The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has backed the Chief Justice’s call on Members of Parliament to desist from using ‘honourable’ as titles.
Justice Sophia Akuffo on Tuesday scolded two MPs who had written ‘honourable’ as titles in a writ brought before the court challenging the appointment of Gender Minister Otiko Afisa Djaba.
The two National Democratic Congress MPs – Ernest Norgbey; Ashaiman Constituency and Kwabena Mintah Akandoh; Juaboso Constituency – wanted the court to revoke her appointment over her failure to undergo mandatory National Service.
It was in this writ that they added ‘honourable’ as prefixes to their names.
But Justice Akuffo while hearing the case on Tuesday questioned the basis for the use of the title, Honourable.
She told the two MPs the use of honourable as a title is “dishonourable”, advising that the title can only be added after their names had been written.
The First Deputy Speaker agreed. He said although in certain jurisdictions ‘honourable’ is used as a title, the reference to it in Ghana, specifically during Parliamentary proceedings, “is only in our standing orders. It is clear that it is when you are addressing a colleague member of parliament that you use the prefix honourable.
“So you can say ‘honourable member of so so and so, honourable chairman of the committee, honourable leader’…those are the occasions in our standing orders where any reference is made to the prefix honourable,” he said.
He added that honourable can only be used during debates in the House, “So in that respect, yes the Chief Justice is right.”
He explained that for members of parliament who have asked questions, the questions are listed in their names and their titles, either minister or doctor or any other earned titles added and their constituency then follows.
“So Parliament does not use honourable as a prefix to your name. It is used only as a reference to refer to one another during debates. That is the practice and that is what is recognized in our standing orders.”
The Bekwai MP doubts, however, that members can be compelled to stop using the title outside Parliament.
He said outside Parliament, members are only expected to behave in a manner that does not bring the name of the House into disrepute.
“I don’t know whether by referring to yourself as honourable on a letterhead or on a call card amounts to that,” he said, adding that perhaps a conversation needs to be had on it.
Mr Osei-Owusu said Parliamentarians are encouraged to live, behave and speak honourably, and once this is done, the public will recognize them as honourable members.
He said the Chief Justice’s action against the two MPs should serve as a deterrent to other members to watch how they use titles.
Source: myjoyonline
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There is no way I am ever going to call any MP honourable. Who are they? Many are not even intelligent enough and they lack they respect they crave for. Indeed, most Ghanaians have the least respect for them anyway
The CJ was acting out of jealousy. She did not understand why a young boy like akandoh should be called honorable. It's plain envy. Meanwhile you want to be called her ladyship instead of her pussiship.
It's high time we stopped calling these corrupt supreme court judges my lord. They are thieeves. As for mps the least said about them the better. It's good that now we understand that its nun sense to call someone like ken agyepong honorable. Honorable is not meant for these goons. We have a weed smoker in the flagstaff house also called his excellency. We are only abusing God's accolades.
I'm happy people will understand and stop calling these people honorables moreover they don't even deserve it, they not fit for that. I'm so happy, 3y3 med3 ooooo ! Hehehehehe! Bunch of fo*ls calling themselves honorables and doing the dishonerable things. Look at how they talk with arrogance because of the title honourable, ndc love titles and power. You see them coiling back when they are disgraced only to resurface and start spewing their sh*t. Cowards, why are they not coming out to challenge and defend their honourable titles?hahahahahaha! Don't use Honourable titles before your names Hehehehehe! Osagyefo's ministers and appointees were called Mr before their names ndc lack of self esteem make them think power is everything, look at their Nkurasesem and ntetekwaa ne3ma trying to circumvent our constitution like apart from the ndc government no government has the right to do anything, they can fire and make but no other government has the right. Let them try and see if Ghana belongs to them and if they will ever be comfortable to live in peace with the rest of Ghanaians. ***barred word*** kwa !
@ SENEGAL, YOU HAVE TAKEN WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH. AKANDO IS A TYPICAL "KURASENI" SO TO BE NOTICED, HE NEEDS TO SHOUT AND SCREAM LIKE WHAT HE HAS BEEN DOING. HE NEEDS TO FIT IN. I CAN IMAGINE THAT WHEN HE HEAD BACK TO HIS VILLAGE, HE WOULD BE ASKING PEOPLE, "OH DID YOU SEE ME ON T.V"? BUNCH OF NONENTITIES.
Akandoh again, he is either DHP (Dinning Hall Prefect) or honourable. NDC, please educate your men or they will continue to disgrace the party.
Akando is a village MP so he needs a title