The former Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Prof Stephen Adei , has deplored remarks brought about by ex-president
John Dramani Mahama on the issue of voting.

The Supreme Court of Ghana made a decision that deputy speakers are free and legally authorized to vote while being in charge of a parliamentary sitting. This development and court ruling is not supported by Prof Stephen Adei, who believes that it can cause a civil war in the country.

He stated this while being interviewed with
myjoyonline.com reports. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Mahama have made statements as per regard to the ruling but the former NDPC Boss warns that they should be mindful of what comes out from their mouths to avoid tension.

“Leadership is motivating others. Akufo-Addo with all of his intelligence, and he’s one of the brilliant people, he’s one out of 30 million Ghanaians. But his actions, and that goes for Mahama. He must watch what he says. Because they’re leaders whose behaviour and words have such gargantuan impact. For example, you cannot be a person of the stature of Mahama and say what he said. And I won’t like to repeat it; about the Supreme Court judgment.”

“Because what you’re doing is this. You’re setting the country on (a) course of civil war. Because wherever there has been a civil war, there must be a list of confidence in the formal system. I won’t like to repeat it. I think the words which were used should never have come from the mouth of an ex-president”, the former NDPC chair is quoted.

The former President of the country, John Mahama, reacting to the ruling has expressed shock over the development and describes it as “absurd.”

“If Deputy Speakers, because they are Members of Parliament, can vote while presiding as Speaker, they could as well be able to participate in any debate on the floor over which they are presiding.

“This is the absurdity into which the Supreme Court ruling leads us,” the former president wrote.”