The Majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) staged the first walkout by any governing party in Parliament following conclusion of the debate on the 2020 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government.
The Caucus expressed its displeasure with a ruling of the Speaker for non-MP ministers of state including the Minister for Finance to vacate the Chamber for the House to go into Division.
According to the side, the Speaker’s ruling was unfair because general secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia was seated in the gallary and should be walked out too.
The altercation started when the Finance Minister was given the floor to make a plea to the House after the Majority and Minority leaders had concluded the debate.
Mr. Ofori Atta then requested to be spared some time to confer with the leadership since there appeared to be no consensus on the approval of the budget.
The Speaker proceeded to put the request to the voice vote and declared the ‘Nays’ had it.
Not satisfied with the Speaker’s ruling, Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin challenged the ruling under Standing Order 113 and called for Division, which is also called rising vote where MPs stand up from their seats and their votes are taking.
The Speaker, in conformity with the Standing Orders ordered the lobbies to be cleared and for the Chamber to be cleared of all persons without voting rights in the House.
Not satisfied with the order of the Speaker for the Finance Minister to leave the Chamber, the Majority Caucus demanded the NDC General Secretary also leaves the public gallery and stormed out eventually.
Source:MyPublisher24.com