First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu (Joe Wise), has described as unfair, comments by Speaker Alban Bagbin against him after overruling the latter’s decisions in Parliament.
On February 22, Joe Wise, who is the Bekwai MP and chaired proceedings, dismissed a motion by the Minority to probe the government’s expenditure on COVID-19.
According to him, the Speaker, who was chairing the House before handing it over to him, ought not to have admitted the motion, hence the dismissal.
However, Mr Bagbin reacting to the development on Wednesday said he was not happy and described the action of the Bekwai MP as offensive, illegal and unconstitutional.
In a statement, Joe Wise noted he has characteristically elected not to comment on Mr Speaker’s statement in public in order not to create the impression that there’s tension between him and his Deputy.
“As many times as I have the opportunity to preside I will apply the Standing Orders and
relevant constitutional provisions as I understand them and if need be, be guided by
precedent. I have never entertained any application for a review of a ruling of Rt. Hon. Speaker and I will never do so,” he said.
But to him, the comments are unreflective of his conduct.
“After I heard arguments from the proponents of the motion and adversaries, I was
convinced that the objection was well placed and I, therefore, sustained it.
“It was never a review of any decision earlier taken by Mr speaker to admit the motion to set up a special committee, as he seems to suggest in his formal communication.
I relied on Order 191 of the standing orders in coming to the decision I arrived at,” the statement read in parts.
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Joe Wise maintained has never shied away from showing his disagreement with Mr Speaker if need be.
“In my view, that is what democracy is about and that is what it ought to be. Mr Speaker should have the courage to accept that others may hold a different view from his own even if they are surbonate to him,” he urged.
Read the full statement below: