His assurance comes in response to a petition submitted by some party members calling for a change in the conference date.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Osei-Owusu confirmed that the petition had been reviewed by the party’s National Council. However, after careful deliberation, the leadership resolved to maintain the original date.

“There’s a petition that the date for the conference should be changed,” Mr. Osei-Owusu said. “The National Council, after considering it, decided that we should continue. In view of the preparations we have made and the commitments we have undertaken, we should continue with the conference as already announced.”

Despite dissent over timing, party leadership maintains that continuity and adherence to prior arrangements are essential, especially considering the logistical and financial groundwork already laid.

Source: Emmanuel Tetteh

Originally established as Accra Business School and granted a Presidential Charter on June 20, 2024, UGC is a leading Christian university dedicated to developing Christ-centered leaders who drive innovation, inspire change, and address global challenges.

The former Bekwai MP brings a distinguished career in public service, governance, and law, demonstrating a strong commitment to democracy and ethical leadership.

His tenure as First Deputy Speaker of Parliament has left a lasting impact, and his extensive experience aligns perfectly with UGC’s mission of transforming lives through education.

His appointment will be formalized during the inauguration of the University Council, set for February 27, 2025, at the forecourt of the UGC campus in Accra.

This event marks another milestone in UGC’s pursuit of academic excellence and global impact.

Commenting on the appointment, UGC Chancellor Bishop Dr. Gideon Titi-Ofei stated, “Joseph Osei-Owusu’s exceptional leadership and dedication to service make him a valuable addition to the University of Gold Coast Council. His insights will be instrumental in steering UGC toward its vision of becoming a beacon of transformative education.”

As a Council member, Mr. Osei-Owusu will play a crucial role in shaping UGC’s strategic direction, fostering innovation, and ensuring the university continues to fulfill its mission of developing future-ready, Christ-centered leaders.

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Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews with Blessed Sogah on Wednesday, the former Bekwai MP admitted that members of the Appointments Committee receive funds from the Chief of Staff after vetting nominees.

However, his statement attracted criticism, with some arguing that this practice constitutes bribery and corruption.

Mr Osei-Owusu defended his remarks on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, asserting that the practice is neither bribery nor corruption. He explained that in public service, there is nothing wrong with receiving facilitation payments.

“If any of those speaking out have ever worked in public service and understand budget releases, I’m sure they would view the situation differently,” he said.

He went on to explain, “In 2009, when I joined Parliament, there were often no releases, and you would sit through meetings and perform your duties without receiving allowances. Sometimes, leadership would inform the executive that work had been completed but allowances had not been paid.

“It became difficult to mobilise members, and the Chief of Staff would step in to release the funds, which were due to be paid by Parliament but had not been. The money would then go to the Clerk of Parliament, who would distribute it to the committee.”

Mr Osei-Owusu revealed that the largest sum he ever received was GH¢2,000, and he argued, “To suggest that this is bribery shows a lack of understanding of how public service works.”

He further explained that, on occasions when funding was delayed, they would hold the Minister for Finance accountable until the necessary funds were released to ensure they could carry out their work. “In such a situation, I don’t know how anyone could call that bribery,” he added.

Speaking during an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, January 30, Osei-Owusu made it clear that such facilitations are aimed at improving parliamentary operations, not for personal gain.

In his comments, Osei-Owusu highlighted that facilitating parliamentary processes is an essential part of ensuring the legislature functions effectively.

He emphasized that these actions are done in service of the national interest and not for the benefit of individual Members of Parliament (MPs).

“Facilitating the work of Parliament doesn’t amount to corruption,” he said, pointing out that such measures are vital to ensuring smooth parliamentary operations.

Osei-Owusu further explained that these facilitations are typically aimed at improving the efficiency of Parliament and are not done with any intent to corrupt or gain personally.

According to him, these actions are intended to help MPs perform their duties better and do not involve any form of bribery.

The former Bekwai MP categorically rejected the notion that these measures are a form of corruption.

His comments come amidst ongoing public debates on the transparency and integrity of parliamentary proceedings.

