Joseph Osei-Owusu, the former Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, has criticized the expedited vetting process for three ministerial nominees, including Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, describing it as rushed and poorly handled.
Speaking on the matter, Osei-Owusu questioned the decision to conduct the vetting on January 13, 2025, just four days after the nominees were announced by President John Dramani Mahama on January 9, 2025. He argued that the short notice failed to promote transparency and limited public engagement in the process.
“I would have thought that [a] minimum [of] one week at best or two weeks [is given] to allow people who have issues and wanted to bring them out to the committee to enable them to do that, but I did not see any publication whatsoever. So I was surprised, and I think it was the wrong step,” he said.
The former Bekwai MP and First Deputy Speaker of the 8th Parliament stressed that the purpose of public hearings was to create room for citizen participation and scrutiny, which was undermined by the rushed nature of the vetting.
“The reason we call that a public hearing is that we want to afford the opportunity for the public to participate in it, not because it is in public, but because we want to afford the public the opportunity to participate in it if there is a way,” he explained.
Osei-Owusu further described the vetting timeline as “needless, hasty, and indecent,” emphasizing that it compromised the integrity of the process and denied the public a fair chance to raise concerns about the nominees.
Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has announced his retirement from public service citing disappointment, lack of appreciation, and health concerns related to his work.
Mr Osei-Owusu, also known as Joewise expressed that the continual labeling of public servants as “thieves” has deeply discouraged him and diminished his passion for serving the nation.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, he said, “It hurts to hear people call you a thief only because you opted to work for the public. Listen to all public discussions.
“Every politician, every elected official is called a thief. Nothing hurts me more than that when I can say with pride that I have never asked for support from anybody.
“I have never asked for anybody to give me anything before. I do my work so those are the things that I think have contributed to my health issues. Now I have health issues so I want to leave the field quietly and endure my pain,” he said.
The Member of Parliament for the Bekwai constituency declared that he has no plans to reenter public service or hold any official position in the future.
He emphasized that Members of Parliament should not be labeled as thieves since they do not have access to public funds and thus cannot misuse or misappropriate them.
“We don’t spend public funds. We don’t even authorise expenditure. Practically nothing to do with money apart from approving the budget in Parliament.
“What we call the empty shell of the common fund goes to the District Assembly and you can only authorise the MCE or the coordinating director to spend that money in this way or that way. But every misconduct, they come back to the MP,” he said.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Joseph Osei Owusu, has underscored the importance of MPs taking charge of their futures, pointing out the lack of societal support once they exit office.
Speaking at a session honoring the late Kwadwo Tawiah, a former MP for Kpandai, Owusu lamented the challenging circumstances many former MPs encounter after leaving Parliament.
He highlighted the tendency for society to overlook their difficulties, only recognizing them during emergencies or financial crises.
“There have been several instances where former MPs are seen in miserable conditions, struggling to pay for hospital bills and support their families,” Joe Wise noted.
Member of Parliament for Asawase, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the absence of unity among MPs.
He observed that many MPs are unfamiliar with their colleagues’ personal circumstances and challenges.
“Life after Parliament is unbearable for many members,” Muntaka added, urging MPs to support each other regardless of political affiliations.
In the wake of the untimely passing of Dr. John Kumah, Member of Parliament for Ejisu and Deputy Finance Minister, Parliament suspended its session on March 7.
Kumah, aged 45, succumbed to a short-term illness. Tragically, he passed away in the early hours of Thursday, March 7, while en route from his constituency to Accra.
It’s reported that his intended destination upon reaching Accra was Germany, where he had arrangements for medical treatment.
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has emphasized the importance of the Majority caucus addressing potential implications following the resignation of the outgoing Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
In an interview with journalists in Parliament on Thursday, February 22, the MP for Bekwai stated, “The caucus is going to refocus and decide where to go. I am sure moving forward the caucus will discuss all these ramifications, the effect of our leader resigning.
“The process of selecting or electing a new leader, we will discuss all that. And if there are any implications or negative impacts on our caucus, we may decide and plan a route that will keep us together.”
