The Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu, has urged parliament to institute electronic voting systems in the legislative chamber.

The lawmaker believes the presence of e-voting systems in parliament will expedite decision-making on the floor, and enhance the ability of parliament to provide readily available data on the records of votes of the various MPs on specific bills, legislations, and subjects, as and when they appear, as exists in other jurisdictions.

According to Mr Sosu, when done, this will go a long way to improving the health and well-being of members of the house. 

He said: “The time has come for parliament, as an institution, to review its internal mechanisms and procedures to ensure the 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. 

“This will also guarantee improved health and well-being of members, especially aged members, and ensure members are decorous during decision making at all times.”  

Over the years, parliament has spent excessively long hours in considering bills and other legislations on the floor, especially on the last days of session sittings just before a recess. 

Easy to recall, in this regard, is the recent exchanges between the majority and minority over the passage of the controversial e-levy bill. 

Mr Sosu also said that instituting the e-voting system will help throw more light on the workings of the MPs and enable their corresponding constituents understand and appreciate their positions and perspectives on various subjects.

The Madina MP made these remarks during a stakeholders’ dialogue with some constituents to enhance participatory democracy as well as review and render account of his stewardship over the last two years.