Leadership has lost control, backbenchers have taken over parliament – Joe Wise

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has stated that Ghana's eighth Parliament has seen a shift in power dynamics, with backbenchers taking center stage and the leadership facing challenges in controlling affairs.

The Deputy Speaker lamented that the equal number of Members of Parliament (MPs) on the side of the ruling party and the opposition has led to a focus on politics rather than the essential business of governance and as a result, the eighth Parliament has witnessed a decline in legislative productivity.

“We have decided to do politics instead of business. This equal number in parliament has brought the worst in MPs, I have repeated it, I will repeat it again – this parliament, the eighth parliament has made the least number of laws,” myjoyonline.com quoted him to have said.

Speaking in a media interview after a parliamentary sitting Joseph Osei-Owusu, who has served in parliament for more than a decade, expressed his concern about the rising trend of absent MPs hindering the conduct of parliamentary business.

The said absence according to him has added to the difficulties in managing the affairs of the house.

Highlighting the shifting dynamics, the First Deputy Speaker noted that young MPs, particularly those seated in the backbench, have taken on an active role in steering discussions and raising important issues for consideration instead of the leadership.

“Young people are in control; they look at things differently from the rest of us, so it is even good for them when their leaders agree to do it.

“Check the current parliament, it is always people from the back bench who come to raise this thing and not the leaders. What it means is that at this time in the parliament of Ghana, leaders don’t have control, the back bench has control.”

The Minority declared early this week that they are escalating their protest against the prosecution of Gyakye Quayson.

The new strategy is to continuously raise issue of quorum, literally shutting the House down every time.

AM/SARA

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