He expressed his wish that the outgoing Majority Leader would have stayed on until the end, describing him as extremely hardworking.
“He can sit from morning till morning if there’s work to be done. I am personally disappointed that Kyei decided to stand down; he has been a fantastic leader, and he is an extremely hardworking person. And I would have wished that he stayed on to the end.”
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu voluntarily resigned from his role with immediate effect, a decision revealed at a crucial meeting of the majority group on Wednesday, February 21.
The meeting, held at the Jubilee House’s banquet hall in Accra and convened by President Nana Akufo-Addo, was heavily guarded.
The majority of the group’s members attended the gathering, called amidst escalating tensions within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary group.
These tensions arose following reports of plans to replace Kyei Mensah-Bonsu with Alexander Afenyo-Markin, fueling internal discord.
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has stated that he has no interest in assuming the role of Majority Leader.
He expressed contentment with his current position as the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament when asked if he would consider becoming the new Majority Leader following the resignation of Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
He mentioned that although he had come across potential candidates speculated in the media to succeed Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Caucus has not reached a decision yet.
Before Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu declared his resignation, the First Deputy Speaker had spearheaded the Majority caucus in convening a press conference.
During this conference, he emphasized that any assertions suggesting the Majority Caucus intended to alter its leadership should be dismissed.
However, after Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s resignation, the Bekwai MP said, “I am personally disappointed that Kyei decided to stand down; he has been a fantastic leader who is extremely hardworking and I would have wished that he stayed on to the end.”
Speaking to the press, Mr Osei-Owusu said, “Kyei’s resignation got to me as a surprise. As to what got to him, I am sure we better let him explain.”
First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu has refuted claims of an impending reshuffle within the majority leadership of Parliament, dismissing speculations of Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu being replaced by Deputy Majority LeaderAlexander Afenyo-Markin.
Osei-Owusu asserts definitively that there are no plans for leadership changes and emphasizes that such rumors are baseless, attributing them to media misinformation.
“The publication that is going out is not true, it’s false, that the majority caucus is not, has not made any changes in its leadership, the majority caucus has not contemplated making any changes to its leadership and that to tell the whole world to ignore any such publications and we want to assure you that we have confidence in the leadership as they are and the status quo shall remain,” Joseph Osei-Owusu stated.
Earlier reports had suggested a potential shift in leadership, with Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu being replaced by Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
However, Osei-Owusu’s statements aim to quell the speculation and assure the public that there is no validity to the alleged changes in parliamentary leadership.
Watch video below:
#ParliamentToday : In a press briefing, the Majority caucus in Parliament dismissed rumors of leadership changes, emphasizing confidence in the current leadership. First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu asserted that any reports suggesting otherwise should be disregarded.… pic.twitter.com/OkxpFjuGCs
Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Joseph Osei-Owusu, refuted the myth that parliamentary jobs come with better pay, saying that being an MP is “the least attractive of all opportunities” for politicians in a recent interview with TV3.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Osei-Owusu, highlighted the myth regarding financial gains and clarified the difficulties experienced by legislators.
During the NPP primaries on Saturday, January 27, Osei-Owusu shared his personal experience, noting that the public perception of lucrative Member of Parliament (MP) salaries does not align with the reality of the job.
Despite the challenges, he urged current MPs not to discourage aspiring politicians, emphasising the importance of leadership and encouragement.
The Controller and Accountant General, Kwasi Aning-Bosompem, also featured in the news, expressing his commitment to maintaining his position and participating in the NPP parliamentary primaries.
As 18 NPP MPs prepare to exit, the stage is set for new faces to take office on January 7, 2025, during their swearing-in ceremony.
Member of Parliament for the Bekwai Constituency, Joseph Osei-Owusu, also known as Joe Wise, has officially endorsed retired Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah as his successor.
In a viral video, Joe Wise, during a meeting with New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates, commended the courage of COP Mensah.
Months earlier, COP Mensah had been the focus of a parliamentary investigation into a leaked tape in which some officers and a politician were allegedly plotting the removal of the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, from office.
