General News of Thursday, 6 January 2005

Source: GNA

Impasse over new Speaker

The Minority in Parliament on Thursday walked out of Parliament after waiting for a hour for the inauguration of the new parliament and the election of a speaker and his two deputies. However sources within the Minority said they vacated the Chamber of the House to consult among themselves and the leadership of Parliament, over the election of a Speaker.

Just a few minute before the minority left the House, Mr John Mahama, NDC-Bole Bamboi, told the Ghana News Agency, that the Majority submitted the name and curriculum vitae of Mr Ebenezer Sakyi Hughes, Member of the Council of State late last-night as their choice of the Speaker of the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

According to Mr Mahama there was the need for consultation between Minority and the Majority over the choice of Mr Sakyi Hughes. He said the Minority was not pleased with the manner in which the former Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey was changed without any tangible reasons.

Mr Mahama said he noted during his interaction with the Majority that they regarded the Former Speaker as unbending and fair to the minority.

He said by implications, the new Speaker would be easier to manipulate.