Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has directed that ordinary parliamentary sittings should commence at exactly 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
The move, he said, is aimed at bringing greater certainty, discipline and predictability to the business of the House.
The directive, announced in Parliament during Tuesday’s sitting, seeks to address the irregular commencement times that have characterised parliamentary proceedings since the revised Standing Orders came into force in January 2024.
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According to Mr Bagbin, sittings have commenced at different times, including 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m. and, on some occasions, as late as 3:00 p.m., largely depending on the demands of parliamentary business.
The time, he said, has come for Parliament to adopt a consistent arrangement to strengthen committee work, improve ministerial attendance and make proceedings more accessible to the public.
Explaining the basis for his decision, the Speaker cited Order 5, Rule 2 and Order 55 of Parliament’s Standing Orders, which empower him to interpret the rules and determine procedural matters where necessary.
He noted that although Order 55 provides for sittings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with each sitting ordinarily lasting five hours, it does not prescribe a fixed commencement time.
Under the new arrangement, ordinary sittings are expected to end at approximately 7:00 p.m., maintaining the existing five-hour duration.
Mr Bagbin cautioned MPs against using the new schedule as an excuse for further delays, insisting that proceedings must commence precisely at the appointed time.
He explained that the 2:00 p.m. start would allow parliamentary committees to use the morning hours to scrutinise bills, examine referrals, engage public officials and prepare reports for consideration by the House.
The arrangement is also expected to facilitate the participation of ministers and public officials by giving them time to attend to executive and administrative responsibilities in the morning before engaging Parliament in the afternoon.
The Speaker further cited Accra’s morning traffic congestion as a consideration, saying the arrangement would give MPs greater flexibility to organise their constituency and parliamentary responsibilities.
On public accessibility, Mr Bagbin said the afternoon commencement would enable more Ghanaians to follow parliamentary proceedings as they end their working day or return home.
He directed the leadership of the House and the Business Committee to programme parliamentary business in line with the new arrangement, while parliamentary committees are expected to make effective use of morning hours.
The Clerk to Parliament has also been instructed to communicate the directive to ministers, relevant public institutions and other stakeholders.
Mr Bagbin stressed that the directive applies only to ordinary sitting times and does not prevent him from ordering sittings outside the prescribed period when parliamentary business requires it.
He said the success of the arrangement would depend on MPs’ commitment to punctuality, discipline and the efficient use of parliamentary time.