The Majority and Minority Caucuses went for the jagulars again in Parliament this morning as tempers flare up even before conclusion of debate on the 2022 budget statement and economic policy kicked off.
The debate was scheduled to begin at 10:00 am in the forenoon, however, hours afterwards, members of the Majority Caucus were yet to turn up in the Chamber for business to begin.
The empty seats on the Majority side appeared to have picked the chagrin of the Minority who gestured to the media to capture the unusual development in the Chamber.
In an interview, Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George expressed the angst of his side and expressed disappointment that as at noon not a single member of the Majority has taken his seat in the Chamber.
The Minority, he said, is serious and fully prepared to commence the debate and questioned what was going on and whether the Majority are no longer interested in passing the budget.
He said, “The Speaker is ready to commence business of the House but notice getting to him from the Clerks at table indicates that no member of the NPP is present in the Chamber.”
“We need to understand what is going on and whether they are no longer interested in passing the budget. Are they no longer interested in imposing the hardships that they want to impose on Ghanians? They should come and let us take the budget.”
“Are they still waiting for planes that will arrive with members of Parliament from outside the country,” he quizzed?
He averred that if the government is not serious and not in a position to run the country they should say so, addind, “And let serious minds take over the governing of the state.
In a sharp rebuttal, however, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh discounted the accusation and insisted the Majority was ready and prepared for the debate.
He denied claims the majority is struggling to round up their numbers and flying its members home from abroad in a chartered flight.
He said, “The significance of the matter today is not lost on us and we in the Majority are saying that approval of this budget goes to the core, in terms of the welfare of the Ghanaian people.”
“Salaries of Members of Parliament, salaries of a significant portion of our population or public servants is dependent on the budget.”
“They have not pretended; teachers and the public servants are all expectant for the passage of this bill.”
The Majority Caucus, he said, was hold up in a meeting during which the leadership had to also go into a meeting with the Speaker, hence the delay.
The House subsequently convened for business but Speaker Alban Bagbin had to suspend sitting so the Majority could take their seats for the debate to commence.
Source: MyPublisher24.com
