The solution to the ongoing embarrassing standoff in Ghana’s Parliament is in the hands of the Speaker of the House, Alban Bagbin, and it is his responsibility to show leadership and to do so with a sense of urgency in the larger interest of the country, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has stated.
“The Speaker has served this country very well and this Parliament is nearing its end of tenure and if by this time the Parliament he presides over is tearing apart, it is his record that is being destroyed”, Mr. Kufuor told Asempa FM’s Osei Bonsu mostly known as ‘OB’ of Ekosisen fame in an exclusive. conducted in the Twi language
The former President continued “I plead with the Speaker; I really plead with him that the solution is in his bosom. He is an elder and a leader. He himself said he is number three in this country and rightly so because by our constitution we have the President, the Vice President, the Speaker, Chief Justice..”
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John Agyekum Kufuor noted that Ghana practices a hybrid Separation of Powers principle where the three arms of government are under the code of checks and balances gives each branch of government the power to prevent other branches from taking certain actions.
He argued that is nothing wrong for the Judiciary to rule that directive by the Speaker which declared four Parliamentary seats as vacant be put on hold until the final determination of a writ seeking a proper interpretation of the Constitutional provisions the Speaker relied on in is directives.
Mr. John Kufuor explained further: “in my opinion, these four people have not crossed carpet. They say they are making a change of their positions in the next Parliament which is the 9th but not this very one which is the 8th Parliament.
“At the end of the day, the matter got to the Supreme Court and the Speaker has said he has not declared any seat vacant. If you have not declared any seat vacant, then let the existing arrangement in Parliament continue where there is a place the Majority sits and a place the Minority sits.
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“I am pleading with the Speaker that in the interest of our country Ghana, we should be united and to end this Parliamentary term beautifully and let the people of Ghana go and vote to decide who the Majority is and who is the Minority.
“Unless we think Ghanaians have not seen what is going on or excuse me to say, Ghanaians cannot make their own choice so there is the need to play some tactics to change who is Majority and who is Minority.
“The Speaker should stop that and call the people and tell them that he has not said anyone has crossed carpets in Parliament to join another side so he has not made a ruling or a declaration so we should all maintain our seats until Ghanaians vote to decide which side they want as Majority and which side they want as Minority.
“Let us not use some technicalities to disrupt the county so that we would all have our calm. The solution is with the Speaker.
He should call Parliament and call the leadership for them to reach an understanding then he goes to make the right announcement”, the former President added.
His comments were in reference to a failed attempt by the Speaker to declare some four Parliamentary seats vacant on the bases that three of the Members are serving in the 8th Parliament on the ticket of a political party but have made known their intentions to return to the 9th Parliament as independents.
The fourth Member is serving in the 8th Parliament as an independent but has also decided to the 9th Parliament on the ticket of a political party.
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Majority Leader Afenyo-Markin insists the Speaker had wrongly interpreted the Article 97 (1) g and h of the Constitution on which he was relying on to sack the four MPs and therefore went to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court asked the Speaker’s declaration be put on hold until a conclusive interpretation of the said constitutional provisions.
However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority Caucus have since declared themselves as the Majority and forcefully taken over the seats meant for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Majority.
The Speaker, has remained silent on the illegal taking over of the seats traditionally belonging to the Majority and has resorted to adjourning Parliament indefinitely at the least opportunity without consultation with leadership.
