The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, of prejudice for refusing to hear a motion submitted by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrissu.
According to them, Mr. Osei-Owusu’s refusal to allow the motion constituted an abuse of his position since he was unaware of Article 296, which required public officials to act with discretion and to be fair and honest when exercising that judgment.
“In our view, he was politically biased in his refusal to admit the motion than doing his work as the Speaker of the House”.
The claim was made by Minority Chief Whip Mohamed Mubarak Muntaka when he addressed the media in Parliament in response to the First Deputy Speaker’s direction to the Clerk of Parliament, via letter, to advise the Minority Leader that his motion had been disallowed.
After his previous move to invalidate the passage of the 2022 budget was denied, the Minority Leader filed the motion contesting the First Deputy Speaker’s verdict.
In his motion, Mr. Iddrisu protested about the unjust ruling of Mr. Osei-Owusu, who sat for Speaker Alban Bagbin.
He claimed that Mr. Osei-Owusu’s December 1, 2021 judgment violated House rules, customs, and procedures and was motivated by prejudice.
Mr. Muntaka further added that the Minority Leader will react to the First Deputy Speaker’s letter and remind him that he was being unjust by refusing to allow the motion.
He said that the Order 13 (2) cited by Mr. Osei-Owusu was merely related to the Speaker’s absence and the First Deputy Speaker assuming the Speaker’s power, and so had nothing to do with the motion sought by the Minority side.
He contended that Order 81 discusses the steps to submit a motion, whereas Order 82 clarifies the procedure to move and second a motion, adding that once a motion is moved and seconded, it cannot be withdrawn unless with the leave of the House, and thus the purported ruling by the First Deputy Speaker on the earlier motion was null and void.
Mr. Muntaka further said that the Minority would use alternative measures to contest the First Deputy Speaker’s rejection to allow the motion, or that he will wait for Speaker Alban Bagbin to make another move.
Mr. Muntaka insisted that the House should rise for the Christmas break on December 17, 2021, notwithstanding differences between the Minority and Majority.
He said that the Minority side was solid and ready to work, and he asked his colleagues on the Majority side to demonstrate the same zeal in carrying out the House’s agenda.
Read Also: Alibaba fires woman who claimed sexual assault
SOURCE: myjoyonline
