The leadership of Parliament has set up a 20-member Committee to resolve the stalemate over the 2022 Budget.
According to the leadership, the recent developments in the House do not augur well for the country’s parliamentary democracy and the need to build consensus.
The Committee will therefore see to a speedy resolution of the impasse.
Members of the Committee include; Deputy Majority Leader, Afenyo-Markin, Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam Nartey George, Okaikwei Central MP, Yaw Boamah, MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Alhassan, MP for Juaboso, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Builsa North MP, James Agalga.
The rest are; Joe Ghartey, KT Hammond, Dan Botwe, Frank Annor Dompreh, Patricia Aappiagaye, Habid Iddrisu, Rockson Nelson Dafiamekpor, Enerst Norgbey, Richard Acheampong, Ahmed Ibrahim.
This follows the raging controversy over the approval or otherwise of the 2022 Budget and Economic Policy of the Akufo-Addo-led government presented by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The Minority side of the House on Friday voted to reject the 2022 budget because in their opinion, it will deepen the hardships being faced by the ordinary Ghanaian as the fiscal policy contains “obnoxious taxes”.
However, the Majority group on Tuesday reversed the decision of the House arrived at on Friday, under the speakership of Speaker Alban Bagbin.
The Minority, who were unhappy with the move also filed a motion of rescission on Wednesday in an attempt to get the House to throw out the 2022 budget again.
In his ruling on the motion by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, challenging the approval of the policy document, first Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu disagreed with the motion.
“There are a few matters which I wish to clarify that first, it must be clear that a Deputy Speaker is not a Speaker. Indeed, article 96(1) of the Constitution says, and I quote. ‘there shall be two deputy speakers of Parliament who shall be elected from the Members of Parliament’ and to contrast that, Mr. Speaker is not a Member of Parliament.”
“I am a member of Parliament and the Second Deputy Speaker is a member of Parliament, and our role is to assist the Speaker in managing the house. So any attempts to read and interpret the Constitution to include the Deputy Speakers is a misreading” he said.
“Honourable members let me put on record that I am a member of Parliament, I was counted to form the quorum but I did not vote. I did not vote whiles presiding. Therefore, the request for application is refused,” he ruled.
This led to chaotic scenes in the Chamber with some unhappy Minority MPs snatching the Speaker’s Chair.
Some Ghanaians described what happened as an eyesore. They have therefore criticised the MPs for their unruly behavior.
Meanwhile, Parliament has apologised to Ghanaians for the chaotic scenes that characterised proceedings on Wednesday.
According to the legislature’s Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo, the Parliamentarians, no matter how divided, are working with the interest of the people at hear
In an interview with JoyNews’ Kwesi Parker-Wilson, she explained that it is “not out of the ordinary for MPs to be forceful” in order to get their opinions or positions considered on certain matters.
“We apologise for what may not sit well with people, we promise that as much as possible, we will work bearing in mind the nuances and cultural sensibilities of the people that we serve.”