The ongoing renovation of Ghana's Parliamentary Chamber, estimated to cost the government €2.26 million, is set for completion by the end of October 2024.

The renovation, which began after Parliament went on an indefinite break on July 30, aims to upgrade various aspects of the chamber, including workstations, audiovisual systems, and biometric gadgets.

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin conducted an inspection of the ongoing work on August 23 and provided insights into the project’s scope and the challenges faced by the House.

One of the significant issues the renovation addresses is the malfunctioning of the chamber’s audiovisual systems, which have caused difficulties with voting and quorum during parliamentary sessions.

The Speaker reminded the public that the move towards digitization began as far back as 2014 when former Speaker Doe Adjaho commissioned Bosch DICENTIS Multimedia Company to transform Parliament into an E-Parliament, intended to cut down on costs associated with bulk printing and paperwork.

Further enhancements were introduced when former Speaker Prof. Mike Ocquaye reviewed the original contract, leading to the installation of biometric gadgets in the Chamber. Following a competitive tendering process, the contract for this phase of the renovation was awarded to Michel Africa Parliament Services.

Although most of the equipment for the renovation will be imported, the work tables for the chamber are being produced locally by a Ghanaian company named Fernac. This partnership between local production and international technology is expected to bring the chamber's infrastructure up to modern standards.

The Speaker also clarified that Parliament's adjournment on July 30 was partly to facilitate participation in an international parliamentary conference in the United States, in addition to allowing time for the renovations to progress.

Meanwhile, the Majority in Parliament is currently exploring alternative venues to hold the special parliamentary session scheduled for September 3, 2024. With the chamber out of commission due to ongoing renovations, one proposed solution is the use of a specially constructed dome at the Parliament House car park, a venue that had previously been utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am not seeing any renovation works going on in the Chamber, and even if it is so, we have the dome to use. In the COVID-19 time, we used the dome at the car park to transact business in Parliament, and we can use that one to actually do whatever we need to do,” noted Second Deputy Majority Whip Alex Tetteh Djournobuah.

The recall of MPs from recess was initiated by Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin following dissatisfaction with Speaker Bagbin’s decision to adjourn sittings indefinitely on July 30.

Speaker Bagbin has assured Parliament that an alternative location for the special session will be communicated soon, ensuring that legislative work can continue without interruption.