The Minority in Parliament has blocked a planned presentation of a Constitutional Instrument (C.I) on voter registration, the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulation, 2023 scheduled for next week Wednesday 15th February 2023.
The side accused the Majority caucus of plotting to smuggle the document into the business of the House when the required consultation on it has not been carried out.
The standoff occurred on Friday, February 10 during the presentation of the Business Statement for the ensuing week.
Minority leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson who raised the matter on the floor of the House expressed shock the CI found expression in the business statement when it was not a subject discussed at the Business Committee meeting.
He expressed disappointment in the clerk for allowing the regulation to be captured in the business statement when it did not even come up for discussion at the meeting.
“I have seen an introduction of the CI which was never discussed at the Business Committee meeting and for the Deputy Majority leader who did not attend the business committee meeting to stand here and make a pronouncement that this was agreed upon.”
“I am deeply disappointed in the clerks for allowing this to be smuggled the business committee statement, Mr. Speaker this can never be allowed.”
“If this is the way this administration wants to go with this part of the House we are ready for them. You cannot run a country like this. The Business Committee’s mandate is for us to sit and agree for the week and not for someone to unilaterally smuggle what is a major contention. We cannot accept that.”
Minority Whip Ahmed Ibrahim who commented on the matter argued that the business statement that the committee agreed upon did not contain anything about the presentation of a CI on voter registration.
He questioned how the Chairman of the Committee and Majority leader of the House, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu could generate a different report to present to the House though he and his deputy were not personally present at the meeting.
Deputy Majority leader who responded to the Minority’s allegation pointed out the Business Statement is merely an indication of what is supposed to be undertaken in the ensuing week.
He argued the Motion on the business statement is the only one that is not seconded while its adoption is at the discretion of the Speaker.
“So whatever we have here is indicative of what is expected to be done. There is a difference between a Business Committee Report and an Order Paper. You can stand on the rooftops and shout if you see it in the Order Paper when you have not been engaged,” he said.
First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu who presided over the House subsequently ordered the item to be removed from the Business Statement before it was adopted.