The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has announced that he would only be using the Speaker’s cloak for ceremonial occasions this year.

He said he will not wear the cloak on regular sitting days.

This, the Speaker said, forms part of his commitment to change the dress code and code of conduct of MPs.

Speaking in an interview on Ghana Television, the Speaker noted that he will be putting on traditional dresses to deliberately market the Ghanaian culture.

He said wearing the cloak is aristocratic, adding that he would only wear it for ceremonial purposes.

“You may be seeing me more in traditional dresses. I may use that [the cloak] only for ceremonial occasions, which is what is in the literature of Ghana concerning that cloak and gown.”

Mr Bagbin believes this will help the market for locally produced items.

“We also have to provide the market for our produce. We cannot always rely on what others manufacture and sell to us when we are capable of manufacturing even better ones,” the Speaker added.