Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff under President J.A. Kufuor, has called on Parliament to resolve its internal issues without resorting to court injunctions.
His comments follow a recent move by Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who filed an application to the Supreme Court challenging Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.
The Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that Bagbin’s declaration was unconstitutional, with Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo stating that the Speaker’s action could not stand. This ruling has heightened tensions regarding the composition of the Majority and Minority in Parliament.
Mpiani cautioned that frequent court interventions could disrupt the smooth functioning of Parliament and advised that internal dialogue and consensus would be more effective in resolving disputes.
He further urged Speaker Bagbin to respect the Supreme Court’s decision and recommended that MPs focus on constructive discussions to ensure parliamentary stability.
“I don’t personally believe that anybody should injunct Parliament because if you do that, you will make the work of Parliament more difficult because next time, I will run to court to injunct Parliament on how it does it works.
“Parliament should be able to resolve its issues itself. If you return to Parliament and don’t get a quorum for decisions, what has been achieved?” Mr Mpiani asked this during an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Wednesday, November 13.