“If COP today has announced his intention to contest our party primaries, he is no stranger…” he stated.
According to the MP, who currently serves as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, COP Mensah not only displayed courage during his appearance at the committee’s sitting but also refuted the various allegations made against the current IGP in the leaked tape.
“So, when you watched on TV how he answered the questions; the courage and the truthfulness that unfolded, a lot of people including the committee members kept calling me that Joe your man is heavy, he is courageous.
“Today, by the grace of God, we have concluded the committee’s report, those who brought the issue are afraid and do not want the report to be brought out because of his truthfulness, the testimony he gave proved that everything he said was the truth,” he said.
In the leaked tape, COP Asare, along with two other senior officers, Superintendent George Lysander Asare and Superintendent Emmanuel Gyabi, were heard seeking the support of former New Patriotic Party Regional Chairman Bugri Naabu for the removal of Dr. Dampare.
In the recording, the officers accused Dr. Dampare of incompetence and alleged that he was a member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, suggesting that his presence in office posed a threat to the NPP’s ability to retain power.
The officers also confessed to being NPP members on the tape.
1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has expressed the view that any astute Ghanaian would favour Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the presidential candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), over the opposition National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) candidate, ex-President John Dramani Mahama, for the next leadership role in Ghana.
He contends that a thorough examination of the track records of the two individuals would reveal that Dr. Bawumia surpasses Mahama. Osei Owusu, also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bekwai, further asserted that the vice president outshines Mahama in terms of competencies and personalities.
“(Dr Bawumia’s) chances are very bright… There are people who would vote for a party and a party symbol; there are no two ways about it. But anybody who wants to evaluate them has had their own independent and respective roles in the past (sic).
“I’m sure that if you place Bawumia against Mahama, Bawumia would always outshine Mahama,” he said in an interview on JoyNews on Monday, November 13, 2023.
He added thatBawumia outshines Mahama “based on what they have done in the past, what ideas they have thrown out, how they have helped implement them and their quality of person and integrity”.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has refuted claims that Parliament might be hesitant to host the post-budget workshop within the House due to a preference for the “comfort of hotels.”
In an interview on JoyNews, the First Deputy Speaker strongly refuted the idea, underscoring that the selection of the venue is guided by a sense of duty rather than a desire for comfort.
He said, “No hotel is as comfortable as my home. I’ve traveled around the world and no hotel I have stayed in is as comfortable as my home.”
Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu has joined other legislators in endorsing Parliament’s choice to conduct the annual post-budget workshop outside of Accra.
The Bekwai lawmaker justified this stance by stating that the House lacks the necessary logistics to host the workshop event.
His stance on the location of the yearly workshop follows a request from Buem MP, Kofi Adams, urging for this year’s post-budget workshop to take place in Parliament House in Accra.
The NDC MP referenced the current economic challenges and appealed to the House leadership to reconsider, advocating for holding the workshop in Parliament to cut costs. However, the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, rejected his plea.
He believes the request is opportunistic and seeks to put Parliament in a bad light adding that “This is a decision of the committee, it is not about leaders being insensitive.”
Meanwhile, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin,has rejected the use of hotels for the post-budget workshop this year, citing the current financial challenges facing the country.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has joined other legislators in endorsing Parliament’s choice to conduct the annual post-budget workshop outside of Accra.
This decision, despite suggestions to hold it within Parliament to reduce costs, has gained support from Osei-Owusu.
The Bekwai lawmaker justified this stance by stating that the House lacks the necessary logistics to host the workshop event.
“We’ve tried it [post-budget workshop] once here [Parliament], it wasn’t effective. We have only one hall but during the workshop, there will be multiple presenters doing different things, so the practicality will not be effective.”
This statement was made during an interview on JoyNews’ PM Express, where the host, Evans Mensah, expressed the opinion that Parliament might be hesitant to host the event within the House due to a preference for the “comfort of hotels.” Osei-Owusu made his remarks in response to this perspective.
In response, the First Deputy Speaker strongly refuted the idea, underscoring that the selection of the venue is guided by a sense of duty rather than a desire for comfort.
