Deputy Speakers Don’t Have The Powers Of The Speaker: Rt. Hon. Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has stated in a media encounter with the parliamentary press corps last Friday that deputy speakers of parliament are not clothed with the full powers of the speaker and cannot make certain rulings whiles they are presiding.

According to him, deputy speakers are not “the speaker” therefore, cannot make some critical rulings whiles presiding but defer the ruling to the speaker. He also said the deputy speakers cannot overturn the speaker’s ruling unless it comes by a substantive motion.

Even though the speaker acknowledged the views of his two (2) deputies which they are entitled to, he said overturning his ruling without any substantive motion is unconstitutional.

He made this remark when the Opemsuo radio parliamentary correspondent Nana Kwaku Boffah asked him about how he felt when his decision or ruling is overturned by his deputies during his absence, eg; 2022 budget statement and economic policy and motion to investigate Covid-19 funds by the Minority which was rejected by the first deputy speaker on the grounds of due process after the motion was duly adopted by the speaker.

Source: Opemsuo.com/Nana Kwaku Boffah.