Have the courage to accept divergent views – Joe Wise to Bagbin

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has described as unfair claims by the Speaker Alban Bagbin that has developed the penchant for overturning his rulings in the House.

According to the Bekwai MP, even though he and the Speaker are not new at expressing divergent views on matters in the past, he is not guilty of overtunring rulings of his boss.

Addressing the House on Wednesday, Mr. Bagbin said “the penchant of the First Deputy Speaker to overturn my ruling is, to say the least, is unconstitutional, illegal, and offensive. Be that it as it may I shall not be taking any such to overrule the decision of the First Deputy Speaker to dismiss the motion as moved by the Honorable Ranking Member of the Finance Committee”.

Mr. Bagbin told the House he will meet his deputies to ensure the development never repeats itself.

“Honorable Members it is interesting to note that this is the second time the first Deputy Speaker has taken the chair and has made a ruling which intends was to overrule a position I had earlier on established before the House,” he added.

Reacting to the comment, the Bekwai MP in a statement said “Holding a different view on issues from Mr Speaker therefore is not new to him. Since becoming the Speaker however, Right Hon Bagbin appears to think that holding a different view from himself, is unbecoming and insubordinate of a Deputy Speaker. Indeed, Mr speaker’s last description of my ruling as illegal, unconstitutional and offensive is most unfortunate and epitome of intolerance of differing views”.

He further noted: “I have never entertained any application for a review of a ruling of Rt. Hon. Speaker and I will never do so”.

He also denied claims by the Speaker that he had spoken to him about his concerns over the rulings in the House.

“I have never shied away from showing my disagreement with Mr Speaker if need be, in my view, that is what democracy is about and that is what it ought to be. Mr Speaker should have the courage to accept that others may hold a different view from his own even if they are surbonate to him”.