The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Honorable Alban Bagbin has said that the office of the speaker is not a partisan or political office.
According Bagbin, irrespective of him being nominated and elected by a political party, he owes no allegiance to them as a speaker of parliament.
Speaking on the floor of parliament during the first sitting of the 8th parliament since inception, Bagbin said “The speaker is not a partisan political office: regardless of which party nominated or elected him or her and regardless of his or her previous political background. The speaker of parliament of Ghana is a non partisan, impartial office. There is no NDC or NPP speaker but only the speaker of the Republic of Ghana.”
He however charged the MPs to be of good behavior and that he will work professionally devoid of any political party color.
The Speaker is expected to douse the tension that has arisen between the NPP and the NDC Members of Parliament in the House.
This comes after the NDC caucus dismissed assertions by the colleagues from the governing party that the NPP lawmakers are the majority side following the decision of the Fomena Independent MP to do business with them.
Earlier today pictures from the House showed NPP MPs who were taking a nap as they waited for the Speaker of the House and MPs from the NDC side.
Both the NDC and the NPP have 137 seats in Parliament with one Independent MP.
The Independent MP, Asiamah Amoako has, however, indicated to the Speaker of Parliament that he will do business with the NPP caucus.