The absence of the Minority from parliamentary duties in the chamber again forced the House to adjourn its sitting.
The NDC MPs have been boycotting parliamentary proceedings in solidarity with Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson’s ongoing criminal case.
The case revolves around allegations of dual citizenship against him, which is prohibited for Members of Parliament under Ghana’s 1992 constitution. Following the Supreme Court’s annulment of his 2020 parliamentary victory, a by-election was held, resulting in him securing an even larger margin of victory.
During Friday’s parliamentary session, the Minority again chose to boycott business activities to accompany their colleague, James Gyakye Quayson, to court marking the third time they have done so.
In defiance of the Speaker’s ruling that the boycott constitutes a violation of the standing orders of the house, the minority caucus has affirmed its unwavering commitment to persist with its actions.
Kingsley Nyarko, the Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, voiced his discontent with the ongoing absence of the minority caucus from Parliament during a contribution on the floor of the House.
He condemned the act and described it as a sabotage of government business.
“Our colleagues are supposed to be here to pursue the agenda in the interest of their constituents. Nobody bars them from solidarising with their colleagues but I think that in this instance a delegation could do. Mr Speaker, I don’t believe that all of them are at the court. As we speak some are still in their offices.
“This is a complete sabotage of the House. A delegation can be sent to be with their colleagues. They are just trying to disrupt the business of the House and the government and this is unacceptable.”
On his part, Patrick Yaw Boamah, the Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central Constituency, proposed adjourning the sitting due to the insufficient number of MPs present in the chamber. Boamah emphasized the importance of having members present to participate in debates on new house rules and address various issues.
“…Mr Speaker if we are to take the Vote and Proceedings as provided for under standing order 34, there are a lot of issues that members will want to comment on and make corrections, especially with regards to debate on the new house rules and few other things, I have the vote of proceedings especially with members being present and members who have been marked absent. So, looking at the composition today, I beg you to alter the business of the day to allow the deputy whip to present the business statement,” he said
While the Speaker suggested proceeding with the Votes and Proceedings and the Business before adjourning, the house ultimately decided to adjourn after Deputy Whip Lydia Alhassan presented the business statement for the week ending Friday, July 21, 2023.
The absence of minority members due to their boycott of the proceedings created an insufficient quorum for the session to continue as just a handful of NPP MPs showed up in the chamber.
