By Godwin Owusu Frimpong
In a political landscape marked by chaos and frivolity, Ghana’s 8th Parliament seems destined to be remembered as a low point in the nation’s legislative history. With members of both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) sinking to new depths of childish squabbling, the pressing issues facing Ghana’s citizens are grossly overshadowed.
On October 22, the parliamentary chambers were transformed into a scene better suited for a playground than a platform for serious governance. As lawmakers engaged in petty disputes, the larger crises facing the nation—rampant unemployment, skyrocketing food prices, and the heartbreaking sight of schoolchildren lying on classroom floors—went largely unaddressed. Expectant mothers are reduced to delivering their babies on cold, hard floors, while the specter of galamsey and filth looms larger than ever, claiming lives and livelihoods.
Instead of focusing on solutions for the millions suffering under the weight of national disarray, parliamentarians preferred to indulge in trivial disputes over seating arrangements. Such behavior is not only an affront to their roles as representatives but also an outrageous disregard for the cries of a beleaguered populace.
As December 7 approaches, Ghana’s citizens remain wide awake, ready to discern which of their leaders possess the maturity and vision to tackle the significant challenges at hand and which seem content to wallow in a quagmire of infantile bickering. Those who prioritized chaos over constructive dialogue should hang their heads in shame, for the issues at stake are far too serious to be treated with such disdain.
Godwin Owusu Frimpong
