News:
July 8, 2011
WORK OF Parliament has been affected due to the delegates’ congress of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo regional capital, Sunyani, the Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) has lamented.
According to the Minority, led by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu who is also the Member of Parliament for Suame in the Ashanti Region, some members of Majority NDC have deserted the legislature and have engaged in “GAMING and FONKARING”, leaving empty seats in the House.
This, the Minority bemoaned, has negatively affected the business of the House.
Cletus Avoka, Majority Leader, confirmed the Minority’s fears yesterday when he announced that most of the NDC members will not be in the House on Friday July 8, 2011, as they would be trekking to Sunyani for the congress that is expected to choose either President Mills or Nana Konadu as the ruling party’s flagbearer for the 2012 general elections.
The Majority Leader, who is also the MP for Zebilla, had to set aside the normal convention, by presenting the business statement for next week yesterday due to the Sunyani congress.
The convention is that business statements are presented on Fridays. The party’s congress and work of Parliament, he explained, are part of the democratic dispensation of the country and therefore, NDC MPs’ participation in the congress should not be seen as having any negative effect on the business of the legislature.
However, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Mensah pointed out that this is the first time a political party’s congress is coinciding with the work of Parliament, calling on the leadership of the House to fashion out programmes in a manner that will not affect the business of the legislature.
Meanwhile, Speaker Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo has directed that any MP wishing to attend the congress during sitting of the House will have to seek her permission before doing so.
Source: Daily Guide