Speaker of Parliament Right Honorable Alban Bagbin expressed his dissatisfaction over the poor representation of the majority caucus in Parliament during the discussion of the 2024 budget and economic statement.
In a recent Parliament sitting, the Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin expressed his disappointment with the Majority leader in parliament, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu for not ensuring the attendance of his members. He described the Majority Leader’s performance as ‘limping’ and lacking in effectiveness, further urging him to place importance on working together with the Minority caucus.
“I expect the majority who have a limping majority leader. Limping because when you look at his back, you are less than those in front of you.”
The Speaker stated that after the presidential primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), there has been a change in loyalties from President Akufo-Addo to the party’s new flagbearer, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to Mr. Bagbin, the change in loyalties has resulted in NPP MPs ignoring their duties and regarding President Akufo-Addo as ‘a lame duck President’.
“You have a lame duck president, a lame duck because you have elected a flagbearer and loyalty and commitment are shifting. So your president is now lame duck president.”
In order to tackle this problem, the Speaker urged the Majority Leader to give importance to working together with the Minority side, stressing that without the partnership, the legislative process will be negatively impacted.
“You need this side of the house to support you to finish your eight years. And so if you don’t behave well we have a difficulty in proceeding as a nation,” he stated.
He promised the NPP MPs that he would prevent the NDC MPs from intimidating them in parliament because of their small numbers.
“Please, I expect you to cooperate; I will not allow them to bully you. You’ll get sufficient time to put across your case,” he added.
Still on the discussion of the 2024 budget in Parliament yesterday on 21st of November 2023, Minister for Information Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah entreated all members in Parliament to support the economic program presented by the Finance minister Honorable Ken Ofori Atta.
He made the statement when speaking on the floor of Parliament after the presentation of the budget. According to the Minister, the economic program will achieve the needs of Ghanaians.
“This economic program before us seeks to ensure that the stability that has returned to the exchange markets will be maintained. An economic program in a measure like that is one that I believe every single Member of this House must support because it is sensible, it is pragmatic, that is what the people of Ghana are looking for.”
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Story by: Doku Basira and Joshua Acquah Addo | univers.ug.edu.gh
