There are calls within Parliament to improve the quality of debates and name structures of the House to immortalise the late Joseph Henry (JH) Mensah, former Majority Leader of the House.
The House, recalled from recess on Monday for a five-day emergency meeting, eulogised the late economist and politician for his astuteness, objectivity, and forthrightness devoid of partisanship.
Contributions from Members of both sides of the House, after a statement by Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, eulogizing the late politician and economist, advocated that Speakers and others in leadership positions, who rendered dedicated service to the House and the nation must be immortalised.
Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, the Chief Whip of the Minority described the late former senior colleague as a courageous and brilliant person, who moved to mentor a lot of people.
Alhaji Muntaka observed that the late Majority Leader, exhibited a lot of decorum even when expressing opposing views, and was very erudite as he made contributions on the floor of the House.
However the quality of debates, he noted, now in the House has gone down drastically, so bad, attributing the fall in the quality to some members not doing enough research, or not given enough time to speak on the issues, among others.
Additionally some members of the House had often exhibited unacceptable behaviour that would not have happened in the days when the late JH Mensah was leader of the House.
Alhaji Muntaka noted the courage of the late JH Mensah, in criticising publicly his own party, the New Patriotic Party on policy issues when it was in power as he did when another party had been in power.
Mr Eugene Boakye Antwi, MP for Subin called for the compiling of the works of the late JH Mensah, as he described him as someone who held and defended the integrity of Parliament.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said the late JH Mensah was one of the most respected Ghanaian politicians; and appealed for more time for contributions to enhance the depth of debates.
However, Mr Joseph Osei–Owusu, First Deputy Speaker, who took over from the Speaker Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye during the contributions, remarked that, time allotments are reached between the Majority and Minority Leader, the Speaker only enforces the agreements.
The late J H Mensah, who died at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra on July 12, 2018, has since been buried.
Source: GNA
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