Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Nadowli Kaleo Constituency, Upper West Region, Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin has supported the minority’s walk-out on President Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address by stating that the walk-out was for the benefit of Ghanaians rather than for the benefit of his party.
In an up-close interview on the Happy Morning show aired on Happy 98.9FM, he explained: “I support the minority’s walk-out and I did walk-out. The focus was to draw the attention of Ghanaians and to place some more emphasis on the governance in the country.
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According to him, as a country, “we are moving away from what we know about democracy towards totalitarianism. We are talking now about concentration of power in the hands of one person. Our constitution is not that perfect. It seems to have created that system. But it depends on the individual quality; the leadership qualities and styles”.
“What we are getting this day is about too much power being exercised by his excellency the president as against the other institutions which sometimes offends the freedom and rights of the individuals”, he added.
In supporting his previous comments, he cited events such the trade fair demolition and the Government’s treatment towards the Volta Regional Deputy Secretary of the NDC.
“These are acts that you can’t trace lawfully. If a court gives you an order to take over your land, the court doesn’t say that just move and destroy whatever that is there and take over your land. At least you have to give sometime for the person to be able to move out. And these were done by state institutions. Then when you go to the former deputy regional secretary of the Volta Region, look at the personalities involved. They have something to do with Government”, he explained.
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He furthered other issues such as the “building up of some unlawful forces in the country” which have been raised by society has been continued by the Government with “bravado”.
“As a minority you look for opportunity to hit on these issues for national interest. People may think it is for the benefit of the party but no it is for the benefit of Ghanaians”, he added.
On February, 20th, 2020, the minority in Parliament staged a walk-out during President Nana Akufo-Addo’s delivery of the 2020 State of the Nation Address (SONA).
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
