- Given the recent acts of the minority caucus, Ghana’s eighth parliament, according to first deputy speaker of parliament Joseph Osei-Owusu, has turned into the worst in the nation’s history.
- Early this week, The Minority announced that they were intensifying their protest against Gyakye Quayson’s trial.
- The new tactic is to repeatedly bring up the quorum, thereby closing the House every time.
- The First Deputy Speaker claimed that while he first believed that a parliament with an even number of members would be preferable, it really turned out to be the worst of all the legislatures.
- On July 20, he declared in an interview with JoyNews, “We have decided to tackle politics instead of business. The worst in MPs have been brought out by the current balance of power; I have said this before and will say it again.
- he said further that, “We’ve decided to do politics instead of business. This parliament, the eighth parliament, has produced the fewest legislation. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: this equal number of members has brought out the worst in MPs.
- On Thursday, it became clear that there wasn’t a quorum in the House to continue debating issues, including the Ghana UNESCO bill. This made it necessary to adjourn early.
- In light of this, Mr. Osei-Owusu claimed that this parliament has not been as effective as previous ones. He claims that in his more than ten years in the legislature, there has never been a moment when the absence of other colleagues from the house hampered the day’s business.
- He also emphasized that the present parliament made it challenging for the leadership to maintain control over the house’s business.
- “Young people are in charge; they have a different perspective than the rest of us, so it benefits them even when their leaders agree to do something.
- “Check the present legislature; it is never the leaders that bring up this issue; it is always somebody from the rear benches. What that implies is that the back bench currently controls the Ghanaian parliament, not the leaders, he explained.
- Additionally, KT Hammond, minister of trade and industry, voiced worry about the present pattern, saying that if it persists, parliament won’t be able to conduct business.
- He characterized the minority’s behavior as cunning and blatantly sabotaging government operations.
- Mr. Hammond emphasized that the minority’s action had made it impossible for committee meetings to take place, which had a significant impact on the legislative activity.
- Kwame Governs Agbodza, the minority’s Chief Whip, claims that the minority caucus did its utmost to allow the house’s business to proceed.
- He continued by saying that the delay in legislative business was not the fault of his side of the house. He emphasized that the agenda of the parliament would have continued had all members of the minority been there.
- Additionally, Tamale Central MP Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed said that it is unjust for the majority to characterize the minority’s activities as a hindrance to the house’s work.
- He asserts that the constitution and the standing rules serve as a guide for the operation of the house and that it is inaccurate to describe them as obstacles to parliamentary action.
- In contrast, he said, the Majority Chief Whip has not been able to bring the whole majority into the chamber in order for the day’s business to be conducted.
Source:
myjoyonline