You are abusing parliament - Muntaka tells Speaker

Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, has chided the Speaker of Parliament Prof Mike Aaron Oquaye for holding proceedings though the house fell short of the constitutionally required quorum.

His comments come on the back of the House considering the Corporate Insolvency Bill with only about 60 MPs in the chamber out of 275.

One-third parliamentarians are needed to form a quorum.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament today, he raised concerns on the need for the Speaker to observe Article 104 of the Constitution.

The said article stipulates that "104. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, matters in Parliament shall be determined by the votes of the majority of members present and voting, with at least half of all the members of Parliament present. (2) The Speaker shall have neither an original nor casting vote."

According to the minority chief whip, it is illegal for the speaker to carry on proceedings which require members to take a decision on the Bill under consideration.

"You are condoning illegality. That is why there must be rules and order, now what you are doing means you are indulging in illegality.

"What is then the use of our constitution and the standing orders? This is not fair, you are abusing the privileges of this House. You are making this house lawless Mr Speaker," the Muntaka told the Speaker.

On his part as the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, called out the minority chief whip for not being circumspect with his pronouncements.