He called on the public to recognize the distinction between genuine facilitation of parliamentary work and corruption, asserting that the two should not be conflated.

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However, the former Bekwai MP insists that it is not bribery.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, the former Chair of the Committee defended the practice, stating that it was meant to facilitate their work and had nothing to do with influencing decisions.

“Yes, indeed. I told him (Manasseh Azure) that when I joined the Appointments Committee, most of the time, at the close of our work, the Chief of Staff would bring money to the members of the committee. It’s like facilitating our work,” he admitted. “I wonder how anybody could link that to bribery?” he told host Blessed Sogah.

Mr Osei-Owusu expressed frustration over what he described as the ease with which allegations are thrown around in Ghana without evidence.

“The easiest thing in our country is throwing about allegations. Often, people will just say things, and when you ask them to provide the evidence, they are found wanting,” he lamented.

“In the case of 2017, which involved myself, it was extremely important for me that my reputation was vindicated.”

Referring to past bribery allegations, he recounted how Mahama Ayariga and other MPs accused him of being involved in bribery during the vetting of a ministerial nominee in 2017.

“I had a long meeting with the leadership, and my conclusion was that I should go to court because I was very confident that everything Ayariga and the others said had nothing to do with me.

“I don’t know where they created it from. Of course, when the committee was set up, they said it was the then Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, who told them—and Muntaka himself came and denied it.”

Reacting to accusations based on journalist Manasseh Azure’s book, which suggested that money is given to MPs after vetting, Osei-Owusu insisted that there is nothing improper about the practice.

“Somebody forwarded that Facebook thing to me. So I contacted Azure, and I sent a message, forwarded the thing to him, and he called me. He said that if perhaps I had read the book, I would see the difference,” he said. “It’s unfortunate how we stretch facts and give explanations or interpretations that have nothing to do with reality.”

When pressed on whether this amounted to influence peddling, he dismissed the notion.

“This is after the work. How can that bring an advantage to anybody? What gives a disadvantage to anybody? So it’s a pity how we can stretch facts,” he argued.

However, former Auditor General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, who was also on the show, strongly disagreed, describing the practice as problematic and calling for its immediate cessation.

“It sounds very unfortunate for me to hear from my colleague Joe Wise say that the Chief of Staff used to bring them money after their work,” he remarked.

“Does it mean Parliament falls under the budget of the Chief of Staff? Are they not allocated their own budget?”

Mr. Domelevo argued that such payments could compromise the integrity of Parliament’s work.

“I think that is not a good practice. If it happened, I think it has to stop. If we know that after doing this work, we will be remunerated, it influences the work that we are doing. So there is influence peddling there,” he asserted. “If it is true, then I think that practice must stop.”

The revelations have sparked intense debate about the independence of Parliament and whether financial incentives—regardless of timing—can compromise the vetting process.

While Mr. Osei-Owusu maintains that these payments are harmless facilitation, Mr. Domelevo and critics argue that they undermine parliamentary integrity and create room for undue influence.

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The immediate First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, speaking on Joy News’ Upfront on Thursday, January 16, criticised the expedited schedule, which he believes did not allow adequate time for public participation or for committee members to thoroughly prepare.

Reflecting on the timeline, Mr. Osei Owusu described the process as unprecedented.

“In this particular instance, the time between the election, the swearing-in, and four or five days after that, vetting started—it is novel. It has never happened before,” he said.

“I think the haste with which they proceeded with this one may have affected the preparation of the members of the committee.”

Joe Osei Owusu expressed scepticism about whether due process was followed in notifying the public.

“I am not even sure whether they advertised and allowed the public sufficient time,” he said.

“I asked the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, and they told me about some arrangement they had done, but I did not see any advert.

“Frankly, when you are starting a term like this, I would have thought a minimum of one or two weeks of advertisement would have been ideal to allow people who have issues to bring them out to the committee.”

He further emphasised the importance of public participation in the vetting process.

“The reason we call it a public hearing is that we want to afford the public the opportunity to participate,” he stated.

“I think it is a wrong step not to give the public sufficient time to send in memoranda. Once we afford the public this opportunity, if there are issues, they can bring them forward for the committee to consider.”

