I Am Highly Disappointed In 8th Parliament; We’ve Wasted So Much Time on Inconsequential Things – 1st Deputy Speaker Laments | Parliament

Member of Parliament for Bekwai constituency, and the first Deputy Speaker of parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has expressed his greatest of disappointment in the work done so far by the 8th parliament of Ghana. 

According to Joe Wise, as he is affectionately called, the performance and conduct of members of the 8th parliament is something they as legislators cannot be proud of.

Speaking in an interview on Accra based Citi News, Joe Wise, opined that the current parliament has been characterised by a plethora of dramatic events which has shifted the focus of the work they ought to do as legislators, adding that parliamentary sessions have been riddled with controversies, which eventually undermines prioritisation of the core mandates of lawmaking. 

Speaking further, the Bekwai lawmaker maintained that the 8th Parliament has not met the standards set by the previous parliament, which sends a negative signal to the general public.

He expressed a passionate displeasure the current Parliament stating that instead of concentrating on its primary duty of making laws, the House has frequently been sidetracked by unnecessary and unproductive disputes which has retarded their proper functions as Parliamentarians who have been sent by their constituents to work in their best interests. 

According to him, there are several bills which are required to be worked on by the House but due to the constant controversies and litigations, the House is not able to deliver on its mandates. 

“Let me say that I am disappointed in the eighth Parliament, generally. I said the other time that we have done very little in legislation. You can just take the number of laws and smaller legislations we have done. We have wasted so much time on inconsequential things, inconsequential matters. Our main job is making laws,” he lamented. 

“You go and take the number of laws we have made in the last four years and compare with the other Parliaments and you see that the eighth Parliament has been the least.

“It has been full of controversy. Matters that previously we used to sit down and discuss and overcome and do, now we take them into fisticuffs and that is most disappointing to me,” Joe Wise added.