They want the Parliament of Ghana and the Electoral Commission to name the Tema East Constituency after a living political legend – Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin. “We are calling on the Parliament of Ghana and the Electoral Commission to rename the Tema East Constituency after the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament.”

Mr Stephen Ashitey Adjei, an executive member of the Tema East Constituency branch of the party, was flanked by Mr Amarh Evans, the Constituency Organizer and Mr Francis Anyidoho, NDC branch secretary, when he read the statement at a News conference in Accra. According to them, Mr Bagbin deserved honours because of his unique place in the history of the 4th Republic.

“The Nadowli-Kaleo MP, whom many, including; former Deputy Minister of Finance, Moses Asaga, regard as the best MP ever, is the longest serving MP in the whole of the Fourth Republic.“His reputation as a fiercely incorruptible man is a shining example that ought to be celebrated and we do not believe that he has to be dead before we celebrate him. As he is alive, let us appreciate him and make his life exemplary to all of us,” Mr Ashitey Adjei, popularly called Moshake, said.

According to him, the Tema East Constituency was chosen because, “We cannot speak for other Constituencies, this is where we belong. And so even though any other Constituency will do, we can only suggest Tema East.”Already, Mr Bagbin has attracted praise and support from the fisherfolk of Tema who said that as a Parliamentarian, the Nadowli-Kaleo MP had pushed many legislations favouring them and his decision to run for the 2020 Flagbearership of the NDC had since led to the composition of heroic songs for him by a number of musicians.

Moshake said the naming of a constituency after Mr Bagbin would be a befitting way to celebrate a man who had impacted the Parliament of the Fourth Republic more than anyone else.“We call on Parliament and the Electoral Commission to break away with the obsolete tradition of only honouring our heroes after they are dead and gone and start the new trend of honouring our heroes, while they are still alive. Mr Bagbin has been an outstanding Parliamentarian and so we suggest a Constituency be named after him. Tema East, is the Constituency that we can suggest,” Moshake said.

On his part, Mr Amarh Evans said if Mr Bagbin was honoured in such a manner, it would create a new trend that would motivate Ghanaian politicians to live above corruption since his popularity hinged on his incorruptibility. He also suggested to the institution of a political hall of fame for the immortalisation of good Ghanaian politicians such as Bagbin and others who had over the years helped in deepening democracy in Ghana and beyond.