Mr Emmanuel Kwadjo Boatey of Somanya in the Yilo Krobo Constituency of the Eastern Region has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to appoint Mr Abraham Ossei-Aidooh, former Majority Leader in Parliament as the eighth Speaker in the fourth republic.
He said apart from his political influence in the democratic dispensation of the country, the lawmaker was also conversant with world and international happenings, a situation that could help him draw workable examples for the betterment of Ghana’s democracy.
“Especially when for the very first time in the history of the Fourth Republic, Parliament has become a tight match between the two main parties, which have been rotating in government, you need a man who has respect in both sides of the political divide to hold the house together, and the legal luminary who is a former majority leader and minister for parliamentary affairs, Abraham Ossei- Aidooh is just the perfect man,” Mr. Boatey said in an interview at Amanase in the Eastern Region.
He said Mr Ossei-Aidooh was one of the first people to go to Parliament for the NPP, representing the ruling party three times as MP for Tema West between 1996 and 2008 and served as Minority Chief Whip, Deputy Majority Leader and Majority leader.
He was the chairman of several committees and also served on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs as well as the Business Committee of Parliament.
Mr. Ossei-Aidooh also served as a member of the Pan-African Parliament and was the rapporteur of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline, one of the 10 permanent committees of the Pan- African Parliament.
“As for the credentials, there are many; he has travelled extensively, having led many Parliamentary delegations on behalf of Ghana and having helped pass many critical laws. But for me, the most important thing is that he is a man well respected in both the NDC and the NPP and we desperately need such a person at this time.”
Both the NPP and the NDC have 137 Parliamentary seats with one independent MP, who had originally been dismissed from the NPP, pledging to work with his former party in Parliament.
The thin and fragile situation means partisanship in Parliament could easily cripple Parliamentary work if the Minority decides to be devious. However, a cool headed Speaker, respected by both sides will be able to get the two sides to work together.
Mr Boatey said Mr Ossei-Aidooh was God-fearing, humble and principled and a unifier, respected by both the NDC and the NPP and was seen as the best experienced person for the position of speaker of parliament.
Source: GNA
