General News of Thursday, 20 April 2023

Source: newstitbits.com

You’re not wiser than parliament – EC’s Dr Serebour fired

Director of Electoral Services for the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe Director of Electoral Services for the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe

The Minority Chief Whip, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has descended heavily on the Director of Electoral Services of the Electoral Commission (E.C.), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, for comments he made regarding the proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) for the 2024 general elections.

Governs Agbodza’s angst comes after Dr. Quaicoe described the Parliament’s resolutions as mere expressions of opinion.

The E.C. presented a new C.I to Parliament, seeking to scrap the guarantor system, limit registration to district offices, and the proof of nationality to only the Ghana Card.

However, when Parliament made recommendations, Dr. Quaicoe termed them opinions.

But according to the Minority Chief Whip, the Electoral Commission cannot liken resolutions of a Parliamentary committee to a mere opinion that can be discarded.

In Agbodza’s view, Dr. Quaicoe is not more intelligent than the entire Parliament of Ghana.

Agbodza emphasized that Parliament is at liberty to make changes to any Bill brought before it for consideration.

He, therefore, stated in a Facebook post that “true sovereignty resides in the people of Ghana, whose interests Parliament represents. Parliament is not a mere conveyor belt of proposed bills.

“Parliament can make fundamental changes to any Bill brought before the House.”

“Dr. Serebour cannot pretend to be wiser than the entire Parliament of Ghana,” the Member of Parliament added.

He warned sternly that no one would allow Dr. Quaicoe “to derail the democratic gains made over the years.”

He concluded that appropriate steps would be taken on the matter when Parliament reconvenes.