Until recent times, the parliament of Ghana, is known for its peaceful legislative functions.
Again until recent times, the Parliament of Ghana, which is the Second Arm of Government, is well respected and know for its integrity and credibility.
Seriously; within six years under this government, many things have happened, and are still happening, which is unbelievable and beyond the understanding.
First it was total breakdown of law and order, on the floor of parliament; chaos and a fight in attempts to choose a speaker of the 8th parliament of the 4th Republic.
The battle, which also saw an NPP member of parliament and a minister of state, snatching ballot papers, finally ended up with the opposition MP for Nadowli West constituency, in the Upper West Region, Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, elected speaker of the 8th parliament of Ghana.
The Parliament of Ghana, again became a battle ground, during the attempts to pass the the 2022 budget, and the controversial electronic Levy bill.
The brawl started, when opposition NDC MP, tried to prevent Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon Joseph Osei Owusu, from leaving his seat to participate in a vote on the 2022 budget.
The Minority and the Majority Caucuses in Parliament, went heavily divided, after the opposition NDC caucus, rejected the NPP government’s proposed E-levy of 1.75%, on electronic transactions, which also includes mobile-money payments.
It was a real ‘clash of the Titans’ in parliament, as the world sat relaxed, and watched Ghanaian MPs pushed and threw punches at each other, while others tried to stopping them.
Today, its a new story. A story of continues absence from parliament without permissions; and abandoning of constituencies by elected Members of Parliament.
The standing orders of parliament, permits parliament, or the Speaker of Parliament to invite MPs, to the Privileges committee, to answer question on negative behaviors.
These rules of parliament were active and functioning; MPs were also obeying these rules until recent times.
Things began to fall apart in parliament, to the extend that, MPs who are suppose to make the laws, now break the law, and …on the floor of parliament exchange blows.
Members of Parliament, were invited to the privileges committee to answer questions, and then new stories came in.
This same Parliament invited and scheduled date, for the Honorable Henry Quartey, to meet the Privileges committee of parliament on Thursday, 26 May, but information coming from Parliament revealed that, the scheduled meeting did not come on.
The reason being that, though Hon Henry Quartey was present at the Privileges Committee, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon Joseph Osei Owusu, was unavailable for the session.
Reports from the JoyNews’s Parliamentary Correspondent, Kwesi Parker-Wilson revealed that, the Chairman-Hon Joseph Osei Owusu excused himself, because he had to takeover proceedings in parliament, to enable speaker Alban Bagbin, to attend to some foreign visitors; and so the scheduled meeting between Hon Henry Quartey, and the Parliamentary Privileges Committee has been postponed to a later date.
My question is was Parliament not aware, that foreigners will be coming for a visit, before scheduling dates for the committee?
Again, the Dome-Kwabenya MP, Honorable Adwoa Safo broke the laws of Ghana’s Parliament, by absenting herself from parliament, and from her constituency, for more than 15 days without permission.
Now; when she was invited by the ‘whole’ Speaker of Parliament, to answer questions, at the privileges committee, she has excuses to give to the entire nation; saying that, she has to take care of her child first, and when that is done, she will return to Parliament to continue her parliamentary duties.
As at the time of this story, she is still not in the country, to answer to the Privileges Committee. Is this right? Why are all these happening in the 8th parliament, and under this government. Previous parliament did not record such behaviors…only in this era; WHY?
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