Speaker of Parliament Speaker Alban S.K.Bagbin has stated the 2020 elections has introduced a new order in Ghana’s political engagement and totally changed the status quo.
He noted that the character and norms of the power game change in Parliament’s ultra egalitarian rule where the majority marshals its strength to back the President and leaving no space for dialogue, compromise and consensus-building is ‘dead’.
The outcome of the election, he said, signifies the objection to the practice of blind, unbridled and excessive partisanship in politics and the winner take all option.
“That is a significant change to the blind, partisan opposition and obstruction of government policy,” he said and stressed that Ghanaians have opted for the practice of dialogue, cooperation, consultation, compromise and consensus-building.
“The clarion call of our dear nation today is now Ghana first everything else second. No party first, and no government first, not opposition first and not Speaker first but Ghana first,” he stated.
Presenting his opening statement for the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday 25th January, 2022, Speaker Alban Bagbin stated that the product of a hung Parliament marks a clear departure from the mantra, ‘Let the Majority have its way and let the Minority have its say.’
The second session of the 8th Parliament, he said, is meant for serious business and stressed that democracy has long gone beyond the majority rule to participatory and inclusive governance; a type of governance where both the majority and minority will have their say but the national interest will have its way.
According to him, the 1992 Constitution creates an opportunity for either a majority or a minority government or even an independent president to rule the country.
He said, “So if you are going to by majority rule and you elect an independent President, it means you have no rule. If you are going by the majority rule and you have a President with minority members of Parliament, it means there will be no rule. That is not what is encapsulated in the 1992 Constitution.”
“The concept of governance that we opted for is to create room; not for minority rule and not for majority role but for participatory and inclusive governance,” he stressed.
Source: Mypublisher24.com
