Deputy Speakers Disagree On Conflict in Parliament

The two Deputy Speakers of Parliament were divided over the blockade of the Minority Leader, Mr. Alban Bagbin's statement he wanted to make in response to allegations made against him by the Speaker last Thursday, and its legal implications on the work in Parliament.

Second Deputy Speaker, Mr. Ken Dzirasah, feared that the situation was leading to a stalemate, which was dangerous for the smooth running of the legislature but Mr. Freddie Blay, the First Deputy described the situation as "a storm in a tea cup".

They were speaking in separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency on the issues that prompted the Minority to walk out of Parliament on Thursday because to them the Speaker had infringed on the integrity of their leader for not allowing him the right of hearing on the floor of the House.

Invariably, when the Speaker allowed Mr. Bagbin to make a statement on the issue last Friday the Majority technically prevented him to do so. Mr. Dzirasah said the Speaker, Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey at last Friday’s sitting ruled that Mr. Bagbin, should make his statement and upon a point of order raised by Mr. Joseph Darko-Mensah, NPP-Okaikoi North, the statement, was not able to see the light of day.

The Second Deputy Speaker said for the Speaker's ruling to be set aside it should be done on a substantive motion, which was not the case. Again it was also for the Speaker to come with a substantive motion if he knew that the statement he was going to make would affect the integrity of any member of the House although the Speaker has all the powers to make a statement.
He said once the Speaker made the statement and singled out a member of the House and accused him of impropriety it was equally imperative for him to give the member so accused the right to be heard on the floor of the House.
Mr. Dzirasah said; "it appeared that the situation was descending into the arena of conflict which could lead to a stalemate." He said if that happened work in the House would be difficult and the nation would suffer because there is only a thin Majority most of whom were ministers and could not always attend Parliament leaving the greater part of work to the Minority.
However, Mr. Blay saw the situation differently and explained that the Speaker has all the privileges to make a statement and accuse a member of the House and he did not need to come with any substantive motion.
He said the NPP members of Parliament were not taking kindly to Mr. Bagbin's attack in the media that he would go after the Speaker. He added that the conduct of the Speaker could not be attacked because of the parliamentary privileges he enjoyed.
Mr. Blay gave the assurance that Parliament would overcome the situation for work to continue in the House and that there would be no stalemate.
Meanwhile, spokesman on communications, John Mahama said the minority caucus at the end of a marathon meeting held after last Friday’s sitting decided that, its leader must with or without the co-operation of the majority, make the statement to respond to the Speaker’s allegations. He said, the statement would be made Wednesday.