President-elect asked to consider an energetic candidate as speaker- Fmr UE Regional Vice Chair of NPP

Isaac Adawele Atasige

As incumbent MPs prepare to bow-out of parliament to make way for new crop of parliamentarians early next year, the question as to who occupies the seat as Speaker of Parliament rages on. 

Although governance experts are of the view that it is out of place for people to propose and mount pressure on the President–elect, Nana Akuffo Addo on his choice of appointments, other NPP stalwarts still pushes for Nana Addo to look out for expertise who are well versed and positioned  to take up the mantle. 

Since the NPP took over the reign of leadership from the NDC, names like former MP for Dome Kwabenya, Prof Mike Ocquaye, former MP for Sekondi, Papa Owusu Ankakomah, Veteran Sam Okudzeto, former Attorney General, Joe Gartey and the acting National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Freddie Blay have come in media journals as personalities deemed fit to take over from Mr Edward Doe Adjaho as speaker of parliament. 

Other names have also been widely speculated putting the President-elect at a cross road. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana’s Isaac Asare in Bolgatanga, a former Regional Vice Chairman of the NPP, Isaac Adawele Atasige said all the proposed candidates whose names have emerged in various media portals possess worth of experience that can be harnessed to rekindle the governance system of parliament. 

He said in as much as people believe in the expertise of these astute individuals, the President-elect should see it expedient to consider a candidate who is energetic and has the zeal to sit for longer hours to take up issues to their logical conclusion and not someone who will develop the penchant of postponing matters that require urgent solution. 

He argued that looking at the crop of parliamentarians today, they are between the ages of 20 and 60 and so such people have the energy and the physical ability to debate on issues for hours. 

Mr Atasige was emphatic that since parliamentary proceedings requires great deal of work and tenacity, it will be highly imperative to choose someone who is quite youthful and can manage stress. 

Mr Atasige however proposed the candidature of Papa Owusu Ankoma, for the position as speaker which is the third highest office in the country. 

He opined that Papa Owusu Ankomah has been in parliament for the past 20 years and by dint of hard work, he paid his dues as MP for the people of Sekondi from 1996 till 2016 when he declined to seek re-election. 

Moreover, due to his exceptional leadership qualities, the 58 year old politician won the heart of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who entrusted him the mandate to occupy key ministerial positions in his government. 

These include the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Interior Ministry as well as the Ministry of Education.  

 He said as compared to the likes of 81 year old, Sam Okudzeto who had served as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and Prof Mike Ocquaye, Papa Owusu Ankomah stands tall and should be considered a probable candidate as speaker to stir the affairs of the next parliament under Nana Akuffo Addo.  

 Mr Atasige further observed that age wise, Papa Owusu Ankoma will represent both the youth and the aged in parliament and will be able to handle his duties with much maturity and high decorum. 

He concluded that it was not for nothing that Mr Adjaho confessed that he often sought the opinion on matters at the floor of parliament from Papa Owusu Ankoma before drawing to conclusions.  

 Following the victory of the NPP in this year’s general elections with the party winning 170 seats out of 275, the law requires the party to propose two candidates for election as Speaker and First Deputy Speaker. 

On the other hand, the NDC as the minority is equally expected to produce the second Deputy Speaker. 

The fate of prospective candidates for the position as speaker will then be decided by the new MPs on the midnight of January 6, after the majority in next parliament had confer with the President-elect. 

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, has instructed all outgoing MPs to leave the confines of the House by the said date to pave way for a smooth transition for the incoming MPs. 

According to him, he is prepared and waiting for the conclusion of final proceedings to vacate the Speaker's Office to enable the incoming Speaker to assume office.

GBC