Parliament relocates to Accra International Conference Centre until €2.26 million main chamber renovation works complete

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Parliament relocates to Accra International Conference Centre until €2.26 million main chamber renovation works complete

Daniel Kenu Politics Aug - 28 - 2024 , 09:26

Since the renovation works are still ongoing in the main chamber of Parliament House, Members of Parliament will move to the dome of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) for the House's recall on September 3, 2024.

This is in pursuant to Article 112(3) of the 1992 constitution.

The main chamber of the House is being refurbished at €2.26 million to enhance the electronic equipment and upgrade the conference system.

The Majority caucus recently requested for a recall of the House to deal with pertinent government businesses which constitutionally mandates the Speaker to heed to the call.

The seats and equipment in the chamber have all been removed to allow for an upgrade of the conference system.

And in doing so, the old cables which have been in existence since 2014 are being changed.

The underlying cables are all being changed to introduce biometric feature that will allow MPs to register their attendance electronically.

The new system which is said to be the first within the sub-region would enable electronic voting using the biometric system.

The "table top" old system is to give way to a new one fitted inside the table with a 15 inch screen like a laptop.

It comes with a microphone and a touch screen to allow MPs to have access to votes and proceedings, order paper, committee reports and all parliamentary documents.

Under the new system, the Table Office and other officers of Parliament would be allowed to upload all reports onto the it.

As part of the new features, cameras are to be installed with cable to the control room into the video production system where journalists could receive their feeds.

Project

The project is being undertaken by African Bagg Limited, an indigenous Ghanaian firm.

The company is expected to get the place ready before the end of October for the third meeting to commence.

Arrangements

The seats and equipment in the chamber have all been removed to allow for an upgrade of the conference system.

And in doing so, the old cables which have been in existence since 2014 are being changed.

"The average lifespan of such cables is between 10 and 15 years," the Acting Director of ICT in Parliament, Lesley Addico, who took the Speaker round on Friday said.

The underlying cables are all being changed to introduce a biometric feature that will allow MPs to register their attendance electronically.

The new system, which is said to be the first within the sub-region, would enable electronic voting using the biometric system.

The old system, which is a tabletop, will give way to a new one fitted within the table with a 15-inch screen like a laptop.

It comes with a microphone and a touch screen to allow MPs to have access to votes and proceedings, order papers, committee reports and all parliamentary documents.

Under the new system, Table Office and other officers of Parliament will be allowed to upload all reports onto the system.

As part of the new features, broadcasting quality cameras are to be installed with cables to the control room into the video production system where journalists could pick their feeds.