Parliament's job is not to facilitate the agenda of the president - Lawyer

A professor of Law, Lawyer H Kwesi Prempeh, has opined that the role of the Speaker of Parliament is not to facilitate the agenda of a president.

The respected lawyer in an opinion said the role of the Speaker is to preside over a Parliament that is able to scrutinize, debate, modify, approve or disapprove any agenda of the President.

His opinion comes after some persons have argued that the election of the Speaker of the 8th Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin will frustrate the president and his agenda.

But the lawyer thinks otherwise saying: “A President is entitled to have his way in his Cabinet; he is not entitled to have his way in Parliament–unless, of course, that Parliament is but a costly sham.”

He said the election of a Speaker is something MPs are entitled to do by law and although the President can express interest in who becomes a Speaker, the final decision rest with the MPs.

Read his full post below

The position of Speaker of Parliament is not a presidential or party appointment. Presidents and parties can indicate their support for their preferred candidate, but, in the end, it is for Members of Parliament themselves to decide who, in their individual and collective judgment, is best suited to head their own separate (Legislative) branch of government. After all, the job of Parliament is not to facilitate a President’s agenda; it is to scrutinize, debate, modify, approve or disapprove it. A President is entitled to have his way in his Cabinet; he is not entitled to have his way in Parliament–unless, of course, that Parliament is but a costly sham.