News:
December 12, 2022
The Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has confirmed that he has demanded to be briefed by the Electoral Commission (EC) on a Constitutional Instrument (C I) to be laid on the floor of the House.
First deputy whip of the Minority Ahmed Ibrahim brought the issue up on Friday, December 9, 2022 when the Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin presented the business statement on the floor of the House.
According to the Speaker the response given by the deputy Majority Leader as to whether official communication in this regard has been sent to the EC was right, and he would have to find out if that official communication was actually done.
The Rt. Hon Speaker asserts that he made the request based on order 160 rule (2) – “It shall be the function of the committee subject to order 53 (Order of Business) to determine the business of each sitting and the order in which it shall be taken; provided that the powers of the committee shall be without prejudice to the power of Mr. Speaker to determine which matters may properly be introduce into the House”.
And if what is being alleged is anything to go by, the EC is being given notice because they know they cannot go on the offensive against an arm of government. “We are not just a state institution, we are not just an administrative body, this is an arm of government, if they talk of independence of arm of government neither arm; not the Judiciary or the Executive control the other arm of government”, he stated.
Speaker Bagbin pointed out that, the legislature does not control the Executive or the Judiciary that is all the separation of powers is all about, hence the need to work together because they lead the country.
So there is no way, that a subsidiary body can be on an offensive, they pass the law to create the EC, it was simply guarantee in the constitution, they had to pass a law to establish it, he added.
“I hope this is enough notice, I should be given a brief before I can exercise my authority to allow the business to be provided and presented to the House; I will crosscheck to ensure the official communication has been given”
He further emphasized that he does not take the peace of this country for granted and he will not do anything to endanger it, “I mean what I say”, he said whiles presiding.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com