The Minority in parliament has a vote of censure motion demanding the removal of Kwaku Agyeman-Manu as Health Minister.
The motion signed by all 137 NDC MPs was submitted on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, via a memorandum to the Speaker of Parliament.
The motion was filed after the report of an Adhoc Committee, which investigated the procurement of Sputnik-V vaccines, was adopted by the House.
The Minority MPs in accusing the Health Minister of dishonesty said he informed the Committee that he procured the Sputnik-V vaccines at an ex-factory price of $10 per dose when they were procured at $19 and $18.5 per dose.
The Health Minister is also accused of perjury, having made a $2.85 million initial payment to the private office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum when he earlier told the ad hoc committee that no payment had been made.
Addressing the media after the adoption of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Ranking Member on the Health Committee, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the minister failed to seek parliamentary approval from the House before purchasing the vaccines.
“All this while, we have been on a strong conviction that the president Akufo-Addo would have done the needful, from all indications it looks as though the president hasn’t heard or seen anything. Therefore we as Members of Parliament especially from the minority side by Article 82 will come by motion we have filed a motion and we have gotten the required signatories to pass a vote of censure so that probably the minister will be asked to stay away from the ministry because we find him incompetent. Serious indictments were levelled against him per the report.”
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh added that the minority has gathered enough signatories to decide the fate of the Health Minister.
“The above conduct, being in direct breach of the Constitution and laws passed by this Honourable House, the Minister of Health be removed from office as Minister by a vote of Censure passed in accordance with article 82 of the Constitution,” the motion of censure reads.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin who also doubled as the Chairman for the ad-hoc committee, described as bad faith, attempts by the Minority to remove Agyeman-Manu as the Health Minister.
VOTES OF CENSURE AND REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Standing Order 104 of Parliament states that: “The House may pass a resolution to remove the President, the Vice President, Mr Speaker or a Deputy Speaker and a vote of censure on a Minister of State. The House may consider such resolution and come to a decision or refer it to a Committee on a motion made by any Member.”
Order 107 which deals directly with the removal of a Minister also adds “a motion for a vote of censure on a Minister of State shall be moved in the following manner:
(a) seven days’ notice, signed by not less than one-third of all Members of Parliament, shall be given;
(b) the motion shall be debated in Parliament within fourteen days of its receipt by Mr Speaker and shall be supported by the votes, in a secret ballot, of not less than two-thirds of all the members of Parliament;
(c) during the proceedings on the motion, the Minister shall be entitled to be heard in his defence.”
Source: The Newsroom Online