Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin caused the deletion of two submissions by leaders on both sides of the House on Thursday during a debate on a vote of censure against Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.
The first was the comments of Minority Chief Whip Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka when he challenged Bagbin's decision to refer the censure vote to a committee when the Minority was pushing for a vote after the debate.
What Muntaka said and Bagbin's deletion order
Muntaka, after back and forth with the Speaker and a lengthy rebuke and explanation by the Speaker, Bagbin added: "I think that you have to withdraw what you said. Hon. Member, you have to withdraw it and apologize."
Muntaka: I'm happy you've given me permission to speak; one of the cardinals of democracy is to listen to each other even when we disagree with each other, stressing that ruling was wrong and cannot be right.
Bagbin: Hon. Member, resume your seat, resume your seat.
Muntaka: Mr. Speaker, I come to second the motion with the clear indication that any attempt to move this matter to a committee will be a travesty of justice done to the chamber of this House.
Bagbin: Hon. Members, I direct that all what the Minority Chief Whip has said after I have told him to withdraw and apologize be expunged from the records. I so direct. Hansard, expunge everything from the record. Minority Chief Whip, you'll have a difficulty in catching my eye again.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s objection ejected
On his part, the Majority Leader stood to contest the propriety of the motion before the House citing the sponsors. He contended that the motion started with the sponsorship of Muntaka but later metamorphosed into one co-sponsored by Muntaka and Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.
"Mr. Speaker, as we stand here today, I don't even really know which motion is before us; Mr. Speaker, I say so because on Tuesday, October 25, when we came to this House, the Minority signalled that they were collecting signatures to file a vote of censure on the Finance Minister.
"The Minority Chief Whip was loud and clear that he had filed such a motion, and the motion came to be admitted by your good self, Mr. Speaker… the motion that is before us today bears the sponsorship of the Hon. Minority Leader, the Hon. Haruna Iddrisu and the Hon. Muntaka Mubarak. Mr. Speaker, how did this metamorphose?" he quizzed.
The majority leader's submission drew an interjection by Haruna Iddrisu, throwing the chamber into a petit frenzy. After calm was restored, Bagbin directed that "the motion that was filed completely complied with the law, and I admitted it; there is no question about it."
He added that the motion had been moved and seconded; he proceeded to order the expunging order as follows:
"Hon. Members, please, what I didn't add, which I will add, is that all that the majority leader said with regards to the admissibility or propriety or otherwise of the motion that is being moved or debated should be expunged from the records."
How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued
The minority leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.
The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin, and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger a debate and a vote on the same.
Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on, referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority's claims against the Finance Minister.
The committee, co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP), is expected to present their report in seven days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.
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