Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson
The Minority has followed through with its threat to scuttle proceedings if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs fail to show up in the chamber.
At the commencement of business today, there were fewer than 50 MPs in the chamber instead of the required 92 for the commencement of business, prompting MP for Tamale Central, Murtala Mohammed, to draw the attention of the Speaker.
According to him, the NPP Members of Parliament are in the constituencies with National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs campaigning to unseat them and thus cannot expect government business to proceed.
“Relying on our numbers to have government business executed, for me, demonstrates a lack of seriousness. And I don’t think that we need to be giving them this opportunity. Mr. Speaker, last week and the week before, I raised this issue. They are in our constituencies, campaigning, yet they expect us to execute their business for them,” said Murtala Mohammed.
The move by the Tamale Central MP follows a warning from Bole-Bamboi MP Yussif Sulemana and Minority Chief Whip Governs Kwame Agbodza last week that the Minority would halt proceedings if their majority colleagues failed to show up to perform their legislative duties.
The Speaker was compelled to suspend sittings for an hour. The Lithium agreement, which was to be laid, had to be put on ice as a result of another objection from the Minority.
When sitting resumed after the suspension, the number of MPs had reduced to 24, compelling the Speaker to adjourn the sitting to Tuesday.
