It is rather unfortunate to read widespread media reports of an attack on the credibility of the virtuous Rt Hon Speaker of Parliament, Alban Alban Sumana Bagbin by no less a person but the first Deputy Speaker of Parliament HON Joseph Osei Wusu during a radio programme on the government-sponsored Asaase Radio.

This unfortunate attack is not an isolated event as the First Deputy Speaker appears to find comfort in criticising the Speaker without any basis which does not auger well for the sanctity of Parliament. The only motivation one can glean from these repeated attacks and show of disrespect for the authority of the Office of Speaker of Parliament is partisan, political consideration and a sense of bitterness from Joe Wise and his failed NPP.

This is NPP’s wise man (referred to as Joe Wise) and he knows that this Parliament is different from the previous ones, yet he expects business to be transacted and managed the same way. He cannot as a wise man see that decisions in Parliament are by the majority? And once you have a majority party in Parliament, decisions are made by that party making it easy for the Speaker to rule.

Where there is no majority Party but a hung Parliament, decisions are negotiated and agreed upon by consensus. When that fails, the Speaker has to settle the matter in a ruling guided by what the Speaker considers to be the National interest. Some of these decisions might not be in the interest of the parties or party. So both sides or either side would disagree with the Speaker. How has this got to do with the credibility of the Speaker? Sad.

There is no single occasion the House fell into disorder as a result of a ruling of the Speaker . On many occasions however, the House, not only fell into disorder, but chaos and violence as a result of the rulings of the First Deputy Speaker. In that case, what should be said about the credibility of the First Deputy Speaker?

Pure hatred for the Speaker. Frequent attacks in the media by the First Deputy Speaker without reprimand by the Speaker.

Awudu Ishaq

0244947573

11th October, 2024.