The African Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has described as unfortunate the spat between the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin and the Member of Parliament for Sefwi-Wiawso, Dr Kwaku Afriyie.
On July 22, Alban Bagbin asked the Marshal to walk the Member of Parliament for Sefwi-Wiawso, out of the house over a comment deemed disrespectful.
This action followed the Speaker’s comment that the house should look into the issues of the full complement of the Supreme Court when the Appointments Committee presents its report on the two justices nominated by President Akufo-Addo to the plenary for consideration.
The MP for Sefwi-Wiawso noted that it is not within the Speaker’s purview to make such prejudicial comments.
In a Citi News interview, the Executive Director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Rasheed Draman, called for decorum in parliament.
“Maybe some will say the Speaker by walking this member of parliament out has exercised his utmost power granted to him as the standing orders. Many speakers have resisted doing it.
“On the other hand, some would say the member of parliament has also gone beyond what is considered reasonable limits when you’re addressing the chair. For him to be involved in this kind of verbal fight with the speaker is quite unfortunate.
“We want this parliament to finish its work and solve our problems rather than these unnecessary issues that will take away the important work they have ahead of them,” the Executive Director of the African Center for Parliamentary Affairs said.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
Read another story here: https://acepa-africa.org/parliamentary-staff-csos-get-citizen-engagement-training/