The Parliamentary Service Board has finally rescinded its decision on the proposed new Parliamentary Chamber.
In a press statement signed by the Acting Director of the Parliamentary Public Affairs, Miss Kate Addo, the proposed Chamber has been taken off Parliament’s agenda.
She indicated that “the Board, has, upon reviewing representations made by well-meaning Ghanaians, accordingly taken the development of the new chamber block out of its present agenda”.
She however, stated that the development of the Parliamentary enclave and a new Chamber block and offices shall remain an essential and integral part of the future plans of the Legislature, in a bid to provide a strong, accountable, responsive and transparent Parliament to serve its purpose.
Parliament has been hit with criticisms from the public after it unveiled an architectural designed of a proposed new Parliamentary Chamber.
The architectural design of the proposed Parliamentary Chamber was presented to the Parliamentary Service Board by a firm of Architects, Adjaye and Associates.
Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have also embarked on a campaign to fight against the proposed Chamber.
On July 5, 2019, the leader of an anti-campaigner group against the newly proposed Chamber, the Economic Fighters League, and two other members were arrested for disrupting proceedings at the Parliamentary Chamber when a statement on the new Chamber was presented.
During the presentation of a statement by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the issue of the new chamber, Mr. Yeboah and the other member stood up and shouted, “drop that chamber”.
The interruption by Mr. Yeboah and the other two members of the Economic Fighters League drew the attention of the security operatives of the Parliamentary Protection Unit (PPU) stationed at the public gallary and subsequently, caused their arrest.
The new Chamber was expected to be completed in 2022.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
