Controversy over seats a bad reflection on Parliament – First Deputy Speaker

First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has said the recent development in Parliament projects a bad reflection of the House.

The Bekwai MP is not enthused with the current controversy over vacant seats in Parliament, stating that he is disappointed.

The lawmaker asserted that in the past such delicate matters are settled behind closed doors amongst the leadership of the House.

Speaking on Hot Issues with TV3’s Keminni Amanor Sunday, November 03, 2024, Joseph Osei-Owusu noted that a such matter should not have take the center stage of the House.

“It’s a reflection of the politics of today, of the things that we place emphasis on. Of things that in my view should be in the background. Of the things that do not add any value to our work as MP.

“I’m disappointed. I think that these are not the things that should take the front stage when we are discussing Parliament.

“But why are we behaving as we’re doing, when in the past, in the previous three parliaments I’ve been in, such matters are discussed indoors, at the leadership level,” he stated.

He maintained that the state of affairs reflects poorly on Parliament and serves no purpose.

According to him, the House has always dealt with a wide range of viewpoints because its members represent different political parties, and the current deadlock leaves a lot to be desired.

“How is it now playing out in the open? Who is whipping members to be agitated and showing off their machoism. What value does that serve? I am not interested in who is responsible. It is reflecting badly on Parliament.

“As for having controversy, it has always been with Parliament. The reason Parliament is called Parliament is because it is a reflection of the various shades of ideas in the country,” he stated.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has recalled Parliament to sit on November 7. This comes after he adjourned the House indefinitely due to a lack of quorum quorum in its last sitting when the Members from the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) boycotted the House.

In a notice by the Office of the Speaker on October 31, Alban Bagbin explained that his decision is pursuant to article 112(3) and orders 5 and 53 of the Standing Orders of the House.

Prior to the summon by the Speaker, the House had been adjourned indefinitely by Bagbin following the Supreme Court’s order for a stay of execution of his declaration of four seats vacant.

The stay of execution was ordered by the Apex Court after an ex parte application filed by Afenyo-Markin which sought to set aside Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant on October 17, 2024.

The Speaker in his reliefs prayed the court to strike out its stay of execution of his ruling on the declaration of the four seats vacant, among others.

The Speaker further sought an order from the court to set aside the writ filed by the Leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, which sought to prevent the Speaker from making any ruling on the four seats.

However, the court in a ruling on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, dismissed the application by the Speaker to set aside its earlier ruling that stayed the execution of the Speaker’s declaration of four seats vacant.

The court said the Speaker’s application had no merit. The case was adjourned to November 11 and Speaker has been directed to file processes before the same date.

The Apex Court will be interpreting Article 97 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana which outlines the tenure of office for Members of Parliament on November 11.

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