Minority walks out of Parliament over lack of quorum

By Christopher Arko, GNA

Accra, March 23, GNA - The Minority in Parliament has walked out of Parliament over what they see as the Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye’s intransigence to carry on with the business of the House even when the legislature lacked the quorum.

They said the Speaker’s action to flouts the Standing Orders of the House and was unacceptable.

Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip, raised the issue of quorum on the floor of Parliament when the House was considering the Corporate Insolvency Bill which the Speaker, Prof Oquaye ignored.    

Alhaji Muntaka, who was incensed by the Speaker’s attitude, burst out accusing him of engaging in illegality.

He said the House as its sits does not have a quorum or the number to take a decision and that the Speaker is condoning unlawfulness. 

“Mr Speaker, let’s be careful the way we do things, that is why we have rules in this House….you are condoning an illegality”. 

“We say we don’t have the numbers or quorum to take a decision and you are still carrying on. What then is the use of the Constitution and Standing Orders? He queried.

“You are abusing the privileges in this House; you are making this House lawless. What you are doing is wrong and you should know that”, he said.

Mr Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader, in his remark chastised the Minority Chief Whip for his rumbling outbursts saying it was unacceptable.

He said a member who is aggrieved by any conduct and the person want to make a submission must respect the rules of the House especially when the conduct relates to the Speaker.

He maintained that the aggrieved member must come by a substantive motion which he says is clear in the Standing Orders. “We should be regulated by our own rules and procedures”.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the Leadership of the House is there to assist the Speaker to maintain law and order in the House.

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