It is sad misunderstanding and altercations continue to characterise the sittings of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
We recall that on the very first day, Monday, January 13, this year, the Committee started vetting persons nominated by President John Dramani Mahama as ministers-designate, there occurred altercations at its sitting, which became the subject of our editorial piece published on January 15.
In that editorial with the headline “Help President Mahama form government in good time!”, The Ghanaian Times reminded the committee members that their duty is for the national good and not the interest of any political party.
We also said any chaotic occurrences at the committee’s sessions or sittings, besides showing disrespect to President Mahama, who has presented the nominees for vetting, is a blot on the honour of those generating the strife first and foremost and consequently all the members.
Today, we add that any untoward occurrence at the Committee’s sitting is a great blot on the image of Parliament.
No wonder, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K Bagbin, has put in the public domain that he has received communications from certain sources across the world, including individuals and parliaments of some countries, expressing worry over what’s happening at the sittings of Parliament’s Appointments Committee and seeking to know the causes of such negative happenings.
Thinking that Members of Parliament (MPs) go by the salutation “Honourable”, The Ghanaian Times , in the editorial in reference, gave the Appointments Committee members, who are all MPs, a fitting admonition captured in Proverbs 20:3 that “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife.”
Our position has not changed; the MPs must conduct themselves well at the vetting.
But clearly, we can say certain specific persons causing the troubles at the vetting of the Ministerial nominees are bent on doing so no matter what.
Do they remember the promise given by the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, that “the rule of the game is tolerance”?
Certainly, both the Majority and the Minority sides of the Appointments Committee should build consensus and allow it to be the tool to guide proceedings at the Ministerial nominees’ vetting.
Obviously a one-sided vetting is not the best for the country.
And to build consensus, two virtues, co-operation and tolerance, should feature supreme and guide proceedings of the Appointments Committee, with members having at the back of their minds that they are working in the country, not a political party or individuals.
As for those causing the troubles, all we can say is that they have fallen short of deserving the “Honourable” salutation and we leave them to the whacking whip of the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Bagbin.
How can MPs who should know better go to the extent of vandalising public property?
We pray that the measures the Speaker’s office has adopted to address the unspeakable, ignoble conduct, including suspension, which the Minority opposses; and surcharging guilty MPs with cost of the property damage would work and thereby bring about some change.
MPs are not above the law.