The Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has told the Minority Members of Parliament that posterity will judge them over their decision to shoot down loan agreements in the Chamber following the recent Supreme Court ruling on voting rights for deputy speakers.
“Mr. Speaker when we sit here, we communicate among ourselves we do not engage in surprises, the posture has always been to watch the arrowhead. But whatever is happening on the floor I will want Members to know that posterity is registering the same.
“That notwithstanding Mr. Speaker I shall engage further with the available leader on whatever was earlier agreed upon. So that, others will watch the arrowhead so can make progress,” he addressed his colleague MPs Friday 18th March 2022.
The House on Friday, was no exception as Deputy Ranking Member for Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, Bernard Ahiafor just as he did Thursday shot down approval of a 20 million Euros Loan Facility agreement between the government of Ghana and Germany over lack of quorum for decision taking.
The facility which is to finance Green Credit Line under the Reform and Investment Partnership between the two countries is expected to help cut down carbon emissions.
Mr. Ahiafor argued per the Supreme Court judgment parliament is no longer master of its own rules.
“I don’t understand why the Minority will tie the hand of the Majority, Mr. Speaker they should be more interested in the work of business by the government than us. Mr. Speaker looks at their numbers on a daily bases we are talking about the issue of attendance.”
Minority MPs have been citing the Supreme Court judgment to demand quorum for decision making under article 104 (1) is met during the approval of some loan agreements.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, however, interjected refuting such assertion.
He insisted on the Supreme Court judgment allowing him and other deputies to be part of quorum and vote while presiding does not mean the House is no longer master of its own rules.
Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annor-Dompreh was however compelled to move for abrupt adjournment following the moves by the Minority.
