MP urges electronic voting system in Parliament

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has advocated implementation of an electronic voting system in the Legislative chamber.

He observed that incorporating e-voting systems in Parliament would facilitate prompt decision-making on the floor of the House and improve the accessibility of voting records for various MPs on specific bills, legislations, and subjects, similar to practices in other jurisdictions.

“The technological advancement will significantly contribute to the well-being of the House to facilitate prompt decision-making on the floor and improve the accessibility of voting records for various MPs on specific bills, legislations, and subjects, similar to practices in other jurisdictions,” MrSosu indicated.

He advocated this at a stakeholders’ dialogue session, aimed at promoting participatory democracy and reviewing his performance over the past two years.

Mr Sosu stressed on the need for Parliament as an institution to review its internal mechanisms and procedures to ensure the swift passage and resolution of critical bills and businesses.

According to him, the time for Parliament as an institution to review its internal mechanisms and procedures was apt to ensure speedy passage and resolution of critical bills and businesses on the floor of the House, and ensure readily available data on records of votes of each MP.

Mr Sosu explained that it would also guarantee improved health and wellbeing of MPs, especially aged ones, and ensure they  were decorous during decision-making at all times.

“The time is ready for Parliament as an institution to review its internal mechanisms and procedures to ensure speedy passage and resolution of critical bills and businesses on the floor of the House, readily available data on records of votes, improved wellbeing of members, especially aged ones to ensure they were decorous during decision-making at all times,” he postulated.

Mr Sosu noted that Parliament had historically devoted excessive hours to consideration of bills and legislations on the floor of the House with recent debates on the contentious e-levy Bill serving as a vivid example.

He insisted that an e-voting system would shed light on the functioning of MPs, enabling constituents to better understand and appreciate their positions and perspectives of their elected representatives on various subjects so as not to misrepresent issues.