Executive Director for Parliamentary Network Africa (PNA) Sammy Obeng has called for consensus between the political leaders and the leadership of the court to consider hearing James Gyakye Quayson’s case on Mondays or during the parliamentary recess in August.
Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson stated on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday 4 July 2023 that the Minority members would abandon parliamentary proceedings to accompany their colleague MP for Assin North James Gyakye Quayson, who is facing trial for perjury, to the court any time his case is to be heard.
Sammy Obeng said in an interview with Helen Appiah-Ampofo on 3FM Sunrise morning show on Wednesday, July 5 that the Minority has every right to solidarize with anyone they want to solidarize with including their colleague MP, Gyakye Quayson and to decide that they want to go to court to show comradeship to him; however, they have the responsibility of representing the people of Ghana who have elected them to their respective roles in parliament.
“I find this declaration by the minority leader in parliament quite unfortunate. In the sense that first of all, proceedings in parliament are not only made up of public business as in the business of the government of the day. It also has the component of what is called in the parliamentary parlance ‘Private Business’ which are among other things issues of a member of parliament asking questions to a particular minister on issues relating to roads, electricity and education in his or her constituency among other matters of urgent concern to the constituents and private members bill,” Sammy Obeng expressed.
He also asked whether Ghanaians are being told by the Minority Leader that because they have to solidarize with their colleague they will not on important days where members of the minority ask important parliamentary questions in parliament.
The executive director of PNA noted that from the history of parliament, close to 90% of questions are filed by the minority in any parliament. “Are we now being told that in the coming days the minority members are going to shirk their responsibilities to ask parliamentary questions on behalf of their constituents on days the court case is going to be heard?” he quizzed.
Sammy Obeng stressed that whereas it is extremely important that the Attorney General does not use his office to frustrate the work of a sitting member of parliament rather than issuing threats that have the potential of affecting all the people and the businesses that need to take place in parliament.
He recommended that rather, there should be a lot of conversation between the political class and leadership of the court to explore the option of hearing Gyakye Quayson’s case on Mondays since parliament sits from Tuesday to Thursday or probably schedule the hearing to when parliament goes on recess in August so that the MP’s work is not impeded.
“Mr. Quayson must not be stampeded from doing his work especially when his people have been denied representation for so long but also in the quest to defend that, other constituencies who are represented by minority MPs must not have their representation rights suffering because their MPs are leaving for the court,” he admonished.
By Samuel Afriyie Owusu|3news.com|Ghana