Linda Akrasi Kotey
9 October 2008
All parliamentary members who spoke in honour of the former Speaker of Parliament, the late Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey, described him with adjectives which were well crafted and meant to honour his personality.
They said, in all fields and capacities that he has served, he distinguished himself as a persuasive personality, who was impartial no matter the political divide that you belonged to, if only what you pursued was justifiable.
In a tribute to his honour, Deputy majority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu said the late Speaker lived fairness, objectivity and impartiality in Parliament. He was so fair that at different times both sides of the House accused him of favouring the other side.
He said, not all Members agreed with him all the time, yet they respected his sense of justice and his fairness. Mensah Bonsu reminded the House in his tribute about the late Speaker's refrain that the Majority would have their way, while the Minority would be accorded the due respect and must always have their say.
This, he added, was why he introduced a new concept of affording equal opportunity in respect of speaking in turns to the two caucuses in the House. "Initially, he was misunderstood by many of his own party people in Parliament, but in retrospect, there is general agreement that this is the way to grow Parliament".
The Deputy majority leader noted that the late Peter Ala Adjetey introduced discipline, time management and consciousness to a House that had hitherto not been known to keep to its own schedule. "To enable Peter commence business at exactly 10 o'clock in the forenoon, he and his parliamentary entourage trooped into the Chamber a few minutes before the hour".
Quoting the deceased, Mensah Bonsu said the late Speaker held the opinion that if what he believed in was right or represented the truth in the manner in which he deemed fit, then he was not at all concerned whether or not what he says gained him favour or not.
This trait, he said, followed him in his conduct of business in the House. With the discipline he sought in the House, he himself lived it first.
He maintained that people still cannot fathom how a man at his age could sit in the chair not winking, not shifting, not getting up to go and have a bite, not even getting up to pass water from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm, which miracle he performed on not a few occasions.
He said the former Speaker wanted Parliament to be a House of Excellence and hence entreated Members to be very cautious and meticulous about everything they did, because he was himself given to looking at the microscopic details of every assignment the House undertook, which explains why he was in charge of every piece of legislation.
In debate, he was always interested in the fine convincing and persuasive arguments. The consensus approach he promoted brought unity and a combined will to achieve goals collectively.
Osei kyei admitted that despite the difficulties and obstacles, the late Speaker chalked great successes because legislative business was very close to his heart, which manifested in his commitment of the passing of ninety two (92) bills into laws, during his four-year tenure as Speaker.
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