the EC, though independent, still must work with laid down procedures in the discharge of their mandate. Mr. Bagbin’s comment followed concerns raised by some members about the plans of the two bodies for Election 2024.
The matter was first raised by the first Deputy Minority Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, after the presentation of the Business Statement for Parliament’s work next week. He said the House before going on recess tasked the Special Budget Committee to meet the EC and NIA separately to brief them. He was thus wondering when the entire House would be briefed by the Committee.
Minority Leader, Haruna Idrissu, added his voice, highlighting the need for the NIA and EC to come and answer some pertinent questions on their work. He was particularly concerned about the use of the NIA Card for future elections.
Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annor Dompreh, who presented the Business Statement for next week pointed out that the Reports are being fine-tuned and promised that Heads of the two institutions would be scheduled to appear before the House in due time.