Joe Osei Owusu expressed his discomfort with what he described as “needless” and “indecent haste.”

He noted that the committees of Parliament had not even been fully constituted before the vetting process began.

“I asked the Minority Leader, and he said the committees themselves have not been constituted. So, to proceed with such speed—it was rather indecent haste, and I think it was unnecessary,” he said.

The former chairman also highlighted how the rushed process may have undermined the committee’s ability to conduct a thorough vetting.

“The spirit of the vetting process should allow adequate time for preparation, probing, and public input. If we rush it, we lose the essence of ensuring the nominee is qualified and can do the job.

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However, he expressed confidence that it would be resolved by next month.

“If we are not able to reverse it completely, yes it may affect our chances. But I am confident we will reverse fully within the next one month,” he said.

While noting some improvements in the power situation in the Bekwai constituency, he emphasized the urgency of fully addressing the issue.

“…..but as we speak now, I’ve been in Bekwai for the past ten days and the situation has improved dramatically. I only experienced one power outage,” he noted.

Mr. Osei-Owusu was speaking at a health walk organized by the Bawumia Ladies Global in the Bekwai constituency to garner support for the party ahead of this year’s elections.

Osei-Owusu confident of over 90% votes

In the constituency election, he also expressed confidence in the NPP’s electoral prospects, predicting that they would secure over 90% of the total valid votes cast. He urged constituents to rally behind the NPP and Dr. Bawumia in the forthcoming December general elections.

“The Vice-President has a lot of support here, but we needed to maintain excitement and enthusiasm. So, what they did was just to pep people up. 99% of the people living in this municipality support Bawumia,” he said.

He mentioned that the NDC’s limited votes primarily stemmed from the settler communities, notably the Muslim population, who have now aligned themselves with Bawumia, indicating that, they will switch their allegiance to the NPP this time.

Exit from Parliament

The lawmaker from Bekwai stressed that the prevailing perception in Ghana of politicians being perceived as dishonest and corrupt is one of the key factors behind his decision to exit parliament.

He said that these matters weigh heavily on him, as he consistently endeavors to give his best.

“Those are the things that truly affect me. It hurts because I always give my best. I have never asked for a bribe from anyone, nor have I taken one, so when people generalize and say that we are all thieves, it truly affects me,” he stated.

He also said he has done enough ad therefore it is important to give the opportunity to others to also lead.

Financial struggles of MPs post-term

Mr. Osei-Owusu also addressed the difficulties encountered by former parliamentarians, highlighting financial hardships and the absence of enduring business opportunities post-office.

He stated that a considerable portion of ex-legislators face severe financial constraints, struggling even to cover medical expenses. He explained that, frequently, they depart without adequate preparation, and the year an MP loses elections, whether in primaries or general elections, tends to be the most financially taxing.

Consequently, by the time they exit, they find themselves in dire financial straits.

“Often, they leave unprepared. The year you will lose elections, either primaries or general elections, is the year you will spend the most. So, by the time you leave, you are broke,” he indicated.

Bawumia Ladies Global targets 80-90% constituency votes

Vice President of the Bawumia Ladies Global, Perpetual Owusu Agyemang, emphasized the group’s active campaign for the NPP and Dr. Bawumia in the upcoming December elections, aiming to secure 80 to 90% of the votes in the constituency.

She outlined plans to mobilize more support for Dr. Bawumia’s agenda, citing his digital initiatives and policies as crucial for Ghana’s development.

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According to him, the persistent labelling of public servants as “thieves” has discouraged him and killed his love for serving the nation.

Speaking to Elton Brobbey on JoyNews’ The Pulse, he said, “It hurts to hear people call you a thief only because you opted to work for the public. Listen to all public discussions.

“Every politician, every elected official is called a thief. Nothing hurts me more than that when I can say with pride that I have never asked for support from anybody.

“I have never asked for anybody to give me anything before. I do my work so those are the things that I think have contributed to my health issues. Now I have health issues so I want to leave the field quietly and endure my pain,” he said.

