Vacant Seats Controversy: 8th Parliament is a 'joke' - Prof. Agyekum

Prof. Kofi Agyekum, a professor of linguistics at the University of Ghana, has expressed disappointment in the 8th Parliament following certain scenes on the floor of the House involving the NDC caucus on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

Speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo on Thursday, October 24, 2024, Prof. Agyekum described the display in Parliament, where NDC MPs were seen singing and marching on the floor, as a ‘joke’, echoing sentiments shared by Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

According to him, the parliamentarians have neglected their primary mandate of enforcing laws and are now engaged in needless controversies and arguments.

He added that the scuffle over which caucus occupies the Majority seats in the House was entirely unnecessary.

“I was saddened by the display of the parliamentarians on Tuesday where they were singing and marching on a march pass. How can persons we have voted into power to enforce and make laws that will advance the country be behaving this way?

“To add to what Joe Wise said about being disappointed in the 8th Parliament, I agree because the foundation of this Parliament wasn’t built on the right path. It started on January 7th where these parliamentarians were seen snatching ballot boxes, chewing ballot papers and engaging in fisticuffs. This same Parliament and it has gradually gotten to this current stage...” he said.

His comments align with those made by Joseph Osei-Owusu.

According to him, the current Parliament has been riddled with controversies that have tarnished the reputation of the House.

According to him, previous parliaments have accomplished much more in the passage of laws and legislation compared to what the legislators of the 8th Parliament have achieved in terms of lawmaking.

“I am disappointed in the 8th parliament generally. We have done very little in legislation and you can just take the number of laws and smaller legislations we have done. We have wasted so much time on inconsequential things and matters when our main job is making laws.

“Go and take the number of laws we have made in the last four years and compare with the other parliaments and you will see that the 8th parliament has been the least. It's been full of controversy, matters that previously we used to sit down and discuss and overcome, now we’ve turned them into fisticuffs and that is most disappointing to me," he said.

He continued to lament that, “The whole essence of democracy is to encourage people to exchange ideas, so, if Parliament, which is the entire reflection of the country, we cannot sit down on any matter to discuss and agree or agree to disagree, where is our democracy. So, I find our conduct very disappointing as a parliament."

Watch the video of Prof Agyekum below:

8th Parliament is a “joke”. It has passed less legislation than other parliaments and always engaged in “needless” arguments - Prof ‘Opanyin’ Kofi Agyekum pic.twitter.com/Lan1cdxwa7

— DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) October 24, 2024