It's time to amend the constitution to allow MPs be Speakers of Parliament - Ayew Afriye suggests

Bagbin reacts to Supreme Court ruling

SC rules that sit-in Speakers of Parliament can vote

SC ruling is Ghana applying itself to global logic - Effiduase-Asokore MP

The Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore, Nana Ayew Afriye, has stated that perhaps it is the appropriate time in the country for Speakers of Parliament to also be representatives of constituencies.

He explained that in other Commonwealth countries around the world, such provisions exist, clearing all ambiguities surrounding who can vote during parliamentary proceedings.

In a post he shared on his Facebook page to respond to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin’s reaction to the Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality or not of sit-in Speakers of Parliament to vote, the MP called for an amendment of the constitution to fit this narrative.

He added that with this, it could save the country extra costs that are made to cater for non-MP Speakers of Parliament.

“I share in the pain of the deputy speakers who are MPs just as me. Unlike other jurisdictions in the commonwealth where speakers are also members of parliament and have a casting vote, Ghana's speaker is not an MP and hence have no casting vote per Ghana's constitution. Thus, by extension, I see the ruling as Ghana applying itself to the logic of global or commonwealth parliamentary practice.

“Maybe it's about time we amend the constitution to vote for MP speakers who will have casting vote too. This will save the tax payers some more money as the hefty provision of emoluments for non-MP speaker's as backed by article 95(5), treat non MP speaker's in a special category of article 71 office holders.

“The speaker's benefits is way above that of an MP. This is NOT same for deputy speakers. Deputy speakers are only limited to their salaries as MPs as provided for in article 98(1) of the constitution for members of parliament,” he wrote.