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Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff under President J.A. Kufuor, has called on Parliament to handle its internal issues independently, without resorting to court injunctions.
Mpiani’s remarks follow an application by Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to the Supreme Court, challenging Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant. The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-2 decision that Bagbin’s declaration was unconstitutional, with Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo stating that the Speaker’s actions could not be upheld. This ruling has escalated tensions regarding the balance between the Majority and Minority in Parliament.
Highlighting the potential drawbacks of frequent court interventions, Mpiani warned that reliance on the judiciary could disrupt Parliament’s effectiveness. Instead, he urged members to resolve conflicts through internal discussions and consensus-building, suggesting that this approach might have prevented the current deadlock.
Mpiani further advised Speaker Bagbin to respect the Supreme Court’s decision and encouraged MPs to engage in constructive dialogue to ensure parliamentary stability. He remarked, “I don’t personally believe that anybody should injunct Parliament because if you do that, you will make the work of Parliament more difficult because next time, I will run to court to injunct Parliament on how it does its work.”
He continued, “Parliament should be able to resolve its issues itself. If you return to Parliament and don’t get a quorum for decisions, what has been achieved?” These comments were made during an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Wednesday, November 13.
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