A book depicting Ghana’s Legislative System and provides readers with the proper historical antecedents as well as the social, cultural and traditional underpinnings of Ghana’s system has been launched.
The book, authored by Dr. Ernest Darfour, a Senior Clerk with the Parliamentary Service Board also offers relevant academic and political perspectives into Ghana’s system.
Members of the present and previous Parliaments of Ghana who have played significant roles in shaping Ghana’s legislative system over the years have given the book their endorsement.
Speaker of the current Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who wrote the forward described it as a groundbreaking masterpiece on the legislative system of the Fourth Republican Parliament of Ghana.
Ghana’s fourth Republican Legislative System is a hybrid of the governance systems that are practised across the world and combines the Parliamentary and Executive Systems into a very unique system.
The system, which Ghana has practised for close to three decades, is endowed with its own strengths and weaknesses
According to the author, Dr. Ernest Darfour, he researched and documented all the experiences of the Legislative systems in the Fourth Republican Constitutional era and the ones that existed before it and put them into proper perspectives in the book.
Former Majority leader and former Minister of Defence and Senior Lecturer at the University Of Ghana School Of Law, Mr. Benjamin who reviewed the book along with Dr. Evans Aggrey Darko, Chief Director at the Ministry for Parliamentary Affairs described the book as well-researched and presented in a very lucid form.
“Indeed, it is a very useful source for students, parliamentarians and academics on the legislative history, procedures and practices of Ghana’s Parliament.”
Dr. Evans Aggrey Darko, in his review, noted the literature is unique and has achieved a major milestone in research on the legislative system in Ghana.
The Book, he said, is indispensable literature for all who seek an understanding of the evolution, growth and development of Ghana’s Parliament’s and democracy and recommended it for policymakers, tertiary institutions and the larger public.
Dr. Ernest Darfour has over 15 years of experience working with the Parliamentary Service of Ghana and served as Assistant Clerk on numerous committees of Parliament including the Committees on Local Government and Rural Development; Foreign Affairs; Government Assurances; Education; Employment, Social Welfare and State Enterprises; Communications; Members holding Offices of Profit; and the Special Committee on the alleged Bribery Allegations against the Chairman and Members of the Appointment Committee.
Ernest holds a PhD in Legislative Studies from the Center for Legislative Studies at the University of Hull; a Master’s degree in Public Administration – International Development from the University of York; and a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the Royal Holloway University of London, all in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Darfour is a graduate of the University of Ghana with a First Class Honours in Political Science and Philosophy.
