The Majority, on Tuesday, technically deserted Parliament to stall voting on the escalating prices of foodstuffs in the country, which the Minority was calling on the government to address.
The Speaker, Peter Ala Adjetey could not put the question to a vote, as the House did not form a quorum. The vote would have been taken on whether the government should take immediate steps to arrest the current escalation of food prices or that government should stabilise food prices at a future date when the economy improves. The standing orders require that there is at least a hundred members in the House before a major decision is taken.
The original motion which stands in the name of NDC members, Hon Edward Doe Adjaho MP Avenor, Hon. John Akologu Tia, MP Talensi and Dr Alfred Tia, MP Nalerigu reads: "that this House views with serious concern the current escalating prices of foodstuffs and urges the government to take immediate steps to arrest the situation".
Four NPP members introduced an amendment motion that: "conscious of the strenuous efforts currently being made by government to improve the economy, urges government to remain steadfast in this pursuit in order to revamp the agricultural sector and stabilise food prices."
Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah, Afigya-Sekyere West, Mr Paul Appiah-Ofori, Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, Nana Akomea, Okaikwei South and Mr Reginald Ayi-Bonte, Odododiodoo all NPP members who contributed to the amendment motion like the previous speakers on their side condemned the NDC, the immediate past government for being responsible for the current food situation.
They said the NPP was only five months old in office and could, therefore, not be held liable for the current escalation of food prices since it was the NDC, which did not provide food security through sound agricultural practices.
The Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin, MP Nadowli North, who was making his contribution while members of the Majority side were streaming from the chamber, taunted them that they were running away from a harmless motion, which only sought to solve the hunger problem of those who voted them to Parliament to think about their welfare.
"I thought the NPP are sensitive to the plight of the people and that when they took the June 4 motion under a certificate of urgency and brought their ministers from Spain to vote for the motion they are rather not taking the food situation seriously", he said and added that the NPP amendment motion was for a long-term solution to the stabilisation of food prices, which would take a long time to be realised.
The NDC's motion on the other hand was only seeking to address the short-term solution to enable the people to survive before they enjoy any future benefits.
The Speaker said the issue would be put to a vote today on whether a quorum was formed or not saying "the problem is still there even when it is delayed. You cannot run away from the problem".
Earlier the Attorney General and Minister for Justice Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo MP Abuakwa laid the Criminal Code (Repeal of Criminal Libel and Seditious Laws) (Amendment) Bill.
Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development also laid an 11 million Deutsch Mark loan agreement between Ghana and Germany to support the implementation of the District Capital (III) Project.
