Month: March 2022

The Public Affairs Department of parliament has denied reports that the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, has sidelined the unit and similar departments while he focuses on the staff affiliated to his office for official assignments.

In a statement denying the report signed by Kate Addo, Director, Public Affairs, emphasised that her department continues to remain committed to the communications management of the office of the Speaker and the performance of any allied duties as may be assigned by the Speaker.

The statement admitted that although it is true the Speaker has a communication team, that team has an entirely different mandate from that of the Public Affairs Department.

It added that the Speaker continues to engage with the Director on relevant issues and is keen on growing the department and other departments of the legislature.

As an apolitical outfit, the public affairs department noted that it is committed to working to enhance the overall development of the entire legislature without recourse to any political party or ideology.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

A member of the Nigerian delegation to the 5^th Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Awaji-Inombek Abiante Dagomie has said for democracy to be strengthened there is the need to speak truth to power and the quality of the resource persons made available at the just ended seminar and Extraordinary Session has been fantastic.

In commending the Liberian delegation for a well-organised programme, he pointed out in an interview that most of the resource persons spoke the truth on the political situation the West African sub-region is experiencing.

“Most of them spoke on issues that our ears wanted to hear the hard truth, their presentation were well researched and better equipped us for tomorrow. But if and only if we as MPs would be able to stand to what they have been able to expose us to and teach us”.

He underscored the need for the Community lawmakers to transfer same to their various governments, within the sub-regional member states.

On participation of his colleagues, he noted it was very good but can be better as some lawmakers who were preparing for parliamentary elections in their countries could not show up in Liberia.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Liberia

Speaker of the Economic Community of West African Statutes (ECOWAS) Parliament, Rt. Hon Sidie Mohammed Tunis has said the policy of isolation as a result of imposed sanctions of member states when there are coups undermines regional integration.

According to him its impact appears to have consequences, mostly characterized by debates by ordinary citizens in some Member states, on the disability or otherwise of their continued membership.

The situations in the Republics of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, exacerbated by the failed coup in the Republic of Guinea Bissau, are threatening issues that require their urgent attention. Constitutional abuse and deficit in good governance principles, the lack of transparency in the electioneering processes, corruption, as well as civil unrest resulting from unplanned change in constitution, are factors to which coups d’états have been hinged.

As a result, the democratic processes appear weakened, thereby impacting negatively on the image of ECOWAS.

Article 27/2c of the Supplementary Act Relating to the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament, provides that the Parliament should endeavor to hold its Extraordinary Sessions in the respective Member States.

Premised upon that provision, we have gathered as a Committee of the Whole to deliberate on one agenda, perhaps the most important regional agenda at the moment, that being the Political and Security situation in the ECOWAS Region; Retrogression of Democracy and the Resurgence of unconstitutional Change of Government, with key emphasis on Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso.

We take due cognizance of the  fact that the ECOWAS Parliament, being the  representative body of the ECOWAS Region, must fully participate in the development of the region, through the promotion of peace and security, human rights and the development of a democratic culture. In order to perform these inviolable responsibilities, we must take ownership of the situations we are confronted with and exhibit leadership to the fullest, the Speaker stated.

In his opening message at the first in-person, Extraordinary Session in Monrovia Liberia on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, he noted that they  remain mindful of the prevailing political situation in the Republics of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso; the three Member States where democracy has been disrupted and hence the decision by the Authority of Heads of state and Government to suspend them.

In Mali, he noted that they expressed the hope that the Malian Authorities will take seriously, the new position by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government and take very decisive and timely steps, aimed at having them reversed. “We are aware that, as strategic as these sanctions are, their negative consequences on the civilian population cannot be avoided.”

“In the Republic of Guinea, it is hoped that with the inauguration of the National Transition Council, a timetable for the holding of elections within a reasonable timeframe will be presented soon. We, however, remain engaged with mediation efforts, which have witnessed coordinated and consistent political engagements at the regional and international levels, aimed at restoring constitutional order.”

