By Elsie Appiah-Osei, GNA
Accra, Aug. 25, GNA — Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has stated that President John Dramani Mahama’s communication nominating Mr James Agalga as Acting Majority Leader was procedurally incorrect.
According to the Speaker, the President did not have the authority to formally communicate a change in the leadership of a parliamentary Caucus to the Speaker.
He explained that under Parliament’s Standing Orders, any change in the leadership of the Majority or Minority Caucus must be formally communicated to the speaker by the general secretary of the political party concerned.
Mr Bagbin made the clarification when Parliament reconvened on Monday, August 24, and read the President’s communication announcing Mr Agalga as the acting Majority Leader to Members of Parliament (MPs) on the Floor of the House.
He emphasised that the prescribed procedure must be followed before Mr Agalga could be accorded the courtesies and recognition associated with the position of Majority Leader.
The Speaker said the Standing Orders defined the Majority Leader as an MP designated by the Majority Caucus as its leader in the House.
“The communication says acting because the president has no authority to communicate the change of the leadership of the House to the speaker. And so, it was actually done in error. This matter has come before the House many times. As a result, even in our current Standing Orders, we had to define the two terms, “Majority Leader” and “Minority Leader.”
“And clearly our Standing Orders say ‘Majority Leader’ means a Member of Parliament designated by the Majority Caucus as their leader in the House. And as you know, the practice is that the Party, under the hand of the general secretary, communicates that decision of the party to the speaker,” he said.
The Speaker noted that Mr Agalga, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa North, could only assume the position after the appropriate communication was received from the party and the decision of the Majority Caucus was formally conveyed to the House.
“So, the procedure today may look different. That is why you still see that the majority leader is still in his seat, because he is still the majority leader until otherwise communicated by the party and then decided by the caucus and the information passed on,” he added.
The clarification follows President Mahama’s announcement of Mr Agalga, as the new Majority Leader, replacing Mr Mahama Ayariga, who has been nominated as Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Elsie Appiah-Osei
Email: [email protected]