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General News of Tuesday, 7 February 2017

Source: starrfmonline.com

Otiko approval: Speaker perpetrated 'crass illegality' – MP

Mike Oquaye, Speaker of Parliament Mike Oquaye, Speaker of Parliament

The Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini has accused the speaker of parliament, Mike Oquaye of bias, engaging in “crass illegality” in ruling for the approval of Otiko Djaba to be subjected to secret balloting.

Parliament following a ruling from the speaker subjected the approval of the Gender, Children and Social Protection minister designate to a secret balloting following persistent protest against her by the minority.

The ruling by the speaker, according to A.B.A Fuseini, was a clear violation of the country’s laws with impunity insisting that Ms. Djaba’s failure to do National Service disqualifies her to be a minister of state.

“We are building and consolidating a democracy and democracy is anchored on a rule of law. It is not about the partisan political interest of parties. So Even when we know we are at the wrong side of the law as a party we should be bold enough to admit it and go back and correct and do the right thing,” he told Accra-based Citi FM on Tuesday.

He said the ballot paper to be used in the voting is “fraudulent” to the extent that “the leaders of the House are prepared to even rig the poll.”
He said the speaker was expected to stamp the ballot, sadly it was not—nonetheless he was prepared to admit it.

He said it took the insistence of the majority and minority leaders to “say that a wrong thing was being done in the House…on the floor of parliament where you can perpetrate such crass illegality.”