Chaos has once again broken out in Parliament after the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, suspended sitting due to a failure on both sides to agree on how to vote for the approval of four Supreme Court Justices, Ministers and deputy ministers, nominated by President Akufo-Addo.
The Majority demanded that voting for the Supreme Court Justices and the Ministers be done concurrently, but the Minority insisted that voting and counting be done separately.
The Majority however, demanded that MPs from their side openly display their vote, but that was immediately shot down by the Minority, who demanded that voting be done in secret. The Minority led by Cassiel Ato Forson, vehemently rejected the proposal of the Majority and urged the Speaker to allow MPs to vote in secret.
The minority leader added that the antics of the majority, clearly showed that they were not interested in proceeding with Friday’s vote and asked the Speaker to suspend sitting. The Speaker after several clashes between both sides, suspended sitting, leaving both sides to continue engagement on the floor of the House.
The Minority caucus, has already indicated their decision not to approve the new ministers nominated and deputies, duly vetted by the Appointments Committee.
Prior to the vetting of the newly nominated ministers on Monday, February 20, 2023, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) directed the Minority in parliament not to approve them, describing their appointments as an insensitive move that would increase the government’s expenditure in the midst of an economic mess.
The nominated ministers include the Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, K.T Hammond as the Minister for Trade and Industry, with the Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso, Dr. Stephen Amoah serving as his deputy.
The Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong was also appointed as the Minister for Food and Agriculture. Stephen Asamoah Boateng was appointed as the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs among others.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu Disappointed In Minority Leadership
The Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has slammed the leadership of the minority caucus in Parliament, over its stance on the approval of six new ministerial appointees.
According to him, the House was scheduled to vote on the approval of the six ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, but the leaders of the minority caucus claimed they were going to speak to their members, to see whether the approval could be done by consensus.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu averred that the vote was delayed for hours only for the minority leaders to come and say that they were sticking to the position of their party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“In the beginning, they (the minority leaders) said that we should vote on the approval of the ministers, then later they said the approval should be done by consensus. Yesterday, they came back to tell us that we should vote for the approval of the ministers.”
“The position of their party is that they should not approve the ministers, but they said we should give them time for them to consult the party, only for them to return to tell us that they are taking their party’s position. I was disappointed because they gave us the indication that they were going to change their minds. If they knew they were not going to change their stance, then we should have voted on the approval early.”
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
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