News:
December 21, 2024
Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has taken a swipe at the Minority side of the House blaming their lawlessness that frustrated government business in the House leading to early adjournment of the House.
Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin on Friday, December 20, 2024 adjourned the House to January 2, 2025 when the Finance Minister failed to present the Mini-Budget Statement for the first quarter of 2025 until the new government prepares its own budget.
According to him the usual practice of the House is that when a matter is introduced, papers are laid and referrals made to committees, and same work is presented to the House for debate and decision taken.
At a press conference addressed by the Majority Leader, he noted that the NDC Minority’s strategy has been not to allow papers to be laid; neither will they allow reports to be presented to Committees.
And this also includes reports on the Supreme Court nominees whose vetting parliament has concluded; “we are to table that report for a motion to be taken, but they say they will not allow it”.
“Again, the all-important free SHS bill they again say they will not allow that to be laid for the bill to be considered; the environmental protection bill we know how they frustrated it as well”.
In addition two hundred and fifty million dollar facility from the World Bank to support the financial sector, we had 1D1F they themselves brought proposal to us which government side accepted which proposal led to the raw material component being taken out resulting in huge savings as a result the committee completed its work. Again the NDC lawless Minority will not allow the report to be taken.
They have threatened chaos should we lay any of the reports. Unfortunately, “Mr. Speaker who we all rely on to protect us could not assure the Majority of controlling the NDC lawlessness. He directed that the NDC cannot obstruct government business on the floor neither could the leadership obstruct government business on the floor of the House; today we had engagement with them all they want to do is bring chaos”.
“We want to tell the people of Ghana that, we as democrats are ever ready to proceed to do this expenditure of account. There is no way we will ambush our own fortunes; it is rather the lawless NDC Minority who have done all they can to obstruct government business”.
Furthermore, they do not care about our inability to undertake this constitutional obligation. “We want to assure the nation that should the Speaker reconvene the parliament any time before 31 of December 2024, the Majority led by the Finance Minister will proceed to do this expenditure account to enable the Ghanaian public servants to benefit from this expenditure.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com