A Parliamentary Expert, Dr Rasheed Draman has called on the current leadership of Parliament to come to a consensus on which of the two major parties control the affairs of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic.

His comment comes after the second day of meetings by leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucuses and Speaker Alban Bagbin ended inconclusively.

The leaders, therefore, are expected to meet again on Thursday to reach a consensus on the way forward.

Three issues are currently outstanding; which side constitutes a majority, which side should chair various committees and which caucus should sit on the right-hand side of the Speaker.

According to Deputy NDC Whip, Ibrahim Ahmed, the Fomena MP Andrews Amoako Asiamah’s delay in writing officially to the Speaker on which side he chooses to do business with stalled the process.

But speaking on JoyNews’ Top Story Wednesday, Dr Draman charged the leadership of Parliament to come to a consensus before the first sitting of the 8th parliament to avoid another embarrassment.

“I do not think the leadership have a choice. We were taken by surprise on January 7, because we didn’t see the embarrassment that we suffered as a country coming. But we can predict what will happen on Friday, if this issue is not resolved.

"And so in my very humble opinion, I think the two leaders together with the Speaker and whoever is involved in this discussion and negotiation will have to work until they find a solution. They have to try and save us from another embarrassment,” he said.

Commenting on how the negotiations should be held, Dr Draman suggested that both New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) must be willing to compromise.

“At this point, it is very clear that there is no party in Parliament that will get all that it wants. So it is going to require [a] give-and-take and that is where the negotiation has to take place, in terms of what is it that the NDC can sacrifice and what the NPP can sacrifice so that the country can move on."