 This is the posture that has been consistently demonstrated by ECOWAS in all of its engagements with relevant stakeholders and we will continue on this path, until constitutional order is restored, he added.

We also strongly believe that Mano River Union Countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cote D’ Ivories, have a moral obligation to ensuring that the Republic of Guinea is restored to Constitutional rule.

“I want to thank Your Excellences Dr. George Weah, President Julius Maada Bio and President Allasane Quattara, for engaging the Military Leadership and express the optimism that more engagements will be done in the coming weeks”.

On the political situation in Burkina Faso, we condemn the coup of 24 January and express concern over the deteriorating security situation which preceded the coup. The waves of attacks from violent extremists in Burkina Faso has exacerbated the already worsening humanitarian situation in the country and we use this occasion to call on the military authorities to, as a matter of urgency, adopt a  transitional plan that would facilitate the return to constitutional rule, the Speaker stated.

On Guinea Bissau, “we condemned the attempted coup of 2nd February, 2022, and express solidarity with the Government and People of Guinea Bissau. We sincerely hope that the deployment of a force will help stabilize the country and guide against the reoccurrence of such anti-democratic act.”

Another scenario worthy of mention is the rising insecurity in the Sahel region. As you well know, the situation is most precarious in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin. Deteriorating security and violence are aggravating an already difficult humanitarian situation, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/ Liberia

Direct election is the first step to achieving full legislative competence and would eradicate issues occasioned by the duality of Membership, the paramount being the inability of Members to perform their duties at the ECOWAS Parliament, especially when critical issues are being debated at the national level,. Rt. Hon. Sidie Mohammed Tunis noted in his open remarks at the ongoing first in-person Extraordinary Session in Monrovia Liberia.

“We also strongly believe that with a set of directly elected Members, much more can be achieved, reflecting further, we hold the view that with the coming into being of the African Continental Free Trade Area, global dynamics and insurmountable challenges to which our world has been subjected to, necessitates that ECOWAS think out of the box”.

 He called, on ECOWAS to initiate multiple engagements with contiguous with the aim of fostering common approaches to such challenges.

“Here we have in mind countries like Mauritania, (a former Member State of the Community) and the Kingdom of Morocco. Others are Cameroon, Chad and Central Africa Republic to the North East and Equatorial Guinea and Soa Tome and Principe to the South”.

In addition, he noted that such, alliances, when successfully forged would, no doubt, usher in the beginning of the process of a new regional development trajectory, aimed at giving our region a sense of peace, dignity and prosperity.

 In view of the above and in line with Article 24.2 Paragraph G of the Supplementary Act Relating to the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament, I, at the head of a Parliamentary Delegation, conducted two very important visits last February.

First to the Republic of Panama for an Inter-Parliamentary Summit of Regional and  Provincial Unions in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and then to the Kingdom of Morocco for a working visit at the invitation of the Honorable Speaker of the House of Councilors.

In Morocco we held bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening relations between the ECOWAS Parliament and the Moroccan Parliament and that resulted into the signing of the Laayoune Declaration, which provides the basics of forging ahead with our collaboration, he announced.

 “While we condemn and shame evil in the region, it is also very important that we commend efforts that are moving regional democracy in the right direction. I wish to use this medium to commend the good people of the Gambia for the peaceful manner in which the December polls were conducted. Gambia’s election was preceded by similar elections in Cape Verde, with both countries demonstrating in very clear terms, that democracy can win, and democracy has won”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/ Liberia

The Minority has described the ruling by the Supreme Court on the matter as to whether a person presiding over proceedings in parliament as Speaker can vote consistent with Article 102 of the 1992 Constitution which provides for the quorum and Articles 104 can exercise a vote whiles presiding as judicial support for E-Levy.

Leading the Minority in addressing the media in parliament on the Supreme Court ruling, the Minority Leader said the ruling is a judicial interference in time tested parliamentary practice and established convention.

