Murtala Muhammed criticizes Second Deputy Speaker’s handling of Budget vote

Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, has criticised the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, for his decision to suspend parliamentary sittings following a contentious voice vote rejecting the budget allocation for the Ministry of Finance.

During a debate on the government’s budgetary allocation to various ministries, including Finance, the Minority in Parliament opposed the budget, leading to a voice vote.

Murtala Muhammed, speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, expressed dissatisfaction with Asiamah’s handling of the situation, claiming that the suspension of the sitting was intentional.

Muhammed highlighted the clarity of the voice vote, asserting that the rejection of the budget was apparent, yet the Second Deputy Speaker failed to provide a ruling as expected.

“A voice vote was taken and it was very clear that we rejected the budget because the NOs were heard louder than the YES, and for which reason they could not give a ruling. For me that was embarrassing.

“The moment a voice vote is taken; the speaker should be able to determine whether the Nos have it or Yes have it. And remember, the voice vote was taken two times and the second deputy Speaker didn’t give his ruling, he just said he was suspending the sitting”.

He noted after an hour break, Minority MPs realised that the ruling had been done in the absence of most minority Members of Parliament.

“In any case, the vote had been completed. It was only that the second deputy speaker failed to rule on the voice voting. So even if we suspended sitting and we reconvened, he needed to give rulings. There wasn’t a need for a third vote to be done”.

He added “In fact, a lot of MPs were rushing there because the bell did not ring, nobody told us anything. They just got up and took the voice vote, knowing very well that there were not any members of parliament in there”.

He classified the third vote as meaningless and a deliberate action against the minority.

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