He said, “No hotel is as comfortable as my home. I’ve traveled around the world and no hotel I have stayed in is as comfortable as my home.”
The First Deputy Speaker, who entered parliament in 2009 and possesses considerable domestic and global experience, conveyed his reluctance to undertake travel, be it for business or conferences. He emphasized that this stance is not a matter of personal preference but a responsibility inherent in the responsibilities of the role.
“We don’t do it because of comfort, we don’t do it because we want to, we do it because it is a responsibility.”
His stance on the location of the yearly workshop follows a request from Buem MP, Kofi Adams, urging for this year’s post-budget workshop to take place in Parliament House in Accra.
The NDC MP referenced the current economic challenges and appealed to the House leadership to reconsider, advocating for holding the workshop in Parliament to cut costs. However, the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, rejected his plea.
He believes the request is opportunistic and seeks to put Parliament in a bad light adding that “This is a decision of the committee, it is not about leaders being insensitive.”
Meanwhile, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin,has rejected the use of hotels for the post-budget workshop this year, citing the current financial challenges facing the country.
On August 1, 2023, the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, is expected to appear before the Parliament.
The summons comes in response to alleged police brutalities resulting in the death of a 32-year-old man, Yussif Salawudeen.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, made a statement on the Floor of Parliament urging the House to invite the Interior Minister.
“I am making a request to this House to invite the Interior Minister to update the House from the Police’s end on what truly happened and led to the death of this young man and to also request that we may have to independently investigate because it has been proven again and again that each time we leave it to the police, they don’t get to do anything.”
The purpose is to provide clarity on the incident that led to the youth attacking the Asawase police station on a recent Sunday.
“I am requesting this House to invite the Interior Minister to present the police’s perspective on what truly transpired, leading to the death of this young man. Additionally, I propose that we conduct an independent investigation, as it has been evident that relying solely on the police to investigate has yielded unsatisfactory results.”
Muntaka also appealed to his constituents, who were enraged by the tragic incident and consequently engaged in property vandalism, to remain calm and uphold peace.
“I urge the angry youth to remember that resorting to violence and property damage does not rectify the situation. Let us keep in mind that there are wrongdoers in every group, and taking the law into our own hands is not the solution.”
“I want to call on the irate youth that two wrongs do not make a right, and so we should all remember that there are bad nuts everywhere, and so we should not take the law into our own hands and vandalise properties,” he added.
The First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, ruled that the Minister should brief the House on the incident on August 1, 2023, so that appropriate actions can be taken thereafter.
Ghana’s eighth parliament has been labeled the worst in the nation’s history by First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, due to the recent actions of the minority caucus.
Earlier this week, the Minority announced their decision to intensify their protest against the prosecution of Gyakye Quayson.
The newly adopted approach involves consistently raising concerns about quorum, effectively causing disruptions in the House each time.
According to the First Deputy Speaker, he thought a Parliament with equal numbers will be better but it turned out to be the worst than the other parliaments.
Speaking to JoyNews on July 20, he said, “We have decided to do politics instead of business. This equal number in parliament has brought the worst in MPs, I have repeated it, I will repeat it again – this parliament, the eighth parliament has made the least number of laws.”
On Thursday, whilst the House considered bills including the Ghana UNESCO bill, it was evident that the House lacked a quorum to continue. This forced an early adjournment.
On the back of this, Mr Osei-Wusu said this parliament has not been effective as was the case in previous parliaments.
According to him, with more than a decade in parliament, there has never been a time where the absence of other colleagues in the house hindered the business of the day.
He stressed that the current parliament made it difficult for the leadership to control affairs in the house.
“Young people are in control; they look at things differently from the rest of us, so it is even good for them when their leaders agree to do it.
“Check the current parliament, it is always people from the back bench who come to raise this thing and not the leaders. What it means is that at this time in the parliament of Ghana, leaders don’t have control, the back bench has control,” he said.
Also, Trades and Industry Minister, KT Hammond expressed concern about the current trend adding that if this continues, parliament will be unable to get business done.