“Everywhere in the world, in civilized democracies including the United Kingdom, the presiding officer’s vote is discounted, so it is not for nothing that Article 102 provides that a person presiding shall have no original or casting votes.”

“The Supreme Court, to put it aptly; this ruling is judicial support for E-Levy, nothing more, for a struggling economy in distress and judicial support for the restoration of a matter that they have said is constitutional is repugnant to the provision of article 102 and 104. But what can we do. They are clothed with the mandate and authority to interpret the law.

This is a travesty of parliamentary justice and a stab in the growth and development of multi-party constitutional democracy build on the spirit and principle of checks and balances” the stressed.
According to him, it is intriguing for us to hear while we await the full report on the reasoning of the Supreme Court from one of the justices that “the quorum in article 102 is not the same thing as the quorum in Article 104.

That is the ruling. But we know that for quorum, Article 102 is authoritative on the composition of quorum for parliament for purpose of conducting active business. We cannot see any material difference in the provisions of 104. But for their purposes, they have said that you have to interpret 102 differently and separately from Article 104. They ought to know that article 102 even the side notes marginal note says quorum of parliament”.

He opined that the judiciary of Ghana is also failing Ghana’ Parliamentary democracy in their inability to appreciate the true meaning of Article 110 of the Constitution that Parliament by standing orders regulars its own proceedings. “When we regulate our own proceedings and today reference is only made to the 1992 Constitution, and not to the standing orders of the parliament of Ghana, and in particular Standing Order 13, then there is a problem.

“Today as we speak, the Speaker is indisposed; there is a presiding person in the First Deputy Speaker, so what would happen while the first deputy is presiding , there is no second Deputy Speaker, who will preside to supervise him voting for our purposes”, he queried.

“This is a judicial support for President Nana Akufo Addo Danquah’s E-levy that he is labouring to pass. We remain opposed to it; stich by stich, clause by clause, article by article; when it is presented, we would fight back strongly with our 137 votes.”

They served notice that from today maybe there would be a new definition for who a first or second deputy Speaker is because maybe they don’t deserve us according them the offices they occupy, maybe that is what the Supreme Court is ruling”.

According to the Supreme Court

1). A Deputy Speaker is entitled to be counted as a. member of Parliament for quorum

2). A deputy speaker or any other member can vote and take part in the decision of parliament.

3). Order 109(3) of the standing orders of parliament has been struck down as unconstitutional.

4. The 2022 budget passed is constitutional and legal.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com

The Rt. Hon Speaker of the Community Parliament, Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 resolved the brouhaha that engulfed adopting the work programme for the Extraordinary Session as a result of the invitation extended to former lawmakers from Guinea Conakry and Burkina Faso.

According to the Speaker the unfortunate situation that has happened to lawmakers from Guinea Conakry and Burkina Faso could happen to any member state and as he gave the opportunity for his colleagues to express their views on the reason behind the invitation of their former colleagues it should not be litigated further.
He said he is of the conviction that they do not abandoned their former colleagues because they have coup in their country and their national assembly has been dissolved, “let us listen to them”, he said.

And further pointed out that, they should respect each other and be nice to each other. In major challenges like what has happened in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, “we are confronted with situations like this we try as much as possible to manage it in such a way that everybody is out of it; our colleagues are here, I still consider them as my colleagues and I believe everyone here consider them as our colleagues”.

Again, going strictly by the Supplementary Act, they are still members of Parliament until they lose their election; that is what the law says but again coup they have not lost their election but the National Assembly they belong to have been dissolved, which means they do not belong any longer to an Assembly, he clarified.

“It’s complicated; the Act says you can lose your right here when you lose an election in your national parliament. In this case they did not lose an election, but if there is no National Assembly it means you do not exist, so how do we manage that as MPs”.

And went on further to say that, if he had his way his colleagues who have left before he became Speaker, he would still be inviting them because, they have all contributed one way or the other. “We do not know if they would have the opportunity to address us again on this matter, let us leave it as it’s so complicated, we should not create drama out of it, there is no drama”

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Liberia