A political scientist at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has indicated that Speaker Alban Bagbin has been fair and firm in discharging his duties as speaker of Parliament.
In his view, the Speaker is solely interested in leaving an indelible mark as a legacy for the sake of posterity than being a partisan remote control to his political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
In an interview on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, November 12, he said “The Speaker has been firm, assertive and has been somebody who has served as the neutral arbiter, independent-minded. He is more concerned with the legacy that he will bequeath for posterity than being a partisans slave. He is being found doing things to favor the government and also for the NDC.
“With the government side, they are happy and they are applauding him but sometimes they level all manner of accusations against him. The speaker has been fair except to say that he appears to be a bit sympathetic towards the government and the Finance Minister.”
His pronouncements follow the banter that transpired between the Speaker and the Member of Parliament for Asawase Muntaka Mubarak in Parliament on Thursday, November 10 after the lawmaker rose to second the motion of censure vote against the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta which was moved by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.
Muntaka quoted Order 106 of the Standing Orders which the Speaker based his ruling on to refer the matter to a committee to deal with it
Mr. Bagbin interjected. He said “Hon, you are completely out of order. Hon. Member, I don’t take my rulings lightly, please. You are attacking my ruling, and I think you don’t have the authority to do so. If you want to attack my ruling, come by a substantive motion.”
They subsequently announced the formation of an 8-member committee to probe the allegation made against the Finance Minister.
By Lawrence Odoom