He described the action of the minority as mischievous and a clear sabotage of government business.
Mr Hammond stressed that the move by the minority has made it difficult for committee meetings to take place which has greatly affected the business of parliament.
However, the Chief Whip of the minority, Kwame Governs Agbodza says the minority caucus was doing the best it can to let the business of the house go on.
He added that his side of the house was not to be blamed for the delay in parliamentary business. He stressed that if all members of the minority were present, the agenda of the house would have continued.
Also, Tamale Central MP, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed said it is unfair for the majority to describe the actions of the minority as a frustration to the business of the house.
According to him, the business of the house is guided by the constitution and the standing orders, therefore, describing them as a hindrance to parliamentary business is wrong.
He added that on the contrary, the Majority Chief Whip has failed to get all members of the majority into the house for the business of the day to proceed.
The incoming Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkonoo, has been urged by Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Agbodza, to make sure that court judgments are upheld during her term.
“Let the rulings of the courts make sense for the ordinary citizen. Let the rulings of the court be enforceable,” he urged.
He also called on Gertrude Torkonoo to leave a better legacy than her predecessor Kwesi Anin-Yeboah in terms of justice delivery.
The Adaklu MP accused Anin Yeboah of presiding over a Supreme Court that made some bad judgments citing the Court’s decisions on the use of birth certificates and the recent Gyakye Quayson case.
According to him, the former Chief Justice should be made aware that the miscarriage of justice during his tenure as Chief Justice “lies on his chest.”
“Under the reign of the outgoing Chief Justice, the level of miscarriage of justice reached a crescendo and must never be repeated,” he said.
But the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu fired back at the Minority Chief Whip saying he was on a bad trajectory.
According to him, a judge’s decision must be criticised using laws and facts rather than their personality.
“Judges know that as humans they can err, and judges always welcome criticisms of their judgement. But when we are critiquing a judgement, it is expected that we critique with law, facts, and alternative arguments.
“We should move or shy away from just criticising because we agree or disagree, otherwise we dig room for people to attack the individual judges rather than the judgement,” he advised.
He, therefore, encouraged members to research and bring out alternative judgements to challenge the judgements when they disagree.
The new chief justice is yet to be sworn into office after Parliament approved her nomination on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, the nominee for chief justice, will not go through a second vetting, according to chairman of theAppointments Committee of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu.
This decision comes after a rigorous vetting session in Parliament on Friday, May 26, where Minority MPs demanded another chance to scrutinize the Supreme Court judgment that resulted in the expulsion of James Gyakye Quayson from Parliament.
The Minority MPs argued that without access to the written reasons behind the court’s decision, they were unable to question the Chief Justice nominee adequately.
Unfortunately, the Committee’s meeting held today, Friday, May 26, ended inconclusively, with no consensus reached on recommending thenominee for approval by the House.
The Committee’s chairman, Mr. Osei-Owusu however indicated that the nominee will be approved by a majority decision because there is no need to defer the decision.
“It is our practice that, any time that we are done with a public hearing, the Committee sits and considers whether to recommend the person or not and so the conclusion we came to was that there is no consensus. You will recall that [Mahama] Ayariga made a statement that unless they get a copy of the case involving the Assin North MP, they will not support the nominee. They [Minority Caucus] came to the vetting with a position; do it for me, or I don’t. We went through the vetting, and we are satisfied that there is no basis for deferring the decision because you want to read the judgment. They also argued that because they have not read the judgment, they won’t support her, but it is a one-off event. We recommend her for approval by a majority decision,” the Chairman of the committee added.
The first deputy speaker of parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu is furious about what he claims is excessive exploitation of Ghanaians by GUTA members.
According to the Bekwai MP, GUTA has lost the moral right to complain about tax hikes alleging that members of the association under-declare their products and also overprice their goods to gain huge profit margins.
Joewise who is unhappy with the current development was reacting to concerns raised by GUTA over the introduction of the 3 revenue bills approved by parliament.
According to the association, their members are already struggling with their businesses insisting, the 3 revenue measures will impose addition hardship on them.
