Majority Caucus in Parliament to challenge Bagbin’s ruling on Adwoa Safo
The Majority Caucus in Parliament is poised to challenge Speaker Bagbin’s ruling on the report of the Privileges Committee on absenteeism in Parliament.
The Privileges Committee report had earlier maintained that the seat for Dome Kwabenya MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo be declared vacant for her absence in the House.
But Alban Bagbin on Wednesday ruled that the decision by the Privileges Committee is not final.
He was of the view that the report of the Committee must be placed before the whole House for a decision to be made.
“It is for the House that will go through it because the mandate given to an MP, representation is so crucial that it cannot be left to the subjective view of any person or group of people but the whole house,” Speaker Bagbin said on the floor on Wednesday.
However, Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu appears to be unhappy with Bagbin’s ruling.
The Suame MP described the ruling as “unfortunate” and threatened that his side will challenge the Speaker’s decision.
“I totally disagree with the ruling. It doesn’t sit with the constitution and I must express my discomfort with this unfortunate ruling that has been made because it is very inconsistent. We will come back with a substantive motion to challenge the ruling” he said.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu believes the Speaker has misinterpreted the law of the land.
According to him, the ruling flouts Article 97 of the law which he quoted as justification for the Speaker’s determination.
“The Constitution says that the determination should be made by the Committee. That is why I am saying that wherever the Speaker is importing this from, with the greatest respect he is totally wrong with his understanding of the Constitution … that is not the language contained in the Constitution,” he said at a press conference shortly after the ruling.
source: myjoyonline.com
