Former Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini says Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin should have engaged the Minority side before deciding to suspend the Members of Parliament involved in the Appointments Committee brawl.
He pointed out that such consultations were a hallmark of democratic system of government practiced in Ghana.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Deide Tettey, Fuseini argued that a key principle of democracy is that decisions should be made based on commonly agreed-upon procedures.
He contended that, in this case, Alban Bagbin failed to follow the proper process in suspending the MPs. “The key feature of any democracy is the fact that decisions have to be taken following a commonly agreed procedure. You can always justify a decision if that decision was made on a commonly accepted procedure,” Fuseini said.
Fuseini, however, argued that the Speaker’s decision lacked a legal foundation, stating that the authority to suspend MPs did not stem from any existing legislation, the Constitution, the Standing Orders, or any Acts of Parliament.
“The Speaker did not follow due process. His authority to do what he did does not come from any legislation, not the Constitution, not the Standing Orders, not the Acts of Parliament,” he remarked.
The four members suspended are Nelson Dafeamekpor, MP for South Dayi and Majority Chief Whip; Hon Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and Minority Chief Whip; Hon Jerry Ahmed Shaib, MP for Weija and Second Deputy Minority Whip; and Hon Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, MP for Gushegu.
Speaker Bagbin has also set up a seven-member committee to probe the unsavory scenes.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Deborah Amuzu
