Kwame Agbodza Governs, Majority Chief Whip , has confirmed that the Deputy Second Speaker position in Parliament is officially vacant following the “crossing of carpet” by Andrew Asiamah, the former Deputy Speaker.
During a press briefing, Agbodza expressed disappointment in his colleague, stating, “Asiamah is my good friend, but he has crossed the line. If you are no longer an MP, how do you continue as Speaker? That position is vacant.”
When asked whether Parliament would vote to elect a new Deputy Second Speaker on Tuesday, Agbodza remained tight-lipped, replying, “Let’s get to the house on Tuesday and cross that line.”
His statement implies that Parliament will formally address the matter upon its reconvening, allowing for anticipation about the leadership’s approach to resolving the situation.
In response to questions about the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, Agbodza revealed he had not yet reviewed it, saying, “I’ve not heard about the Supreme Court’s ruling. I am just coming back from Adaklu.”
He also reaffirmed that as MPs, they take instructions directly from the Speaker of Parliament, drawing a comparison to how the executive takes directives from the President and the judiciary from the Chief Justice.
He questioned the influence of the Chief Justice over parliamentary actions, asserting, “I don’t remember when we’ve made laws and the Chief Justice has told us how to do it.”
When asked about the representation of voters who elected MPs affected by this development, Agbodza shifted the focus to the long-standing issue of SALL (Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi) citizens who have been unrepresented in Parliament for four years. “What about the people of SALL? They’ve faced this for four years. Are they not Ghanaians? Are you complaining about a period of just two months?
In response to Ebenezer Madugu of AtinkaTV TV’s question about the continuation of the lack of representation for certain constituents, Agbodza acknowledged the challenge but maintained, “We are not saying it should continue, but this is the situation we’ve found ourselves in.”
As Parliament prepares to address the vacancy of the Deputy Second Speaker position and other pressing issues, Agbodza’s statements underline the complexity of balancing constitutional duties with the representation of Ghana’s electorate.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com Ebenezer Madugu