Prof. Baffour Agyemang-Duah, a former United Nations Senior Governance Advisor, has raised concerns that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are failing to provide the public with the full truth about the ongoing developments in Parliament, Myjoyonline reports.
He believes the political standoff has created a misleading narrative, leaving the truth obscured.
He emphasized the importance of truth in any conflict, stating, "It seems to me, just as they say in war, the first casualty is truth, and it seems the same way in political conflicts like the one we have. The first casualty is truth. We are not getting the truth from either side, and that in itself is a crisis."
Prof. Agyemang-Duah also questioned the Speaker's position, noting the contradiction in Speaker Alban Bagbin's statement that Parliament is functioning while it has, in fact, been suspended.
"So, if the Speaker said there is no political crisis, maybe he could be right. But the fact that he says Parliament is alive and working while we know Parliament has been shut down is contradictory," he added.
He further expressed confusion over the situation, remarking, "So I don’t know where the truth lies." Prof. Agyemang-Duah’s remarks indicate the growing uncertainty surrounding the situation and the conflicting statements from various political figures.
In his analysis, Prof. Agyemang-Duah pointed out that the current conflict between the judiciary and Parliament is unprecedented in Ghana’s history.
"This is a very interesting development that we have never seen before," he remarked, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
He stressed that addressing the situation quickly is essential for national stability, especially as the country approaches its December elections. "This is something we need to address and stop as soon as possible," he concluded.
These comments followed remarks made by Speaker Bagbin, who dismissed claims of a constitutional crisis raised by Chief Justice Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
On 30th October, the Chief Justice had questioned why Speaker Bagbin's legal team failed to submit necessary documents by the required deadline. She highlighted the urgency of the matter, stating, “This is a constitutional crisis. We’re living in a country where Parliament is not sitting. What is going on?”
Prof. Agyemang-Duah, in response, noted the situation was untenable, particularly with the elections looming.
“We have a few weeks to go before the elections and to change the government, so to create this situation where Parliament is at loggerheads with the judiciary, and vice versa, I think is unwarranted,” he remarked.
He further proposed that an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approach might be more effective than relying on the courts to resolve the escalating conflict.
Prof. Baffour Agyemang-Duah