Don’t Blame Speaker Alban Bagbin He’s simply upholding the constitutional rules – Hon Nicholas Amankwaah

The NDC Member of Parliament for Amenfi East has urged the public not to blame Speaker Alban Bagbin for the recent tensions in Parliament. Following the controversy over a vacant seat, He questioned the NPP’s approach and the broader governance under its leadership, highlighting that many Ghanaians and even NPP members are growing frustrated with the current administration.

Speaking on the Maakye show hosted by Kwabena Owusu Dankwa, he pointed out that Speaker Bagbin was simply upholding the constitution. He quoted Article 97(1)(G), which outlines the process when a member wishes to stand as an independent candidate.

This precedent, previously upheld by former Speaker Hon. Mike Ocquaye, was a guiding principle in Bagbin’s decision. With the NDC holding 136 seats to the NPP’s 135, he noted that the NDC now technically has the majority.

The NPP had sent a letter to the Speaker, invoking Article 112(3), to request a parliamentary sitting to address the issue. However, according to the honourable, the NPP’s failure to present the order paper outlining the day’s agenda caused confusion and disruption. The absence of NPP members at the sitting has, in his view, resulted in a waste of time, resources, and financial loss to the state.

He criticized the situation as a wasteful exercise, expressing frustration at the unnecessary expenditure and lost productivity, particularly for MPs who, like himself, came prepared to work in the interest of Ghana.

He stated that, Kennedy Agyapong’s statement that the NPP was holding a caucus meeting as the reason for their absence, though it remains unclear if Speaker Bagbin was informed of this.

In a call for unity, Amankwaah stressed that the NDC seeks collaboration, not division, for the good of Ghana. “We all want peace for Ghana,” he said, adding that everyone in Parliament should focus on the country’s best interests rather than partisan divides.

He concluded by condemning the current tensions, remarking, “What’s happening now is very unfortunate for Ghana.”

Story by: Joyce Owusu Dankwah