In a press briefing, the Minority Leader, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin speaking on behalf of the Minority articulated the concerns of the NPP Minority Caucus regarding Parliamentary proceedings particularly the suspension of some members, procedural breaches, and what he described as attempts to intimidate the caucus.
The Minority first expressed strong disapproval of the suspension of some Minority members, emphasizing that the Speaker of Parliament and the Chairman of the Committee had acted outside the established rules of parliamentary procedure. He explained;
“On this occasion, Mr. Speaker was dealing with a disorderly conduct which took place at the committee level. Where the chairman of the committee had a mandate to deal with the matters. He now says that he has on his own suspended these members without hearing them. The chair of the committee did not communicate anything to the Speaker. Neither did the Speaker invite any of us in leadership for any discussion.”
Minority Caucus in Parliament
The Minority stressed that even in cases of disciplinary action, Parliament has specific provisions that must be followed. He clarified;
“In any event, even where there is punishment, our rules are clear. It can be for 4 days, 8 days, or 12 days according to Order 130. Can a judge shoot a thief on the streets merely because it is his view that the person has stolen without taking him through the process of evidence gathering?”
”In fact, on a day, one of his consequential orders was to the effect that the selection committee must meet immediately and reconstitute the Appointments Committee. The NDC Majority decided to proceed with the vetting without any due regard.”
Minority Caucus in Parliament
Despite their disagreements, the Minority Caucus has chosen to engage the Speaker to seek a resolution. He added;
“The Majority Leader and I were in touch, and the feedback from him was that he hadn’t been successful in getting to Speaker. Today is Monday. We believe that Mr. Speaker will be in the office. We believe that we’ll be able to see him and take our discussions further.”
“We don’t know how to treat with the Speaker’s communication. Whether it’s a ruling, a communication, probably so-called, because there is a provision in the orders. Where if there is a motion or a matter comes to the fore, Mr. Speaker, would rule on the matter. And if there is a ruling, then you would have to rely on the rules to also challenge his ruling by applying, filing a motion.”
Minority Caucus in Parliament
He compared the current situation to an earlier case involving Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, emphasizing the need for clarity before taking any further action. He recounted;
‘’I’m sure you may recall that when the matter went to the Supreme Court and all, Mr. Speaker said, oh, he only delivered a communication. He shared an opinion with us. So we are also careful in how to approach it.”
Minority Caucus in Parliament
Party Leadership
According to the Minority, the issue has now been escalated to the NPP party leadership. The National Chairman, the General Secretary, and the national executives have become aware of this, and they take the matter seriously. They are not taking it lightly at all. He reiterated;
“They believe that the diplomatic channels must remain open. But we want to say this with emphasis. This mighty few, this happy few will not allow itself to be intimidated. We will never surrender to any intimidation. All the issues that are being thrown at us are aimed at scaring us. None of it will work.”
Minority’s Caucus Cooperation
The Minority asserted that the NPP Minority had been highly cooperative with the NDC Majority in parliamentary proceedings, including the swift approval of government appointees. He added;
He pointed out that for the first time in the history of the Fourth Republic that a Minority in Parliament is allowing a government to form, appoint its ministers in record time. However, he emphasized that they’ve been most cooperative with the NDC Majority. But the NDC are bullies and that they would bully, intimidate ‘you’ if you don’t stand strong. However, they the minority stated that they would not allow themselves to be ‘bullied’.
He cited a recent vetting incident as an example of how agreements were repeatedly breached by the NDC Majority. He explained;
”My Deputy Leader, who represented the caucus interest at the preceding meeting, agreed with the Chair of the Committee to vet only three for the day… that was the understanding. When we were done with the three, they asked for one more. They changed to four. When we were done with the four, they asked for one more as a final thing. We had the fifth person. We vetted them in record time.”
Minority Caucus in Parliament
Despite adhering to the initial agreement, the NDC Majority unexpectedly introduced additional nominees late at night.
The Minority alleged that the NDC had mobilized its supporters to intimidate Minority members physically. He confirmed that the matter had been reported to parliamentary security, and additional measures would be taken to ensure the safety of Minority members.
The Minority Leader concluded by reaffirming the caucus’s commitment to upholding due process and standing firm against any form of intimidation. The caucus, he stated, would continue to engage relevant authorities and take all necessary actions to protect its members and parliamentary democracy.
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