But in an interview with Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV, Joewise accused members of the association of dishonesty, insisting they (GUTA) are ripping of the Ghanaian consumer.
“GUTA should be fair to this country. They are always taking about taxes and yet they are over-exploiting Ghanaians and I am saying this without fear. I bought these tiles you see in China, some of the highest grade you can get.
But I bought less than a fraction of what they (GUTA) sell it on the market which even the weakest in China. I also payed import duties They are dishonest, they are under-declaring and inflating the prices to make huge profits on any product”. He told morning show host Kwesi Parker-Wilson.
He further argued that Ghanaians are not paying enough taxes to cushion government realize its revenue target. Comparing Ghana to other African countries, the first Deputy Speaker noted that inspite of low tax collection in Ghana, 90% of African countries cannot match Ghana in terms of development.
“If GUTA were to pay the right taxes on imported products, it should reflect in how much revenue we generate. Government runs a budget deficit every year and is compelled to borrow to finance the budget. So the truth of the matter is that we (as a nation) are not paying enough taxes.
…90 percent of West Africa countries cannot match Ghana in terms of development and infrastructure yet they pay more taxes than us. And yet the educated ones among GUTA are always complaining about taxes”. he explained.
Authorities of the University of Ghana have been referred to Parliament’s Education Committee by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu for failing to abide to a High Court directive.
According to him, the Committee should probe the reason behind the University’s intransigence.
“I would refer this statement to the Committee of Education and urge them to engage the University and to report back to us why the University authorities, headed by the immediate past Chief Justice – she is the Chairman of the University Council, so we expect that she will ensure that the sanctity of the court order is respected,” he said.
It would be recalled that the University of Ghana was directed by an Accra High Court to halt its residential policy which removed continuing Commonwealth Hall students from the Hall.
The University is yet to comply with the directive.
However, the MP for Builsa South, delivering a statement on the floor, criticised the University for failing to adhere to the court order.
According to him, the continuous refusal of the Management of the University of Ghana to reinstate the affected students, as ordered by the court, is unacceptable and unlawful.
“Mr Speaker, we call on you and this august House and all well-meaning Ghanaians to join us to impress upon the University of Ghana to do the needful by respecting the laws of the land,” he said.
Also, a bipartisan group of MPs slammed the University’s reluctance to obey the order of the court.
They are; Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu, Dormaa East MP, Paul Twum Barima, MP for Salaga South, Zuwera Ibrahimah and Bole Bamboi MP Yusif Sulemana.
According to them, the House cannot allow the University to flout a court order.
“It is a very serious matter. Disobeying a court order with impunity as a citizen of this country. The University doesn’t belong to individuals and I am surprised why a whole institution would be allowed to impugn on the dignity of court in our country,” Mr. Agyeman Manu said.
They added that the disregard for the court ruling is sad.
According to them, the hall has produced very important personalities who are contributing to the development of the nation, therefore the hall should not be toyed with.
It was on the back of this debates that the Speaker referred the issue to Parliament’s Education Committee to be investigated.
Parts of the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 Act 29, which criminalizes attempted suicide, have been adjusted by Parliament.
In August 2021, the Member of Parliament for Akatsi South and Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, proposed that the Bill criminalizing suicide be scrapped.
The chairman of the committee, Mr. Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, seconded the motion and said that if the Bill is approved into law, it will be a significant legislative step toward the transformation of Ghana’s justice system.
On Tuesday, March 28, 2023 debating on the said subject Parliament concluded that, suicide attempts will now be regarded by the legislation as mental health conditions requiring assistance.
“An act to amend the criminal Offenses Act 1960, Act 29 to decriminalize attempted suicide and provide for related matter, the long title is hereby adapted,” Second Deputy Speaker Speaker of the Eighth Parliament, Andrew Asiamah Amoako said.
The proposer thanked the committee for supporting to pass the Act emphasing that “Mr speaker all over the world, attempted suicide is being decriminalize in the sense that life is one therefore for you to decide to take your life it ,means you are either going through a psychological problem as a result of which you cannot appreciate the nature and quality of the Act”
Parliament for sometime now has had several debates concerning the passage of the law.
