A Professor of political science at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo, has lauded the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin for his fairness and firmness he has conducted business in the House.
“Mr Bagbin has been fir and firm in conducting the business of the House and for the sake of prosperity he wants to leave behind a legacy than being a political slave to his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC),” he insisted.
According to him, Mr Bagbin was interested in leaving behind a legacy for the sake of posterity than being a partisan slave to his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and so far he had been fair, firm, assertive, neutral arbiter and independent minded.
“The Speaker has been firm, assertive and has been somebody who has served as the neutral arbiter, independent minded, more concerned with the legacy that he will bequeath for posterity than being a partisan slave to the NDC however, he has been found doing things to favour the government and also for the NDC.
“With the government side, they are happy and they are applauding him but sometimes they level all manner of accusations against him but the speaker has been fair and firm except he appears to be a bit sympathetic towards the government and the Minister of Finance,” Prof. Gyampo noted.
His comments follow the exchanges that occurred between Mr Bagbin and Alhaji Mohammed- Mubarak Muntaka, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase Constituency in the Ashanti Region, in Parliament on November 10 after the lawmaker rose to second the motion of censure vote against Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance which was moved by the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.
Alhaji Muntaka quoted Order 106 of the Standing Orders of Parliament which the Speaker based his ruling on to refer the matter to an eight-member committee to deal with it.
Mr Bagbin interjected that Alhaji Muntaka, who is the Minority Chief Whip, was completely out of order and did not take my rulings lightly since he was attacking his ruling, and had no authority to do that and if he wanted to do that he should come by a substantive motion.
“You are completely out of order, I do not take my rulings lightly, by your conduct you are attacking my ruling, I think you do not have the authority to do so and if you want to attack my ruling, come by a substantive motion,” he intimated.
The Speaker subsequently, announced the formation of an 8-member committee to investigate the allegation made against Mr Ofori-Atta.