The Bekwai constituency MP stated that he has no intention of returning to public service or holding any official position in the future.

He said MPs do not deserve to be tagged as thieves as they do not have access to public funds and therefore cannot misuse or steal them.

“We don’t spend public funds. We don’t even authorise expenditure. Practically nothing to do with money apart from approving the budget in Parliament.

“What we call the empty shell of the common fund goes to the District Assembly and you can only authorise the MCE or the coordinating director to spend that money in this way or that way. But every misconduct, they come back to the MP,” he said.

On his side, the former MP for Bolgatanga, David Apasera, described being a politician as a daily struggle to meet the needs of constituents.

According to him, although MPs are paid well, they must still manage their finances carefully to balance the demands of their personal lives with their public responsibilities.

“What we were paid, it was mere management to be able to handle funerals, and constituent problems individually and still be able to stay afloat.

“A person has a problem of marriage and maybe they are coming for the wife because he has not been able to afford a cow to give to the in-laws.

“What will you do? It becomes a model obligation and will be forced to maybe go and contract a loan to give to the person to salvage the marriage.

“This is what MPs go through. Then the public thinks that you have had so much government money and so you can’t be paid a pension.”

Meanwhile, the NDC parliamentary candidate for South Tongu in the Volta region, Maxwell Lukutor says he is mentally prepared to take up the position.

According to him, there have been numerous requests and demands from his constituents.

“But I’m saying, some of us take up these personal challenges as a personal thing. We want to experience what it feels like. We want to succeed in everything we do.

“We want to push ourselves and make sure that we bring something out of ourselves. It may not necessarily be about monetary gains to become an MP.

“Honourable said that some of them are like self-actualisation. I have been able to make it to this level. This is what I have been able to do for my constituents.

“Some of us enjoy people coming back to say that had it not been you helping me to do this and that, I would not be who I am today,” he said.

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Throwing weight behind the Black Stars, the acting Speaker of Parliament urged the members to show patriotism by supporting the Stars.

He hoped their support will increase Ghana’s chances of trashing their rivals in two legs to book a slot in the upcoming international football competition.

“I think the suggestion that members wear some shirt showing support for the stars is a good one and I have no hesitation at all in supporting that suggestion, that means we are lowering standards in the House,” Mr Owusu stated.

“We are bringing down the formality but I have no hesitation at all in agreeing that any member who has a shirt whether a T-Shirt or club shirt which relates to the Black Stars, please wear, for us to show that we support them even if we cannot be at the stadium with them,” he added.

Ghana will take on Nigeria in the first leg in Kumasi on Friday before travelling to Abuja for the second leg on Tuesday for a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has welcomed the ruling by the Supreme Court that a Deputy Speaker of Parliament can be counted during the formation of a quorum for parliamentary decision-making and participate in voting while presiding.

Addressing the media in Parliament on Wednesday, he said the decision by the Supreme Court is ‘refreshing’ and affirms his earlier decision to join his colleagues on the Majority side to approve the 2022 Budget while presiding over proceedings of the House.

According to him, the decision by the Supreme Court would help guide their practice as Members of Parliament and advance Ghana’s democracy.

“As at now, at the end of it all, we are being guided. What we have not done before, where the way was not clearly marked out by our own standing orders, have now been cleared by the Supreme Court,” he stated.

Reacting to the Court’s decision for portions of the Standing Orders of Parliament to be struck out, he said he is not surprised by the decision.

“I am very glad that indeed that clarity has been given… the text of the Constitution was very clear and even the Article 109(3) was clear that you shall not retain the original vote whereas in the case of the Speaker it said you shall not have either original or casting vote when it came to the Deputy Speaker, it said you shall not retain the original vote. The natural consequence was that you would have a casting vote. This decision of the Supreme Court appears to affirm that position that I strongly agreed with,” he noted.

The Supreme Court presided over by Justice Jones Dotse, on Wednesday affirmed the approval of the 2022 Budget without NDC MPs’ participation.

