Minority votes down govt’s attempt to take $1bn loan

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General News of Tuesday, 22 December 2015

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Parliament2016 Of GhanaParliament of Ghana

History was made today when the Minority in Parliament won a vote to stop government from taking another one billion dollar Eurobond.

A motion by the Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, asking for parliamentary approval to borrow more lost by one vote.

67 Members of Parliament (MPs) voted against the motion, whilst 66 voted in favour.

A head count to establish the number of legislators voting in favour or against approval of the Eurobond became necessary after a voice vote proved impossible to determine whether the motion had been approved or not.

However in a dramatic turn, the Ebo Barton-Odro, First Deputy Speaker, announced that the number of Parliamentarians present in the House, i.e. 123, does not constitute a qurorum.

The House needs at least half of the total of 275 MPs to make a vote on a matter legitimate.

“It has been an exercise in futility,” Ebo Barton-Odro said.

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