The NDC lawmaker and minority chief whip, Muntaka Mubarak now seems to be regretting the efforts he made to ensure that Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin defeated his predecessor, professor Aaron Mike Ocquaye, even using physical violence.
The Asawase MP claimed that because Bagbin is treating lawmakers poorly and “becoming a tyrant,” he has missed prof. Ocquaye.
He claims that Speaker Bagbin has transformed the legislative body into a chief’s palace, where he views himself as the fount of all knowledge and believes that anything he says is binding.
“I am sorry to say this, but when you want to turn the Chamber of Parliament into a palace, then you become a tyrant. He is becoming a tyrant,” Muntaka told JoyNews in an interview.
He explained that the speaker despises having his decisions questioned, which makes it difficult for lawmakers to freely express their opinions and concerns.
“You are not a chief, you are supposed to be a Speaker of Parliament and a Speaker listens to both sides patiently even where there is a disagreement and that is the essence of democracy to sometimes even agree to disagree but where you personalised it as if a disagreement is a disrespect to you, then I am sorry you are becoming a bad Speaker,” he added.
On the day the speaker decided to form an Adhoc committee to look into the charges in a motion of censure submitted by the NDC caucus, a minority group in parliament, calling for the resignation of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Muntaka and the speaker had a disagreement.
He asserts that the committee that allowed the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, a public hearing before a report was delivered to the plenary for a debate and vote was established by the speaker in violation of the Standing Orders of the House.
“That committee [Adhoc committee] was not necessary, our Standing Orders are very clear. Speaker has no discretion and authority to do any other thing contrary to what is stated in the Standing Orders and I continue to maintain that,” he emphasised.
The majority NPP members, who are also seeking the ouster of Ofori-Atta, staged a walkout, depriving the minority of the necessary number to establish a quorum, and thus lost the censure vote last week.
The motion’s sponsors accused Ken Ofori-Atta of financial irresponsibility, alarming incompetence, and flagrant mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy. They also alleged that he had violated the constitution by illegally withdrawing money from the Consolidated Fund and paying oil revenues into offshore accounts.
Other than Muntaka, some commentators disagreed with Bagbin’s decision to form an 8-member committee to first investigate the censure resolution and hear from the Finance Minister.
In a recent letter titled “Games in Parliament,” former special prosecutor Martin Amidu accused Bagbin of acting like a despot.
“Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin needs to be told to stop talking down on Ghanaians as though he is a village chief and we, his subjects.
“No humble, learned, erudite, and experienced person will ever seek to silence his critics in a constitutional democracy by telling them that: ‘In all humility, please note that there is deep thought in whatever I do. Don’t underrate my knowledge, skills, experience, and expertise in Parliamentary practice and procedure.’
“It is for the public or one’s professional peer group, to determine one’s level of knowledge, skills, experience, and expertise and not for one to subjectively assert them and trumpet his competencies to the world,” Amidu’s statement said in part.
Akua Karle Okyere
Akua Karle Okyere is a lifestyle blogger at The Vocal Ghanaian and also a PR technician. She enjoys researching on travels and tours and writing fictional stories in her leisure time.