Private Legal Practitioner Justice Abdulai, in a case against the Attorney-General, asked the Supreme Court to interpret Articles 102 and 104 of the 1992 Constitution and declare the action of Mr. Osei Owusu to be counted as a Member of Parliament while acting as Speaker, as unconstitutional.

He also wanted the Supreme Court to declare the whole proceedings in Parliament on November 30, 2021, which led to the passage of the 2022 Budget, as unconstitutional. He contended that the Deputy Speaker should not have counted himself as an MP when he presided over proceedings.

On the other hand, the A-G believes that the quorum under Article 104 (1), which deals with the determination of matters through voting in Parliament, requires at least half of all MPs, and such a quorum is not the same as the one in Article 102.

Mr. Dame argued that unlike Article 102, which precludes a “person presiding” from being part of the quorum, Article 104 (2) precludes explicitly, “The Speaker”.

The A-G, therefore, holds the position that only the person elected as “The Speaker” of Parliament is barred from forming part of the quorum under Article 104 when presiding, and not the Deputy Speakers who preside over proceedings in his absence.

The Apex Court, comprising Justices; Jones Dotse, Nene Amegatcher, Prof Ashie Kotey, Mariama Owusu, Lovelace Johnson, Clemence Honyenuga, and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi affirmed the arguments of the Attorney-General.

The court also struck out portions of the standing orders of Parliament which reads, “A Deputy Speaker or any other member presiding shall not retain his original vote while presiding.”

The declaration of Mr Osei-Owusu led to the chaotic scenes that characterised proceedings on Wednesday, December 1.

Members of the Minority accused him of doing the bidding of the governing New Patriotic Party though he was acting as the Speaker, thus, must be impartial.

But, reacting to this on JoyNews’ ‘The Probe’ on Sunday, the Bekwai MP said he administers his duties fairly whenever he assumes the role of Speaker in the chamber.

The Bekwai MP believes he gives both parties across the aisle an equal ground to argue their conviction and makes his ruling in accordance with the conventions of Parliament.

“The persons claiming I was partisan are in fact being partisan of their evaluation of my ruling or my conduct of the House.

“But, I can tell you and I think I have demonstrated over the years that I am overly cautious and I try as much as possible to be fair in managing the House anytime I am managing the House,” he told Emefa Apawu.

In the Professor’s opinion, being Rastafarian doesn’t necessarily mean one smokes weed.

“Weed is smoked by a whole bunch of people, one does not have to be a Rastafarian to smoke weed…It is a moot question because one does not go to school to smoke weed. If you’re caught, you’ll be dealt with,” he said Friday, on the Super Morning Show.

This follows a comment by First Deputy Speaker, Mr Osei-Owusu, that references made to the Rastafarian religion in the case of some students who have been denied enrolment into some Senior High Schools may complicate matters for the students.

This, he explained, is because of the misconception held against some practices of the religion.

He argued that Rastafarianism is mostly associated with weed-smoking, and this he believes may not help in resolving the situation at hand.

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“I get worried in the attempt to rope in Rastafarianism as religion. If we do that, then we complicate the matter. The reason is this: If you study Rastafarianism, it includes the smoking of weed and weed is an illegal substance. It is not a substance that is permitted to be smoked,” the First Deputy Speaker said.

However, the Professor says such comments are not needed in the current discussion.

“I’m not sure of the relevance of the insertion of weed into an important debate about a very important discussion on the right of students to enjoy religious freedom and the equally import rights of school authorities to have rules that facilitate learning environment.

“And for the Deputy Speaker to insert weed in this conversation, I was frankly very shocked and appalled. There’s no place for that type of insertion in this important debate,” he added.

This comes in the midst of controversies surrounding the denial of admission by some Public Senior High schools to Rastafarian students, on grounds that it is against the rules of the schools to admit students with such hairstyles.

The move by the schools has generated a public debate as to whether school authorities have the right to do so or not.

A school of thought believes that the decision is discriminatory, however, others also believe school authorities are right since every student must conform to the rules of the schools.

At the height of the controversy, six schools are reported to have offered to admit the students unconditionally, with some offering to admit them on full scholarships plus providing free meals to them.