Politics

Minority wants Osei-Owusu recuse himself from Privileges C’ttee sitting …But Habib Iddrisu slams call

The Minority in Parliament wants the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament to recuse himself from the proceedings of the Privileges Committee which is set to probe Adwoa Safo, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome Kwabenya Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, and two others for breaching the rules on absenteeism in the House.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on April 5, 2022, referred three MPs, namely Adwoa Safo, Henry Quartey, the MP for Ayawaso West Constituency in the Greater Accra Region and Kennedy Agyepong, MP for Assin Central Constituency in the Central Region to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves from more than 15 sittings of the House.

According to him, the absence of the MPs without his permission constituted breach of the rules of the house.

However, the Minority Caucus stated that Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker, who doubles as the Chairman of the Committee, had already made comments prejudicial to the conduct of Ms Safo, and was not fit to preside over an issue concerning her.

But Ahmed Ibrahim, the Deputy Minority Chief Whip, said the Minority would raise the issue when proceedings commence but Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip, expressed shock about inclusion of Messrs Agyapong and Quartey in the list of absentee MPs referred to the Privileges Committee.

He indicated that the records showed the two had been attending Parliament saying “I was only surprised about the two and not surprised about Ms Safo”.

Ras Mubarak, a former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu Constituency, petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to deal with the issue of absenteeism in the House and cited Ms Safo, Mr Quartey, Agyapong and Ebenezer Kojo Kum, the MP for Ahanta West Constituency in the Western Region who he claimed had flouted provisions of Article 97(1)(c) of the 1992 Constitution and Standing Order 16(1) of Parliament’s which frowned on Members absenting themselves for 15 sitting days without permission from the Speaker.

Mr Iddrisu, the MP forTolon Constituency in the Northern Region, slammed the Minority’s call for Mr Osei-Owusu to recuse himself from the proceedings of the Privileges Committee and insisted the Standing Orders of Parliament made it compulsory for him to serve as the Chairman of the Committee. –citinewsroom.com

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