Speaker has no business deciding who is majority in parliament – MP

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Oforikrom Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Emmanuel Marfo has kicked against the argument that the Speaker of Parliament must decide the majority in parliament if there seems to be no clear majority in parliament.

According to him, the Speaker has not authority to decide who becomes the majority in the eighth parliament.

In an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, he shared: “I have heard people say the speaker should decide. No! The speaker has no locus deciding because the question of who is the majority and who is a minority cannot be decided by the whimsical wishes of a speaker or a group. It is defined by our rules”.

In his opinion, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will definitely form the majority in parliament considering that the independent Member of Parliament for Fomena, Hon. Asiamah Amoako has stated his intention to join the NPP in parliament. He adds that the Standing Order of Parliament makes it possible for the NPP to claim the majority position of parliament.

According to him, the party that forms Government decides the majority in parliament.

Some Ghanaians have taken to social media to suggest that the Speaker of Parliament decide which party forms the majority in Parliament.

The December elections left a hung parliament without a dominant party to push through the appointment of a speaker and other key posts.

Meanwhile, the independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Fomena, Andrew Asiamah Amoako has officially written to Speaker Alban Bagbin “to associate with the NPP”.