The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), Dr Rasheed Draman, says the proposed biometric attendance system for Members of Parliament will help tackle absenteeism and improve legislators' participation in parliamentary proceedings.
He believes the system will ensure that MPs are physically present in the Chamber before their attendance is recorded, addressing longstanding concerns about lawmakers who register attendance without actively participating in parliamentary business.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr Draman recalled that Parliament had previously introduced a clocking system to monitor attendance, but the initiative failed to achieve its intended purpose because some legislators signed in without remaining in the Chamber.
He said the proposed biometric system would make it more difficult for MPs to manipulate attendance records because verification would be linked to their unique biometric features.
“With the biometric system, attendance will be tied to the unique features of each Member of Parliament, making it more difficult for anyone to register attendance without actually being present,” he stated.
Dr Draman stressed that regular attendance was crucial to strengthening Parliament's oversight, lawmaking and representative responsibilities.
He explained that the absence of the required number of legislators often affected parliamentary debates and decision-making, undermining the effective conduct of business in the House.
He further recalled that persistent concerns about absenteeism had, in previous years, resulted in some MPs being referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee for investigations and possible sanctions.
The ACEPA Executive Director expressed optimism that the proposed system would promote accountability among legislators and encourage them to remain committed to their responsibilities to their constituents and the country.
His comments follow an announcement by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, that Parliament intends to introduce a biometric attendance system for lawmakers.
The Speaker made the announcement during his address at the opening of the Third Meeting of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament last Tuesday.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen discipline, improve accountability and ensure greater participation in parliamentary proceedings.
Mr Bagbin said the system would allow Parliament to accurately monitor MPs' attendance and participation while addressing public concerns about lawmakers who regularly absent themselves from sittings.
Absenteeism has remained a longstanding concern in Ghana's Parliament, with repeated calls from parliamentary leaders, governance experts and civil society organisations for stricter measures to ensure legislators attend sittings, contribute to debates, scrutinise government policies and effectively represent their constituents.
