By Hummu-Kulssum Abdulai
For the first time in the history of Ghana’s democratic process, more than eighty members of the ruling party called for the dismissal of the Finance Minister and the head of government’s economic team. The members threatened not to participate in any government related business in the house unless their demands were met. We walk you back to the House of lawmakers to recap some major activities.
When the first meeting of the eighth parliament opened, the controversial Electronic Transaction Levy bill was taken through all the parliamentary stages under the Certificate of Urgency. But when the long-awaited question was put on it for passage, the Minority expressed their rejection by walking out.
The controversial E-levy was passed regardless. In the same week, the Minority filed a case at the Supreme Court, to challenge the legitimacy of the passage of the Bill, as they had issues with the quorum during the process.
In the eleventh week, Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Bagbin referred three members of the House – Ms Sarah Adjoa Safo, Mr. Henry Quartey and Mr. Kennedy Agyapong to the Privileges Committee, for being continuously absent without permission. The three had been absent for more than fifteen sittings, contrary to the Standing Orders of the House.
The Mozambican President, Mr Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, on Wednesday, May 25, addressed Ghana’s Parliament as part of his four-day official state visit to Ghana. He was on a four-day official visit to Ghana at the invitation of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
On the morning of June 23, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Bagbin paid unannounced visits to two government institutions – the National Food Buffer Stock Company and the National School Feeding Programme Secretariat, both in Accra.
The purpose was to ascertain the reported upsurge in food prices and the issue of the National School Feeding Programme caterers running out of foodstuff, as well as non-payment of monies owed them.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, directed the Defence and Interior Committee of parliament to investigate the chaos that happened at the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
During sitting on June 28, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan Kyerematen, told Parliament that the Komenda Sugar Factory is being refurbished and expected to undergo a production test-run by July ending the year 2022.
On July 7, the MP for Pru East and a Former Minister for Power, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, suggested that Parliament demands the resignation of the Minister for Finance.
He believed that the finance minister could not lead the country’s negotiations with the IMF, as he had on many occasions been against the country returning to the Bretton Woods institution.
In the second week of July, the Minority caucus in Parliament voiced their displeasure at plans by the Electoral Commission (EC) to use only the Ghana Card, to compile new voters register for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. The Minority Leader, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu said such a move would disenfranchise a lot of Ghanaians since many citizens were yet to receive their Ghana Cards. Later that same week, Management and leadership of the NIA said, about eighty percent (80%) of Ghanaians from age 15 and above had been successfully registered at that time.
The finance minister explained that approval of the loan was urgently needed to avoid the country going bankrupt and also help to meet its expenditure obligations. After two days, the Majority attempted to amend portions of the Finance Committee’s report that resulted in the approval of the loan facility. This request was however fiercely contested by the Minority side. They said the Finance Minister might have lied to the Committee to influence the House into approving the loan agreement.
In reaction to the presentation, the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, alleged that the Central Bank had printed Twenty-two Billion Cedis for Government to deal with the inflationary pressures in the country. But the Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr. John Kumah said the stated amount is an overdraft advanced by the Bank to the government.
On the first day of the third meeting, about eighty members of the Majority side asked president Nana Akufo Addo to replace the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta.
The group warned to continue to stay out of government related business in the chamber until their demands were met. The action was described by many as a turning point in the democratic processes of the country. The President later after meeting with the majority side, asked for a few more weeks till the IMF deliberations led by the Finance Minister are completed.
While members of the majority side backed down on their demand, One hundred and 28 members on the minority side led by their leader, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu filed a motion on a vote of censure on Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta.
The movers of the motion were concerned about the cedi’s depreciation, and what they termed gross mis-management of the economy. On Tuesday, November 15, a Special Adhoc Committee began sitting on the motion. Unfortunately, when a vote was put on the report in parliament, the majority side walked out, denying the minority the opportunity to get the required two-thirds of the vote needed to see the censure through.
On Tuesday 25th October, the Minority in Parliament demanded that the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, steps aside as Chairman of the Economic Team.
The group said both the Vice President and the finance minister have displayed their inability to handle the country’s economy.
The Minority in Parliament kicked against any plan by the government to get a private investor to complete the Saglemi Housing Project.
It said it would, therefore, do whatever it takes to compel the government to look for funding to complete the project.
On Thursday 24th November, the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta presented the 2023 budget to parliament.
The budget highlighted the increment of the Value Added Tax by 2. 5%, Reduction of the E-levy from 1.5% to 1%, and abolition of the daily threshold of 100 Ghana cedis on transactions.
2023 debate: England and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire was mocked in parliament as an MP used a football analogy to denigrate the Vice President. Isaac Adongo, Bolgatanga Central MP, accused Dr, Mahamudu Bawumia, Head of the Economic Management Team, of being Ghana’s ‘Economic Maguire’ who scores own goals and is “tackling all the fundamentals of our economy and destroying all of them”.
Watch some of the highlights here:
