Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram Samuel Nartey George affectionately called Sam George has said that First Deputy Speaker of Ghana’s 8th Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu had no business presiding over Parliament if he claims he is not Speaker of Parliament.
”If you claim you are not a Speaker, you have absolutely no business presiding over the House. Simple”, he wrote in a tweet.
Sam George made this comment following Joewise’s justification for the 2022 budget approval.
While Parliament was deliberating on the budget approval on Wednesday December 1 Joewise noted that a Deputy Speaker cannot be described as Speaker and for that matter argument against the number of MPs who were in the chamber at the time of the budget approval doesn’t stand.
“I am a member of Parliament, the Second Deputy Speaker is a Member of Parliament, “our work is to assist the Speaker. Any attempt to read and interpret the constitution to include Deputy Speakers is a misreading of the constitution.
“When the Speaker is not around either of us can preside so like any other member. That member does not lose his right of being a member of the House,” Mr. Osei Owusu said.
Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Mr. Joe Ghartey asked the First Deputy Speaker not to set the budget approval aside.