The Council of State has pledged its support to Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin to ensure the success of his tenure.
According to the Council, as the longest-standing Member of Parliament, the Speaker brings rich experience to manage and steer the affairs of Parliament in such a way to make him the shining star in the firmament of Speakers.
Chairman of the Council, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, gave this assurance when the Council members conferred with the Speaker over recent disturbing developments in Parliament.
Nana Siriboe II noted recent developments in the Chamber including fist cuffs has given the Council cause to feel the country’s hopes will not be realized if the 8th Council of State fails to support the Speaker to manage the situation.
He said, “If we do not give the support we pledged and sat down just for things to go haywire, we will equally be accused of not doing what is expected of us by the good people of Ghana.”
The Council, he said, has engaged leadership of both the Minority and Majority Caucuses and had very frank and open discussions with refreshing outcomes.
He averred that for Parliament to be strong, all the caucuses need to be strong and coordinated in such a way to ensure harmony.
He said, “We felt it would be inappropriate on our part to attempt to proffer solutions for the current impasse in Parliament without having the benefit of hearing directly from you the Speaker of the House and from your perspective as the Speaker.”
Parliament, he said, should be awesome and not awful and the need to add to the awe and reverence that is due to the legislature and make it work, not otherwise.
“We have one Ghana; we have no choice but to make sure things come on board and for people to bury their egos and their entrenched positions for the good people of Ghana, for today and for posterity sake,” he added.
Hon. Alban Bagbin in response indicated though he has seen and identified some of the challenges of Parliament since 1993, the weight of the situation truly dawned on him when he was elected Speaker.
He noted as elders, Council members will appreciate these challenges better and offer their support to strengthen the institution of Parliament and improve on the practice, the law and the legal framework.
According to him, though he is a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), he has never been a fanatic of party politics and has always reached across the political divide and also developed good friendships there.
He said, “That is how come I won. I couldn’t have won without the support of members from the other side and that is a reality and a truism.”
He averred that he does not expect either political party in Parliament to praise him and that in the performance of his function he will also be impartial.
“But that doesn’t mean I will be neutral and that is what I learned from the Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey. It is a ruling that is in the Hansard.”
“I have an interest as a citizen and that situation says I should only chart the path of the national interest, the collective good so any matter that comes before the House, I cannot be neutral because I have interest in it. But in performing my duty as Speaker, I have to be impartial,” he added.
According to him, he cannot sit as Speaker and see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil because that will be abdicating his role as a statesman and as one of the leaders of the country.
He said he has an interest in whatever comes to the floor of the House whether it is against the Minority or Majority but assured he will discharge his duties with a commitment to the state as expected.
