Executive Director for Parliamentary Network Africa (PNA), Sammy Obeng, has called for consensus between the political leaders and the leadership of the court to consider hearing Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), James Gyakye Quayson’s case on Mondays or during the parliamentary recess in August.
Mr Obeng said that the Minority Caucus has every right to solidarize with their colleague but still have the responsibility of representing the people of Ghana who elected them.
“I find this declaration by the minority leader in parliament quite unfortunate. In the sense that first of all, proceedings in parliament are not only made up of public business as in the business of the government of the day. It also has the component of what is called in the parliamentary parlance ‘Private Business’ which are among other things issues of a Member of Parliament asking questions to a particular minister on issues relating to roads, electricity and education in his or her constituency among other matters of urgent concern to the constituents and private members bill,” he said on Accra-based 3FM.
He noted that from the history of parliament, close to 90% of questions are filed by the Minority in any parliament.
“Are we now being told that in the coming days the Minority members are going to shirk their responsibilities to ask parliamentary questions on behalf of their constituents on days the court case is going to be heard?” he quizzed.
Mr Obeng stressed that it is extremely important that the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, does not use his office to frustrate the work of a sitting Member of Parliament or issue threats that have the potential of affecting all the people and the businesses.
He recommended a conversation between the political class and leadership of the court to explore the option of hearing Mr Quayson’s case on Mondays since parliament sits from Tuesday to Thursday or probably schedule the hearing to when parliament goes on recess in August so that the MP’s work is not impeded.
” Mr Quayson must not be stampeded from doing his work especially when his people have been denied representation for so long but also in the quest to defend that, other constituencies who are represented by Minority MPs must not have their representation rights suffering because their MPs are leaving for the court,” he admonished.
Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, stated on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday 4 July 2023 that the Minority MPs would abandon parliamentary proceedings to accompany their colleague Mr Quayson everyday he appears in court.
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