Crooked Joe Wise Acted Illegally By Overturning Motion To Probe COVID-19 Spending …Speaker Bagbin thunders

Speaker Alban Bagbin returned to Parliament from sick leave on Wednesday and was in a full rage over the rascality of 1st Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei Wusu, who, for the umpteenth time has threatened Ghana’s democracy by overturning decisions taken by the Speaker in Parliament as soon as the Speaker goes on sick leave.

This time, Joe Osei Wusu’s act of subversion was his strange decision to overturn a Motion by the Minority for a probe into the Akufo-Addo government’s questionable spending on COVID-19.

Joe Wise as the Bekwai MP is popularly called had dismissed the Motion claiming that the Motion had been filed to the wrong forum and that it ought to have been forwarded to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) rather than to the Speaker.

But responding to the action by Joe Wise in his absence, Rt. Hon. Bagbin said the 1st Deputy Speaker’s dismissal was among other things, illegal and offensive.

“The penchant of the First Deputy Speaker to overrule my rulings is, to say the least unconstitutional, illegal and offensive,” Bagbin fumed.

He points out, “Although our standing orders are silent on this, many standing orders and rules from several sister Parliaments provide persuasive rules that suggest that when Deputy Speakers are acting as speakers, whatever happens in the House is that officer’s responsibility. The Speaker cannot be called upon to overrule it.”

“Similarly, the reverse is also the case, that when a speaker is in the chair, whatever happens in the House is the Speaker’s responsibility and the Deputy Speaker or Acting Speaker cannot be called to overrule it”.

On Tuesday, Member of Parliament for the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Constituency, Ato Cassiel Forson, moved a motion which was for the House to constitute a bi-partisan committee to look into the activities of government with respect to Covid-19 expenditure.

The Motion which had earlier been filed before Bagbin would travel for medical attention seeks to probe the government’s claim that it has spent over Ghc8billion on COVID-19 even though Parliament had originally approved some Ghc1.2billion to fight the COVID.

However, on Tuesday when Dr. Ato Casiel moved the Motion, Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markins, raised preliminary objections. Then Joe Wise who was acting Speaker in the place of Bagbin dismissed it.

The Minority has since protested Joe Wise’ partisan shenanigans to continue the cover-up of the Akufo-Addo government around the COVID-19 spending.

This is the same Joe Wise, who provoked fisticuffs in parliament with his illegal attempt to preside over the vote on the e-levy and also vote as MP at the same time.

Many have since said the Bekwai MP has become a clear and present danger to Ghana’s parliamentary democracy with his mockery of parliamentary processes.

Meanwhile, Speaker Alban Bagbin Meanwh has advised the Minority to apply the standing orders to challenge the dismissal of the motion by the First Deputy Speaker.

“Be that as it may, I shall not be taking any steps to overrule his decision to dismiss the motion as moved by the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee.”

The Speaker who expressed frustration over the unruly behavior of MPs in Parliament also warned he will make the Marshalls of Parliament drag out MPs who constantly breach parliamentary procedures.

“What is happening in this Parliament is completely unacceptable. I’m not sure you have an appreciation of the temperature of the country. Neither am I sure have you known the arduous nature of the responsibility that has been placed on your shoulders. You are all matured adults. The Marshal department, get ready. I’ll be compelled to get the marshal to get people arrested and sent out,” Bagbin warned.