By Issah Olegor
Parliament is set to introduce a fully operational biometric attendance system to monitor and record the presence of Members of Parliament (MPs) during sittings of the House, in a move aimed at strengthening accountability, transparency and efficiency in parliamentary proceedings.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, announced the initiative on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as part of a series of administrative and technological reforms the Parliamentary Service intends to implement during the current meeting.
Under the new arrangement, MPs will be required to register their attendance through designated biometric consoles instead of signing the traditional attendance register, which has been used to record members’ presence during parliamentary sittings.
The Speaker explained that the introduction of the system would provide accurate, reliable and verifiable records of MPs’ attendance, while modernising the administrative processes of the legislature.
Addressing members of the House, Bagbin said Parliament could no longer afford to rely solely on traditional administrative methods at a time when technological advancements were creating new opportunities to improve public-sector operations.
“Our Parliament must keep pace with the rapid advancement of technology and the growing demand for efficiency, transparency and accountability in the conduct of political business,” he stated.
He disclosed that the Parliamentary Service would roll out several administrative and technological upgrades during the meeting to improve the efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of parliamentary proceedings.
“First, we intend to fully implement the biometric attendance system to ensure accurate, reliable and verifiable records of members’ attendance at sittings of the House,” he announced.
The Speaker further indicated that the introduction of the biometric system would bring an end to the circulation of the traditional attendance register for members to sign.
“Under this arrangement, members will be required to register their attendance through the designated biometric console. Consequently, the traditional attendance register will no longer be circulated for signature,” he added.
Push for greater accountability in Parliament
The planned introduction of biometric attendance comes amid continuing public interest in the participation of elected representatives in parliamentary business and the extent to which MPs fulfil their responsibilities in the Chamber.
Attendance at parliamentary sittings is an important part of an MP’s constitutional and representative duties, as members are expected to participate in debates, contribute to legislative processes, scrutinise government policies and perform their oversight responsibilities.
