Oppong Nkrumah Welcomes Speaker’s Decision to Lift Suspension of Four MPs - Onlinetimesgh

Oppong Nkrumah Welcomes Speaker’s Decision to Lift Suspension of Four MPs

The Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has welcomed the decision of Speaker Alban Bagbin to lift the suspension of four Members of Parliament. The Speaker reversed the suspension after appeals from both the Majority and Minority Leaders, signaling a move towards restoring parliamentary order.

Speaking in an interview with Citi News, Oppong Nkrumah acknowledged the effectiveness of the Minority’s protest and emphasized that the decision to reinstate the MPs now allows for a more constructive engagement in Parliament.

“When our leader stood on his feet, he did not choose to go through a legal route to litigate the matter but appealed to the sensibilities of Mr. Speaker,” Oppong Nkrumah explained.

He likened the approach to legal proceedings, where lawyers can choose between strict legal arguments and appealing to a judge’s discretion.

“If you speak to any lawyer, he will tell you that if you are in the courtroom before a judge, for example, with a bail application, you can choose to go arguing on the fortification of the law, and you can also choose that, in addition to the argument on the fortification of the law, you appeal to the sensibilities and jurisprudence of the judge in the chair. That is what our leader chose to do.”

Majority and Minority Unite to Restore Order

Oppong Nkrumah further explained that the Majority caucus had initially presented legal arguments in a memo to the Speaker but later opted for a diplomatic approach to de-escalate tensions.

“We had argued the law earlier in the memo that we sent to the Speaker in the engagement that we had with him, and when he got on the floor, our leader chose to then amplify the arguments that called on his sensibilities, and in the end, we got what we wanted,” he noted.

The suspension of the four MPs followed a heated clash between the Majority and Minority during a vetting session, which led to disruptions in parliamentary proceedings. The Speaker’s decision to reinstate them is expected to ease tensions and foster a more cooperative atmosphere in the House.

As Parliament moves forward, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are now being encouraged to prioritize dialogue and constructive debate to ensure the smooth operation of legislative activities.

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