Parliamentary Chamber: Haruna, Bagbin part of decision makers - Afenyo-Markins

Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markins says the decision taken by the Parliamentary Service Board to build a new parliamentary chamber included the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.

According to him, he is not in any position to comment on the proposed new parliamentary chamber as the leadership responsible for the proposition has not brought the issue to the floor of parliament for broad discussions.

Nonetheless, Board Chairman of Ghana Water Company Limited has said on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show that he is not privy as a backbencher in Parliament to the content of the proposal to pass his comment.

“I am not part of the leaders of the Parliamentary Service Board who have taken a decision on the new chamber, and those of us who are not in the leadership position cannot comment on it. The issue will be brought to the floor of Parliament after the leaders have deliberated extensively on it so that we can also share our views," he said.

“Minority leader Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, MP for Tamale South represents the NDC in Parliament, Hon. Alban Bagbin, former Majority leader and now 2nd Deputy Speaker; these are the key stakeholders who are the mouthpiece of the NDC Minority on the Board, together with the Majority leaders in Parliament sat to take that decision,” he disclosed.

He insisted he has not reached that status to comment on it and thus he also will not begrudge those NDC MPs like Alhassan Suhuyini and Ras Mubarak who think they are grown enough and can rub shoulders with the leaders of the Parliamentary Service Board to pass their comments.

“They have the right to their own opinions, but as for me, I will reserve the issue to the leadership and when the issue comes before Parliament, then we can also voice out our opinion but for now, the leadership of Parliamentary Service Board has spoken; I am too young to comment on it,” he reiterated.

He therefore begged to reserve his thought of the proposed new parliamentary chamber until the Parliamentary Service Board furnishes the House with extensive information on the proposal.