Member of Parliament for South Dayi Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor of the National Democratic Congress has dug through the archives to find a video of First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei Owusu rejecting a Deputy Speaker’s or any other member’s right to vote during proceedings if he or she is presiding.
Mr. Osei Owusu’s decision to vote after preside over a meeting in December 2021 sparked a brawl in Parliament.
The Minority believed the move to be in violation of the Standing Orders, prompting some of them to pull the Speaker’s chairs and engage the Majority members in heated arguments that included pushing and shoving.
Justice Abdulai, a law lecturer, brought the issue to court because he needed clarification on Articles 102 and 104 of the 1992 Constitution.
After several weeks of deliberation, the Supreme Court determined on March 9 that Joewise, as the First Deputy Speaker is affectionately known, did not violate the constitution by exercising his right to vote on that particular day.
The decision has polarized sentiments in various debates, with the country’s two main political competitors – John Dramani Mahama and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo – following opposing lines. Mr. Mahama disputes the decision, while Mr. Akufo-Addo applauds it.
“This was the 1st Deputy Speaker speaking to clarify this same subject sometime last year but they got him to change his mind a couple of months ago because they needed more numbers for Elevy,” South Dayi’s Dafeamekpor wrote on Twitter on Friday.
“Time is the cradle of vindication.” Just listen to him in this brief video…”
Last year, the 1st Deputy Speaker spoke to clarify the same issue, but they persuaded him to change his mind a few months ago since they wanted more numbers for Elevy. Time is the womb of vindication. Just listen to him in this brief video….
He claims that the Bekwai MP was swayed to change his mind by the need for the Majority to raise its numbers in order to vote on the contentious Electronic Transaction Levy.
