Vacant seats controversy borders on immaturity and inexperience – Ansa Asare

Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa Asare has blamed the recent developments in Parliament due to the vacant seat controversy on the “immaturity and inexperience” of the leadership of the House.

Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, November 10, 2024, the private legal practitioner noted that the “lack of common sense” in resolving the matter is what has resulted in tension in the House.

“If there is a burning issue in Parliament that requires maturity, the wisdom, the elderly or grey-headed people to purchase his opinion that is what ought to be done not to attack the Speaker and call him all sort of names.

“Once you have a hung Parliament, some of these things do occur and when they do occur, the approach in resolving the issue is what matters not the language like the unfortunate language of Afenyo-Markin,” he stated.

On Thursday, November, 7 when the House reconvened after an earlier adjournment on October 22, the NPP caucus in the House were not present in the Chamber, leading to the Speaker’s adjournment.

Alban Bagbin while addressing MPs in the chamber said there is no quorum to be formed for the House to transact business as the NPP MPs were absent in the Chamber.

Reacting to the Speaker’s decision, leader of the NPP Caucus, Afenyo-Markin accused Bagbin of doing the bidding of the NDC caucus, stating that the Speaker is supervising chaos and confusion.

However, Kweku Ansa-Asare criticised Afenyo-Markin for what he says it’s the use of “unparliamentary language” against the speaker.

According to him, Afenyo-Markin acted “unruly” and must apologise to the nation.

He said Afenyo-Markin’s action has caused a “scar on the conscience of the nation.”

“…like the unfortunate language of Afenyo-Markin attacking the Speaker was unparliamentary, very uncultured. This is the first time I am seeing live an MP attack the Speaker of Parliament using unparliamentary language, using invectives, assaulting the speaker’s character and playing to the gallery.

“It’s unwarranted and uncalled for…this is not the way a majority leader should address the Speaker,’ he told Kemini Amanor.

The House has been adjourned indefinitely twice after the NPP MPs boycott sittings because the NDC MPs occupied the Majority seats in Parliament.

The NPP MPs contend that the Speaker must respect the Supreme Court order and direct the NDC MPs to vacate the Majority seats.

The House is currently on an indefinite adjournment awaiting the final determination of the matter by the Supreme Court on November 11.

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