Parliament was forced to truncate sitting today due to the minority’s insistence on lack of quorum to conduct business
The trial of James Qyayson did not cause a boycott of sitting today by the minority, but rather the truncation of parliamentary sitting after the minority insisted that the house did not have the numbers to conduct business.
The standing orders mandate that at least one-third of the members of parliament must be present to conduct business.
The minority leader Cassiel Ato Forson confirmed after the adjournment that their action is in line with their resolve not to cooperate with the government due to the escalation of the government’s efforts in the prosecution of the member of parliament for Assin North James Gyakye Quayson.
The minority have also alleged that the majority of MPs are failing to show up for parliamentary sittings because they are currently campaigning for some presidential aspirants.
The majority chief whip Frank Annoh Dompreh reacting to the minority leader said the tenets of parliamentary democracy recognise the need for both sides of the house to jointly conduct business and not just a matter of one side marshalling their members to meet the required quorum for business. He also says the decision to frustrate government business is unpatriotic
Meanwhile, the presiding speaker for today’s sitting Andrew Amoako Asiamah has expressed his resentment over the periodic adjournment of sittings due to a lack of quorum which adversely affects public business. The speaker apologised to sponsors of the wildlife bill which could not be taken because he was forced to adjourn sitting today.
By uniquenewsgh.com