Let's work together else you'll have a tough time - NDC MP advises NPP

Member of Parliament for Bia East, Richard Acheampong has asked the leadership of the New Patriotic Party in Parliament to be less aggressive and confrontational in the House, else they may have a tough time.

He says as it stands now the majority group in parliament which is the NPP will only have an upper hand when it comes to voting since they are the majority group but when it comes to taking a decision, their numbers won't save them since they both carry the same numbers in the house.

Speaking on Okay Fm's Ade Akye Abia program, he explained that the current parliament has no clear cut majority and that issues that will be brought before the will have to be determined by both members.

"The NPP government through their members in parliament will have to succumb their pride and work with us for the common goal and interest of the country, if they decide to be unnecessarily hard-hearted, they will really have a tough time in the house.

"Granted that they even take by the majority in the number of committees, they will take the chairmanship position of the committee which will adversely affect them because the chairman of the committees doesn't take part during committee votings.

"So the NPP will have to reach a consensus with the NDC caucus in parliament and agree on certain common issues so that we will not hold the country to a ransom," he added.

Parliament on Friday approved a formula based on an agreed ratio of 138:137 for the composition of the membership of committees, parliamentary delegations, other parliamentary groups and associations, and the membership of the Committee of Selection.

Per the agreed ratio of 138:137, the 19 members of the Committee of Selection, excluding the chairperson who is the Speaker, work out with 10 members from the Majority Caucus and nine members from the Minority Caucus.

The Leadership of the House, pursuant to Orders 151 and 154 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, met on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, and determined the formula for the composition of the membership of the Committee of Selection.

The Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, having commenced, needs to compose the membership of the committees, parliamentary groupings, and associations for the effective discharge of the mandate of Parliament nationally and at the international level.