A member of the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) legal team has dismissed claims by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga that Ghana’s Parliament is an envy of the world.
Making submissions on StarrFM’s Weekly Review with Naa Dedei Tettey, the lawyer said events in the legislature dispute the glossy assertion.
“I don’t really think our Parliament is the envy of the world. And you look at the quality of debate,” he pointed out. “If you look at the quality of debate elsewhere, again the oldest Parliament in the world, the Westminster Parliament, look at how people contribute and it boils down to the calibre [of MPs].”
He continued: “And again, it boils down to how we select people to get into our Parliament. If you’re going to Parliament, I mean, intellectually it’s not stimulating. I must say so.”
In the immediate aftermath of the physical altercation which ensued in the Appointment Commitment in Parliament between members of both sides of the aisle, Leader Ayariga addressed the media in the presence of colleague lawmakers during which he called for calm and urged postponement of the vetting.
“I am very very sorry that these scenes that we are seeing are being projected to the rest of the country and to the world,” he said sombrely, flanked by his colleagues. “The whole world knows that Ghana has one of the most beautiful and functioning democracies. The Ghana Parliament remains an envy of many Parliaments.”
The MP for Bawku was recently appointed Majority Leader, taking over from Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson who President John Mahama tapped to lead the Finance Ministry.
Key amongst the new leader’s priority is getting the president’s nominees confirmed by the legislature, an agenda which is currently progressing well.
In total, 24 out of the 42 ministerial nominees have now received parliamentary approval.
The disagreement over postponing the vetting of Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Thursday led to the unsavory scenes of physical tussles among MPs.
Speaker Alban Bagbin has subsequently suspended four Members of the House over their involvement in the parliamentary wresting.
They are Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, MP for South Dayi; Frank Annor-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyir; Alhassan Tampuli, MP for Gushegu and Jerry Ahmed Shaibu, MP for Weija-Gbawe.
