News:
June 11, 2024
The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament has re-affirmed that they will not be available for business on the floor of the House any time their leader Dr. Ato C. Forson Baah is before the court in the hearing of the ongoing ambulance case trial.
Minority chief whip Governs Kwame Agbodza at a press conference said the decision comes on the back of the refusal of the presiding High Court Judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe to grant a request from the lawyers of the Minority Leader for the leave of the court to enable him attend to important parliamentary business on Tuesday, 11th June, 2024 when the House resumes its third meeting of the fourth session.
Last week, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe again rejected a similar request from the parliament of Ghana to enable the Minority Leader take part in a meeting of the Parliamentary Service Board which was due to take critical decisions ahead of the resumption of Parliament, among others.
The NDC Caucus was left with no representation at these important meeting that the Minority Leader is expected to deliver a resumption address, join parliamentary leadership to engage the press and undertake other important activities, as part of his legislative mandate.
These are part of very important parliamentary duties exclusively reserved for the leader of a Parliamentary Caucus at the commencement of a parliamentary meeting. The Minority Caucus has taken notice of this worrying trend that shows an attempt by the trial judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, to prevent the Minority Leader from performing his constitutional duties as an elected Member of Parliament and the Leader of the Minority Caucus.
“The NDC Minority Caucus further reserves the right to apply all other tools available to us in our approach to business on the floor, the press and undertake other important activities, as part of his legislative mandate. These are part of very important parliamentary duties exclusively reserved for the leader of a Parliamentary Caucus at the commencement of a parliamentary meeting”, they stated.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com