News:
November 7, 2024
The Rt. Hon. Speaker, Alban Bagbin has accused the Executive and Judiciary arms of government of colluding to weaken parliament following their recent interference in the workings of Parliament.
At his media engagement on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, the Speaker stated that, “recent acts of the Judiciary and Executive interference in the workings of parliament pose a direct challenge to the essence, jurisdiction, authority, powers, and functioning of the esteemed institution of parliament, which is the repository of the sovereign will of the people of Ghana. It is becoming increasingly clear, the Judiciary and the Executive are seemingly colluding to weaken parliament”.
“The powers of the Judiciary ends where the nose of the Parliament starts. The Constitution is very clear on freedom of speech and of proceedings of parly. Article 115 and 116 grant members of parliament privileges and immunity of speech, debates, and proceedings on any matter or thing brought by a member, in or before Parliament, by petition, Bill, motion or otherwise”. Thus, happenings in parliament must remain in parliament.
He said the current brouhaha in parliament may be likened to a “power play between the arms of government,” and it has the potential to undermine our democracy and the authority of Parliament. Its outcomes could subvert Ghana’s constitutional order and the democratic system Ghanaians have toiled, sacrificed their lives, and shed blood to establish for decades.
He said Ghanaians in 2020 chose consensus and collaborative governance to a winner-take-all government, thus rejecting the majoritarian system, “where the Minority have a say, but the Majority have its way”.
With this in mind, it is unfortunate that the courts are replete with debates and proceedings of Parliament mostly initiated by members of parliament, and even leaders of Parliament, who ought to know better.
This, in his opinion may be one of the reasons parliament and MPs are not respected and treated with disdain, and was exhibited by the President’s refusal to even receive the LGBTQ+ Bill duly processed and passed by Parliament.
“The Judiciary is supportive of such a conduct by the receipt and processing of a suit on this subject matter. These are dangerous precedents in our democratic journey. They have sinned against the Constitution and must seek the opportunity to confess and repent to be forgiven”, he stated.
Ghanamps.com