Bagbin says he learnt that trait from the late Peter Ala Adjetey
Bagbin elected Speaker of Parliament from rancorous vote
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has explained how possible it is to be an impartial Speaker of the lawmaking chamber but to take a firm stance on issues that come before the House as and when.
The former Nadowli Kaleo MP has in recent times used the term "impartial but not neutral" in describing how he presides over affairs in the House.
A number of people - lawmakers and members of the public alike - have questioned how the Speaker is able to actualize the seemingly contradictory positions.
Bagbin on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, revealed that he is not the first Speaker to exhibit both traits under the Fourth Republic. He referred to the first Speaker under the republic as his mentor in exhibiting impartiality and non-neutrality at the same time.
“You also heard me say that in the performance of my functions, I will be impartial but that doesn’t mean I will be neutral and this is what I learnt from my father, the late Rt Hon Peter Ala Adjetey,” he said during remarks in a meeting with members of the Council of State at Parliament.
“It’s a ruling which is in the Hansard. So, [with] any matter that comes before the House, I cannot be neutral because I have an interest in it but in performing my duty as Speaker, I have to be impartial. Those are the differences. People don’t understand,” Bagbin clarified.
“I cannot sit as a Speaker and see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil”, he declared. That will be abdicating my role as a statesman, as one of the leaders of the country,” he underscored.
“So, I have an interest in whatever comes to the floor and whether it is against the left or against the right, I will say it. That is what I’m committed to. That’s why I said that at the end of the day, I don’t expect either party to praise me because I may hurt both.”
Peter Ala Adjetey was the Second Speaker of the Fourth Parliament having served between 2001 to 2005 - the first term of the John Agyekum Kufuor government.
He took over from Justice Daniel Francis Annan who served between 1993 and 2001 and was succeeded by Ebenezer Sakyi Hughes for the second term of the Kufuor government.
Bagbin had announced his exit from Parliament in 2000 but in 2021, he was handed the job of Speaker following a rancorous election that saw MPs fight on the floor of the House over processes and procedures.
Speaker Alban Bagbin