Ruling on Deputy Speaker’s right to vote amount to continuous fight in Parliament – Sam George

Member of Parliament(MP) for Ningo Prampram, Sam George has said the Supreme Court’s ruling on whether a Deputy Speaker can vote when he is presiding over business of the House of Parliament will not end the continuous disagreement which amount to scuffles in the Chamber. 

According to him, it’s wrong for the Supreme Court to allow Deputy Speaker’s, he describes as referees to count their votes as part when presiding over duties in the House.

His assertion comes after a 7-Member Supreme Court judges, held that a Member-Speaker is entitled to be counted for purposes of quorum, for doing business, and to vote in the business of the House (even while presiding).

The Supreme Court was composed of Justices Jones Dotse as President, Nene Amegatcher, Prof. Ashie Kotei, Mariama Owusu, Avril Lovelace Johnson, Clemence Honyenuga and Yonny Kulendi.

The ruling affirms the position of the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, that he did nothing wrong by voting to approve the 2022 budget, although he was presiding as speaker in the stead of Alban Bagbin.

Reacting to the news in a Fcaebook post, the NDC lawmaker said, “Abi we all go dey the Chamber inside. Come and give the referee the ball to play some let us see. The sweetness of the pudding is in its eating. The sham called Justice delivery in our Republic. Despicable!”