Joe Wise, first deputy speaker of parliament and MP for Bekwai
Member of Parliament for Bekwai and First Deputy Speaker of the House, Joseph Osei-Owusu has tasked the Minority to do their job of keeping the government in check but desist from attempting to impede its work.
He states that avenues of cooperation between the two sides of the lawmaking chamber continued to be robust and that in his view there was no tension.
Speaking on Joy News’ The Probe programme that aired on December 5, 2021, he stated that his disagreement with the Minority is to the extent that they seem to want to have their way by all means possible.
“Let them tell Ghanaians their alternative and leave the Ghanaians to punish the majority if they implement what Ghanaians don’t like.
“If the Majority say, we have heard you, thank you but we intend to proceed, let them take responsibility for their decision. But don’t say if you don’t do it my way, you can’t govern, you can’t pass the bill.
“That is where I part ways with them. But as for speaking their mind, offering alternatives, telling Ghanaians that we would have done it A or B or C, they are entitled and actually ought to do it,” he submitted.
The purported rejection of the 2022 budget and subsequent recission and approval of same brough matters to a head in Parliament as both sides traded accusations of unconstitutionality.
A move by the Minority to recission the approval led to near blows last Wednesday. The Bekwai MP who was presiding in the absence of Speaker Alban Bagbin has been accused to contributing to the chaos with his decisions but he insists his performance has been above board.
The House reconvenes tomorrow, Tuesday, December 7, 2021.