1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei-Owusu (Joe Wise) has stated the ruling of the Supreme Court on the right of Deputy Speakers to vote while presiding has vindicated the position he has taken since controversy on the E-levy erupted.
He noted anytime there is disagreement in the Chamber while he presides, he will interpret the rules and the laws as he understands them.
According to him, the ruling is a guide to Parliament because events that have never come up before and not clearly marked out by the Standing Orders have now been cleared by the Supreme Court.
“I think it will help us advance our democracy and our practice in this Chamber,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker expressed satisfaction with the ruling in an interview on Wednesday and noted the Minority reserved the right to interpret it as they saw fit but argued the matter was put to the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution and the Standing Orders pitched against it.
“The Supreme Court has concluded and it is the only body that has been giving the mandate to interpret the Constitution when there is disagreement as to what it means.
The 1st Deputy Speaker parried an analogy that the ruling is tantamount to a referee being given a jersey to play for one side in a football match and argued Deputy Speakers already belong to a side in the House.
He stressed no person can become a Deputy Speaker unless they are part of a caucus in Parliament.
“So that analogy is wrong. We belong to teams and indeed the Constitution in Article 96 is very clear that you must have been sworn in as a Member of Parliament before you can be elected as a Deputy Speaker.”
“It is also expected that the Deputy Speakers should belong to one side or the other. It is not a question of being a neutral person,” he added.
He argued that all persons once presiding are however required to be impartial and stressed that is what Speakers are required by law to do.
Joe Wise also expressed appreciation with the ruling of the Court that the person presiding can be counted for the House to form a quorum to transact business and argued there is already a precedent on that issue.
Former Speaker Edward Joe Adjaho, he said, made a ruling on that matter and indicated Speaker Alban Bagbin argued in support at the time.
He expressed surprise that people are suddenly changing their positions but stressed the Supreme Court has settled the matter in its ruling.
Source: Mypublisher24.com
