NDC petitions Bagbin to expel First Deputy Speaker from Parliament

The Bono East Regional Youth Wing of the opposition National Democratic Congress has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to expel the First Deputy Speaker and Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Joseph Osei-Owusu, from the lawmaking house.

The call by the opposition party membership comes at the back of a recent statement made by the MP.

“During the last State of the Nation's Address of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on January 5, 2021, he refused to acknowledge the wicked shooting of thirteen (13) unarmed citizens of Techiman South Constituency by armed security men leading to the death of three (3). Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu was questioned why the President did not say anything about the deaths of Ghanaians recorded at Techiman and other places. He replied by likening those shot in Techiman as criminals or armed robbers who need no commiseration,” portions of the petition addressed to the Speaker sighted by GhanaWeb reads.

According to the NDC Youth, the MP's statement was “unfortunate, most especially at this moment that proper investigations have not been conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to come out with the truth as to why they were shot to death”.

They add that Mr Osei-Owusu owing to his utterances has exhibited a lack of emotional intelligence, something that is highly required of him as First Deputy Speaker of the legislature.

“Mr. Speaker, we believe the functions of the First Deputy Speaker is so sensitive to the August House as well as Ghana's democratic development, as such, the occupant needs someone with emotional intelligence to occupy, since Parliament is the House of the people.”

The group has, therefore, urged Mr Bagbin to invoke article 95 (2) (d) of the constitution and expel Mr Osei-Owusu from the house of parliament.

“It is our candid view that the current First Deputy Speaker’s utterances do not make him fit to lead parliament in that capacity hence calling for his removal through the invocation of Article 95 (2) (d) by the Hon. Members of the august House.”

Read the NDC's Petition below:

THE SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT

PARLIAMENT HOUSE, ACCRA

January 19, 2021

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRES

BONO EAST REGIONAL YOUTH WING

Dear Sir,

PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE FIRST DEPUTY SPEAKER OF THE 8TH PARLIAMENT OF GHANA - HON JOSEPH OSEI WUSU (THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR BEKWAI CONSTITUENCY)

Ghana's 4th Republican Democracy has seen a lot of successes through the efforts of the second arm of government which is the August House of parliament. Our parliamentary democracy for the past 28 years have had leaders who have one way or the other steered the wheels of parliament to those successes.

The 7th Parliament which has just been dissolved ushering in the 8th parliament had the First Deputy Speaker in the person of Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu who doubles as Member of Parliament for Bekwai Constituency. Ghanaians got up in March 2018 to hear a barbaric and wicked suggestion emanating from this man calling on the speaker to empower our revered security forces to shoot and kill persons engaged in galamsey operation which is dominated by the youth. It took the then 2nd Deputy Speaker, Hon. Alban S K Bagbin to argue contrary to such atrocious mindset of Joseph Osei Wusu which saved the lives of millions of Ghanaians who would have perished if his proposal gained the support of the house.

Unfortunately, the same person through the benevolence of the good people of the Bekwai Constituency is back to the August house of parliament but has not changed a bit in terms of insensitivity, barbarism and wicked thinking.

During the last State of the Nation's Address of Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo on January 5, 2021, he refused to acknowledge the wicked shooting of thirteen (13) unarmed citizens of Techiman South Constituency by armed security men leading to the death of three (3). Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu was questioned why the President did not say anything about the deaths of Ghanaians recorded at Techiman and other places. He replied by likening those shot in Techiman as criminals or armed robbers who need no commiseration. We the youth see this statement as very unfortunate, most especially at this moment that proper investigations has not been conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to come out with the truth as to why they were shot to death.

Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu was elected on the 7th of January as the First Deputy Speaker of Ghana's Parliament per article 96(1).

According to article 101, Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu takes over the presiding of Ghana's Parliament in the absence of the speaker in the person of Hon. A. S. K. Bagbin. Among other functions of the speaker includes presiding over parliamentary debates, announcing results of votes by Parliamentarians, making rulings on Parliamentary proceedings and taking disciplinary measures on Parliamentarians. The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament is the Chairman of the all-important Appointment Committee of parliament.

Mr. Speaker, we believe the functions of the First Deputy Speaker is so sensitive to the August House as well as Ghana's Democratic Development, as such the occupant needs someone with emotional intelligence to occupy, since Parliament is the House of the people.

It is our candid view that the current First Deputy Speaker utterances does not make him fit to lead parliament in that capacity hence calling for his removal through the invocation of Article 95 (2) (d) by the Hon. Members of the August House.

This will give the House the needed concentration to cooperate with each side (NDC and NPP) for the smooth running of Ghana's House of Parliament.

Please read further from the following news portals that reported the interviews of Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament of the 8th Parliament and the Second Deputy Speaker of the 7th Parliament of Ghana:-

Joseph Osei-Owusu describes Techiman shooting victims as “armed robbers” From AO & KN in Accra. https://www.africanewsanalysis.com/joseph-osei-owusu-describes-techiman-shooting-victims-as-armed-robbers-from-ao-kn-in-accra/ (Published on January 6, 2021)

Those shot and killed during election 2020 were criminals – Bekwai MP (https://riddimsghana.com/news/those-shot-and-killed-during-election-2020-were-criminals-bekwai-mp/) (Published on January 6, 2021)

Parliament debates ‘shoot-to-kill’ order against galamseyers. https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/parliament-debates-shoot-to-kill-order-against-galamseyers.htm (Published on March 14, 2018)

Shoot-to-kill galamseyers’ suggestion unfortunate – Aning https://citifmonline.com/2018/03/shoot-kill-galamseyers-suggestion-unfortunate-aning/ (Published on March 15, 2018)

The Bono East Regional Youth of the National Democratic Congress is counting on your usual cooperation.

Thank you.

Signed

………………………

Bilal Muazu Sulemana.

(Bono East Regional Youth Organizer

National Democratic Congress)

Tel: 0244429093

CC

Hon. Joseph Osei-Wusu (Deputy Speaker of Parliament)

Hon. Addrews Asiamah – Amoakoh (Deputy Speaker of Parliament)

Hon Haruna Iddrisu (Leader of the NDC Parliamentary Caucus)

Hon. Osie-Kyei Mensah Bonsu (Leader of the NPP Parliamentary Caucus)

The Clark of Parliament

The NDC Chief Whip

The NPP Chief Whip

The Media