Adwoa Safo Advocates For Gender-Inclusive National Pledge
During a spirited parliamentary debate, Sara Adwoa Safo, the Member of Parliament for Dome Kwabenya, passionately argued for the inclusion of gender-inclusive language in the National Pledge. She specifically proposed the addition of “foremothers” alongside “forefathers” to ensure that women’s significant contributions to the nation’s history are duly recognized and acknowledged.
The discussion unfolded as part of Parliament’s deliberations on adopting new Standing Orders, which mandate the recitation of the National Pledge at the commencement of each parliamentary session. Adwoa Safo emphasized the importance of embracing inclusive language as a means to foster patriotism and unity among members of the chamber.
Former Minister for Gender, Women, and Children, Adwoa Safo, expressed her dissatisfaction with the current wording of the pledge, particularly with the term “forefathers,” which she deemed gender insensitive. She argued that such language fails to adequately represent and honor the invaluable contributions of women to the country’s development throughout history.
In response to Adwoa Safo’s concerns, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin acknowledged the constitutional entrenchment of the wording of the National Pledge. He suggested that any alterations to the pledge would potentially require a constitutional amendment, thereby highlighting the complexities involved in effecting such changes.
Aside from the discussions surrounding the National Pledge, significant changes were introduced through the new Standing Orders. These changes include the establishment of Economic Planning Committees derived from the Finance Committee, aimed at enhancing parliamentary processes and governance.
Additionally, one notable change introduced pertains to the recording of MPs’ attendance at the beginning of each parliamentary session. While this initiative aims to ensure accountability and adherence to minimum attendance requirements, concerns were raised regarding its practical implications.
Wa West MP, Peter Toobu, questioned the possibility of being marked absent in plenary sessions despite being present at committee meetings. In response, Speaker Bagbin assured MPs of the importance of the roll call for meeting attendance requirements. He also suggested the potential future implementation of an electronic clocking system to streamline the attendance recording process and address such concerns.
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This detailed rewrite aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the parliamentary debate and the issues raised by Adwoa Safo regarding gender-inclusive language in the National Pledge, as well as the broader discussions surrounding the adoption of new Standing Orders and changes to parliamentary procedures.