By Bubu Klinogo
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has been reacting to issues surrounding the rejection and or approval of the 2022 Budget.
Mr. Bagbin presided over the sitting on the 26th of November, 2021, when the Minority voted to reject the Budget after the Majority had staged a walkout. The Majority however said the Budget was not Rejected, but unresolved, due to their absence from the Chamber.
The Speaker of Parliament, soon after left the country for Dubai.
In his absence, the first Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu assumed the role of the Speaker and presided over the sitting on the 30th of November, 2021 when the Majority rescinded the earlier decision taken by the Minority presided over by the Speaker rejecting the Budget, and went ahead to approve the Budget.
In both instances, there were just 137 MPs on the floor. However, in the case of the Majority, the Deputy Speaker who was presiding, added himself to the number making it 138 to meet the minimum required for decision taking.
The Speaker Bagbin resumed the Chair on December 16, 2021, after more than two weeks of absence.
In his formal communication to the House, Mr. Bagbin made pronouncements on various issues arising out of the Budget brouhaha in the House.
On the issue of whether there was a quorum on the 26th of November, 2021, when the Budget was rejected/unresolved, Mr. Bagbin said the practice is that decisions can be taken in as far as there were the required numbers at the start of the proceedings unless a member raises the issue of quorum on the floor of the House.
According to him, walkouts do not affect Parliamentary business and those who stage the walkout are counted among members present.
He therefore described as strange, the ruling by the First Deputy Speaker that there was no quorum when he put the question on the Budget motion on the 26th of November, 2021.
According to him, failure by the First Deputy Speaker to consult him before superintending over the House to rescind the earlier decision may amount to misconduct tantamount to insubordination.
Mr. Bagbin also explained whether or not a First Deputy Speaker presiding over a sitting, can count towards a quorum. According to him there are two distinct scenarios, where in one the Deputy Speaker Presiding will count and in the other will not count.
On the way forward, Mr. Bagbin proposes that the Minister of Finance must come back to the House with his revised or amended Budget Statement in view of the concessions he made in a letter to the Speaker.
The Speaker maintains that he will not preside over a House that frustrates or obstructs government business, but will however ensure that the house remains strong as a coequal arm of government.
The controversial E-levy Bill has been introduced to the House and read for the first time and referred to the Finance Committee for consideration and a report to the plenary. Contrary to earlier suggestions, the Bill maintains the rate at 1.75% and the threshold at GH₵100 and applies to all electronic transactions including bank transfers, mobile money transactions and ATM withdrawals.
The Minority and Civil Society have kicked against the levy, as the Finance ministry says it is doing further engagements with the relevant stakeholders.
The Speaker explained that those engagements will be done during the consideration of the Bill by the Finance Committee, after it had been laid and read the first time as done, December 16, 2021.