The Majority leader in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has disagreed with the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka for filing a motion of rescission against the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin for referring some three MPs to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves for 15 sitting days without permission.
The Speaker of Parliament referred, Henry Quotey, MP for Ayawaso West, Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin Central and Sarah Adjoa Safo, MP for Dome Kwabenya to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves from Parliament.
According to the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, it is conventional and practice of every Parliament for the Speaker to refer a petition he has received on behalf of the house to a committee of that same parliament for deliberations and report to the plenery.
” A speaker can receive a petition from outsiders, and indeed as you’re all aware, demonstrators come to parliament to present petitions, who do they submit the petitions to or intend to submit the petitions to, the speaker. And because often times the Speaker may be Presiding, the Majority and the Minority leaders received the petitions on behalf of the Speaker and submit same to him”. He said.
He continued that, after the Speaker has peruse the document, referred same to the appropriate committee for consideration and report back to the house.
Reacting to the comments by the Speaker that, after the Privileges Committee had sat and consider the matter involving the three affect MPs, the report should be brought to the plenery for vote without debate. The Majority Leader categorically said that, it is wrong and that, the Majority side of the house totally disagree with the Speaker.
He explained that, after one appear before the Privileges Committee and after interrogation one is not able to prove to the committee reasons for absenting themselves without permission, the determinations and recommendations of the committee does not come to the chamber for deliberations again.
Article 97 (1) (c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 17 of the Standing Orders of Parliament state emphatically: “A Member shall not absent himself during a meeting for more than fifteen sittings without the permission in writing of the Speaker. Any member infringing this Order shall have his conduct referred to the Privileges Committee.”
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com/Kwaku Ansah
