Mercy360 Blog of Monday, 25 November 2024
Source: Mercy Mensah
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, has publicly criticized Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for holding a press conference without consulting other parliamentary leaders. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu expressed his concerns about Bagbin's actions, stating that the Speaker's decision to address the media independently undermines the collective voice of Parliament .
He emphasized that when the Speaker speaks, it should reflect the views and input of both the Majority and Minority Leaders to ensure that he genuinely represents Parliament as an institution. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also took issue with the Clerk of Parliament for supporting Bagbin during his solo press conference, arguing that this was inappropriate behavior.
The controversy surrounding Bagbin's actions is linked to a recent Supreme Court ruling that declared his earlier decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant as unconstitutional. This ruling has sparked a heated debate within Parliament, particularly concerning which political party holds the majority.