The Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has urged the Minority Caucus in Parliament, to give the Ghanaian public, especially its respective constituents, meaningful justifications for its choice to boycott parliamentary proceedings in support of James Gyakye Quayson.
The Minority’s decision, according to Annoh-Dompreh, who represents Nsawam-Adoagyiri, is against the rules of the House and opposed to parliamentary procedure. He emphasized the significance of the Minority Caucus outlining the rationale for its boycott of meetings in order to promote transparency and public comprehension.
Annoh-Dompreh also expressed worry about how the Minority’s actions are impairing the efficient conduct of legislative business. He claimed that the boycott interferes with regular business and makes it more difficult for the House to run effectively.
“We have two sides and worked smoothly until the incident of Gyakye-Quayson occurred. And we are not complaining about their decision to boycott the Chamber but we have appealed that they rescind the decision.
“We started business as normal and the Agric Minister was scheduled to brief the House and this happened without our colleagues from the Minority side. But I learnt they were at committee meetings and so, why will you boycott the Chamber and yet deliberate matters at the committee level?”
Annoh-Dompreh
The Nsawam-Adoagyiri lawmaker further said that although the committee meetings had occurred at the same time as Gyakye Quayson’s trial, minority caucus members were there and needed to specify what they were actually boycotting.
“They have to give some reasons for doing what they are doing because they were elected to represent their constituents and deciding to attend committee meetings and boycott the Chamber, is very disturbing because their role is to be in the Chamber because that is what their constituents elected them to do. I don’t see why someone will choose to sit in committee meetings and boycott the plenary. I follow and check and the time the trial was ongoing, the committee meeting was also ongoing and so they should come and explain why they will boycott the Chamber.”
Annoh-Dompreh
More Boycotts Should Be Expected
Dr. Clement Apaak, the Member of Parliament for Builsa South, informed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmakers that further boycotts of the House were to be expected.
The politician said that the Attorney General was pursuing Minority members, while representing President Akufo-Addo. He claimed that they are therefore forced to stand in solidarity with their coworkers as a result.
“I’m surprised NPP MPs are crying that our boycotts are to sabotage the government. What did they expect when the government is persecuting our comrades? Is the AG not working for President Akufo-Addo? If piking says moda no go sleep, piking too no go sleep! They should expect more than the current boycotts! You chastise us for boycotts in reaction to the persecution of our colleagues, yet have no problem with NPP MPs who never show up? Are they not 137+1? How come they can’t do business without us, is it not their gov’t?
“At least we have a reason for not showing up, what is theirs? Don’t ask us not to boycott in solidarity with Quayson because NPP MPs didn’t boycott when Adamu was in court. They didn’t boycott because they knew he made no attempt to renounce his other citizenships: travelled on 3 passports. Adamu was prosecuted, Quayson is being persecuted!”
Clement Apaak
He accused Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, of dispensing with his parliamentary obligations. He added that the AG, at the instruction of the President, is preoccupied with seeing his political opponents imprisoned through prosecution, rather than personally shepherding bills from his Ministry.
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