Parliament must settle issues without court injunctions –Kwadwo Mpiani

Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff under President Kufuor, has called for Parliament to resolve its issues internally, without resorting to court injunctions, adding that both sides of the lawmaking house ought to largely iron out their differences without resorting to court for restraining orders.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Wednesday, November 13, Mr. Mpiani emphasized that relying on court orders to settle parliamentary matters could disrupt the legislative process. He argued that Parliament should be allowed to operate independently, with any decisions challenged in court if necessary.

“I personally don’t believe Parliament should be subjected to injunctions. If that becomes the norm, it will make Parliament’s work increasingly difficult, as anyone could go to court to challenge its operations,” he said.

His comments came in the wake of an injunction application filed by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Leader of the NPP Caucus, at the Supreme Court. This was in response to a call from the NDC Caucus to declare four parliamentary seats vacant. Although Speaker Alban Bagbin had initially declared the seats vacant, the Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that the declaration was unconstitutional, with Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo affirming that it could not stand.

Mr. Mpiani further suggested that Parliament should focus on resolving issues through internal dialogue rather than turning to the judiciary. He questioned the effectiveness of seeking court intervention when Parliament fails to reach a quorum for decision-making.

“Parliament must be able to sort out its issues on its own. What is achieved if you return to Parliament and can’t make decisions because there’s no quorum?” he said.

He encouraged Speaker Bagbin to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling and urged Parliament members to engage in constructive discussions to avoid further impasses.