Mahama Ayariga
A private motion by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central calling for President Akufo-Addo to suspend “admission fees” of public tertiary education institutions for the 2020/2021 academic year has been suspended for the second time by Parliament.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who ruled that the motion was properly before the House, yesterday suspended it from being carried and urged the leadership of both sides of the House to adopt a compromised motion for consideration of the House today.
He wants the leadership of the House to fine-tune the motion to make it fit for purpose for consideration, charging the MPs to bring clarity to the wording of the motion as well as itemise the fees that could be absorbed by the government.
He indicated that the suspended motion would be carried today if the leadership were able to do the needed amendments for it to fit for purpose.
Mr. Mahama Ayariga, through a private motion, had asked the House to request President Akufo-Addo to suspend the payment of fees by new entrants into public tertiary education institutions as well as fees of continuing students for the 2020/2021 academic year as part of the National COVID-19 Relief Programmes being implemented by the government.
The Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh had initially raised a preliminary objection to the motion when it was moved by the Bawku Central MP on Wednesday evening, indicating that the motion was procedurally and legally defective and incompetent.
He prayed for the Speaker to dismiss the motion, but Speaker Bagbin, having regard to Orders 50, 78 and 79 of the Standing Orders, ruled that the motion which he personally admitted, was competent and proper before the House.
The House is expected to debate the amended motion today when it reconvenes.
Earlier, some members of the Minority, who supported the motion, argued that the COVID-19 pandemic had imposed some economic hardship on parents.
The mover of the motion, Mahama Ayariga, said the motion had become necessary because of the negative impact of the COVID-19 on household incomes and the ability to pay for the fees, while praying for a bi-partisan support to the initiative.
He argued that it is within the power of President Akufo-Addo to suspend the fees of the public tertiary education institutions as part of COVID-19 relief measures, noting that the government was able to absorb the payment of water and electricity bills for households.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House