Then Minority Leader, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, opposed calls for the country to decriminalize attempted suicide, characterizing it as an inappropriate behavior that should be punished and discouraged instead.
He contended that making suicide attempts illegal would significantly reduce the number of Ghanaians, particularly young people, who would consider suicide to be acceptable.
“You do not want to think that when you have depression and distress, the ultimate thing is that you go and take your life since you cannot recover your life back.
“If we do not criminalize Attempted Suicide as a country, then we are saying that it is a normal behavior, but this cannot be.
“Any person who has researched deeply into suicide will know that the only type of suicide that is behaviorally rewarding is the altruistic suicide during which the individual places societal values higher than his individual values,” he stated.
Salaries of soldiers and police officers have been tripled to raise their standard of living, according to the Ministry of Defence.
As part of the discussion on the president’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Minister of Defense,Dominic Nitiwul, stated that the government had throughout the years made sufficient investments in the nation’s security system.
“Mr Speaker, for the Armed Forces in particular, the salaries of the armed forces have been more than tripled. It is the same thing with the police service and the same thing with the other security services because a hungry soldier is an angry soldier. That is why it is important that our security services are well taken care of.”
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei-Owusu has meantime encouraged Ghanaians to abstain from voting in any future hung parliaments.
The Bekwai MP believes the situation has made the current legislature less efficient as compared to the seventh Parliament.
He wants Ghanaians to vote massively for either the NPP or NDC in the 2024 general elections to give one political party an overwhelming majority in the House.
“It is affecting governance generally. I am saying that next time Ghanaians should vote more. If they want the NPP to be the Majority, they should give them more votes. If you want NDC to be the majority give them more votes. This one is affecting governance very badly.
“The seventh Parliament, probably because of the numbers, passed the highest number of laws since 1993, we passed over 100 laws. This Parliament is our third year, but I doubt we have passed even 10 laws. The level of cooperation that I saw is no longer there.”
Members of Parliament may approve the newly appointed Ministers through secret ballot, the Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee has said.
This, according to Joseph Osei-Owusu, is a result of the Minority’s reluctance to second the Majority’s validation of the officials at the committee level.
It follows the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) earlier directive that its Minority Caucus declines approval of the new ministerial nominees.
Joe Wise, as he is popularly called, indicated that should the Minority MPs toe their party’s line, this may force the committee to do so even though “our recommendation will be that, the Minority says yes, the Minority says no.”
“If we recommend approval by consensus, then, the decision is taken by voice vote. But when it’s recommended by a majority decision, then the report is adopted by a secret ballot,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo on February 7, nominated six NPP members to replace some outgoing ministers.
They have been vetted by the Appointments Committee awaiting approval by Parliament.
According to Joseph Osei-Owusu, the chairman of the parliamentary appointments committee, some of the president‘s nominees for ministerial positions may be approved by secret ballot.
He said the Minority’s refusal to support the approval process at the Committee level will force a secret ballot when the report is presented to the House this week.
“Our recommendation will be that, the Majority says yes, the Minority says no. If we recommend approval by consensus, then, the decision is taken by voice vote. But when it’s recommended by a majority decision, then the report is adopted by a secret ballot.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on February 7, 2023, nominated six members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to replace some outgoing ministers.
They have subsequently been vetted by the Appointments Committee awaiting approval byParliament.
But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had earlier directed the Minority Caucus in Parliament not to approve the new ministerial nominees.
NDC described the nominations as insensitive and will affect government spending in the midst of an economic mess created by president Akufo-Addo and his Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The NDC in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey said: “the NDC has long expressed concern over the very large size of the current government and shares the views of most Ghanaians, including civil society, that it must be reduced bearing in mind the current massive economic mess the country has been plunged into by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.”
The party said it has appealed to the government and president Akufo-Addo on numerous occasions to cut down on the number of appointees, but the president has remained adamant.
It said the option available to the party to attempt to compel the president to cut down the size of his government is to direct members of the party in Parliament to reject the nominees.
