The Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has advised his colleague, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, to acquaint himself with parliamentary procedures before calling for the removal of Abena Osei-Asare as Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
In a Facebook post, Mr. Osei Nyarko described A Plus’ petition to Speaker Alban Bagbin as “dead on arrival,” emphasizing that the Speaker does not have the authority to remove a sitting MP from a parliamentary committee.
He explained that such decisions fall under the mandate of the Committee of Selection, which acts on recommendations from the leadership of the respective parliamentary caucuses.
“My colleague A Plus should take his time to learn the parliamentary rules and procedures properly. The Speaker has no powers to remove any Member of Parliament from a committee, not even the Leader of Government Business can do that,” Mr. Osei Nyarko stated.
He further advised that if A Plus believes the PAC Chairperson has acted inappropriately, he should consult the Standing Orders of Parliament and follow the appropriate disciplinary procedures, rather than appealing directly to the Speaker.
“But to call on the Speaker to remove her as Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee is nothing but political bravado,” he added, urging A Plus to withdraw the petition to avoid unnecessary embarrassment.
A Plus, who recently entered Parliament, had petitioned the Speaker to remove Abena Osei-Asare, citing a conflict of interest due to her previous role as Deputy Minister of Finance.
His action has sparked discussions among political observers and MPs about the limits of the Speaker’s authority and the proper procedures governing parliamentary committees.
The PAC, chaired by the Atiwa East legislator, is central to ensuring accountability in public spending, making the debate over its leadership particularly significant.
Source: Adomonline
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