The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, has lamented the actions and inaction of the legislature following the approval of the Finance Ministry’s GH₵2 billion budget allocation.
In an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, he stated, "If there is any danger for our democracy and the need for transparency to be done, Parliament must take the lead. Unfortunately, the actions and inaction of the legislature are embarrassing.”
He made this comment after the 2nd Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, suspended sitting for an hour following a voice vote in which the Majority side lost as their Minority colleagues outnumbered them in the chamber.
In response to this, the Member of Parliament expressed disapproval, stating that the actions of the 2nd Deputy Speaker were inappropriate.
He described the suspension of the House as a disregard for the Standing Orders of Parliament and Parliamentary practices, adding that it is a “travesty of parliamentary procedure.”
“What the 2nd Deputy Speaker needed to do after the voice vote was done which was very clear that we [Minority] rejected the budget of the Ministry of Finance was to rule. So, this idea of suspending sitting and coming back to rule on it was embarrassing,” he noted.
Explaining what led to the budget’s approval, the lawmaker said that no bell was rung after the House resumed for business causing the Minority side to lose the voice vote for the second time.
He also questioned why the leadership of the Minority did not protest when they realised the members were few in the chamber.
“What the Majority did with the 2nd Deputy Speaker was very clear. They knew that they have lost the vote and having lost the vote, they disregarded the procedure that is expected to be done,” he asserted.
Latest Stories
-
‘Demonstrate confidence in your homeland by investing in its future’ – Asantehene to entrepreneurs
20 mins -
NDC raises concerns over reported voter registration figures by EC
34 mins -
2 dead after taxi rams into truck on Juapong road
46 mins -
Cold lava sweeps villages near volcano, killing 37
48 mins -
Man behind viral ‘dress that broke the internet’ confesses to strangling his wife
1 hour -
Nigerian arrested for posting obscene images of 4-year-old daughter
1 hour -
Election 2024: ‘We should make sure our democracy is saved’ – Asantehene
1 hour -
‘Reclamation of environment from ravages of galamsey must be our top priority’ – Asantehene
2 hours -
South Africa: The volunteer crime fighters using whistles and whips
2 hours -
Children killed as bomb falls near Sudan hospital – MSF
3 hours -
Ga Traditional Council disrupts church for flouting ban on noise-making
3 hours -
Shonda Rhimes explains why ‘Bridgerton’ season 3 took so long
3 hours -
Mbappe scored in final home game but PSG beaten
3 hours -
Ga culture on display at Manhyia Palace
4 hours -
AMVCA: Bread of Life wins big, GH Queens takes home award; see full list of winners
4 hours