Bagbin Did Right

Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament acted in good faith and did right when he lifted the suspension he had unilaterally placed  on four Members of the House accused to have been involved in chaos at a Committee sitting last week.

Considering the rising tension the suspension had generated and the fact that the new Government is barely a month in office and still in transition and more especially the fact that the suspended Members have expressed ramose and regret, Speaker’s withdrawal of the suspension was right and tactful.

The reconciliatory tones of the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga and the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin in their respective addresses to plead for leniency and pray Speaker Bagbin to temper justice with mercy sent the right signals on unity and oneness in Parliament.

It was a sweet thing to hear that leadership of both sides had met with him earlier to find a solution to the tensed situation.

It was interesting that  Speaker Bagbin, after listening to the addresses from both leaders in the Chamber, stood his grounds and defended the processes and procedures he adopted in arriving at the suspension of the said Members.

He made it clear that anyone who disagreed was at liberty to challenge the matter in court.

Even those who have disagreed with the procedure Speaker Bagbin adopted in sanctioning the accused Members, do not necessarily disagree with his aim of restoring order in the House.

Speaker Bagbin, in his many years  of service to Parliament and  the people of Ghana, has remained committed protecting the integrity of Parliament and ensuring that the House operates with the highest standards of inclusiveness, transparency and accountability.

He stands for the values of justice and rule of law and it is obvious that these values which Mr. Speaker stands for influenced his decision to suspend  some Members of this House over the incident that happened at the Vetting Committee last Thursday.

The Minority did well by giving an assurance  that  they are not in to disrupt Government business and remain committed to supporting any legitimate,  fair and just action aimed at protecting the integrity of Parliament.

These are reconciliatory sounds and sights of statesmanship Ghanaians expect from Parliament.

The drama, antics and theatrics of divisive partisan politics does no good to the country.  Indeed, such signals often get misunderstood by a section of the public who take that as a cue to embark on extreme political excesses.

Ghana’s Parliament is reputed as one of the best in the world therefore it becomes worrying when the tension reaches boiling point sometimes.

One may describe them as an unavoidable part of democracy but it is a curve that can be quite slippery and perilous.

Well done to Speaker Bagbin and the leaders of both the Minority Caucus and the Majority Caucus.