Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako Jnr, has dismissed recent comments by Sydney Casley-Hayford against Parliament as unwarranted and jaundiced.
Mr Casley-Hayford, a social activist and financial analyst, had said the legislative body has outlived its usefulness and that if he had his way, he would “break down Parliament”.
“These people are sitting there, spending money like crazy, making stupid decisions, and passing stupid laws. They don’t read the papers that they are given, they don’t think through what the challenges are,” Mr Casley-Hayford had said.
Mr Casley-Hayford has apologised for his unsavory comments against the august House, however, Parliament has since cited the renowned social commentator for contempt, amid fears he may soon be sanctioned by the Privileges Committee.
Sydney Casley-Hayford
Although Mr Baako Jnr describes Mr Casley-Hayford an exemplary anti-graft campaigner, he admitted Saturday on Newsfile on Joy FM/Multi TV that his colleague goofed.
“He is wrong on this call; the language used…it is not a fair statement to make of the corporate entity called Parliament.
“Let’s be honest, they [Parliament] may have passed some laws that some of us think are progressive enough. But they have passed many good laws…some of which emanated from civil society activism and advocacy and have done much for our good governance practice. So this is a very sweeping, over-general statement that is not good enough,” Mr Baako Jnr said.
‘Rabid’ attack on Parliament
During a summit a week ago on the topic ‘The Economic and Political Rise of Africa’ also said Mr Casley-Hayford also said the country would be better off saving money as the legislature only adds to the nation’s budget but does little to develop it.
“We should have regional parliaments, every region, we have 10 of them in Ghana, every region must have its own legal parliament, every region must have its own law courts, every region must have its ministries and down at that level, let the decisions be made as to where they want to go”, he had said.
However, speaking on Newsfile, Mr Baako Jnr criticised the proposal, suggesting that regional parliaments would instead be more expensive.
“Can we have ten regional parliaments? And who says that would be less expensive? [Ghana] is not a Federal State, so it is all wrong here.
“From even the intellectual point of view, maybe it is his ideological belief, but it can be put in a way that can actually agitate minds for us to have an intellectual intercourse and see the best way forward. But in this context, it shows like a rabid attempt to attack the institution of Parliament,” Kwaku Baako Jnr said.
He said it was good Mr Casley-Hayford has apologised and urged the leadership of Parliament let the matter rest.