1. Parliament and MPs appear very concerned about their reputation and the eroding public perception about money and the parliamentary vetting processes in Ghana, hence the interest to quickly being this matter up in the full view of the public.
2. Yet, just like they behave most times when the cameras are on them, many of them try to play to the gallery rather than keeping a united front to deal with issues once and for all. Having dealt with parliamentary committees many times in-camera, I know the posturing is usually different when the lights and cameras are not on.
3. Oliver was not invited under the Contempt of Parliament process, but rather as a witness before a parliamentary committee as per article 103(6) of the 1992 Constitution. The Committee could certainly not have invited him under that route because they are not clothed with the power to do so.
4. The Standing Orders of Parliament, in various parts, provides for how witnesses should be treated and the rights witnesses have, including the right to legal counsel. This was fully taken advantage of by Oliver.
5. There is no Committee of Privileges and Immunities yet in this 9th Parliament, although by the Rules of the House, we already know it will be chaired by the same Hon. First Deputy Speaker, Ahiafor Bernard when set up. I consider that it is the absence of this Committee that got the Appointments Committee to quickly call the matter under the ‘witness invitation’ route.
6. The proceedings this morning show clearly that there is a difference between facts, exuberance, and hotheadedness on social media. We also see how twisting and misrepresenting issues in the media (traditional and new media) can be injurious to our democracy.
7. Ultimately, Parliament, under the leadership of Rt. Hon Alban S.K. Bagbin has work to do to make better the perception held of the institution by the people they serve/represent. This will be through their conducts, actions, inactions, and how they discharge their responsibilities.
8. Finally, this morning’s proceedings provides another layer to the importance of parliamentary openness. As organsiations such as Parliamentary Network Africa have always maintained, opening up parliamentary committees to the public (to the extent reasonable) has more benefits than demerits. Imagine what the narrative would have been of today’s proceedings if we all didn’t get the chance to watch feeli feeli (like we say in Ghana).
#OpenParliament
#HansardOfAStreetParliamentarian
By: Sammy Obeng, Parliamentary Africa
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