A motion filed by Minority side of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) seeking to overturn the approval of the government 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy has been rejected.
The Tamale South Member of Parliament (MP) Haruna Iddrisu filed the motion, seeking to overturn the December 1, 2021 ruling which admitted the motion on the 2022 budget statement of government moved by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Giving reason for the bounced motion, Clerk of Parliament, Cyril Nsiah, in a letter on behalf of the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bekwai said “pursuant to Order 13(2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, has directed that I inform you that your motion is not admitted”.
Responding to the rejection of the motion in a letter dated December 13, 2021 to the First Deputy Speaker, Haruna Iddrisu was of the view that the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu exhibited political bias in not admitting the motion filed by him as the caucus’s leader on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
The letter continued that the decision by the First Deputy Speaker is an affront to standing orders of the House, indicating that they are waiting for the Speaker to return from his sick leave in Dubai for them to file a fresh motion aimed at overturning the budget.
“Kindly take note that the NDC Minority Caucus, which I lead and my good self, vehemently disagree with your position on the motion and your conduct in this matter. We take a strong view that your conduct affronts Orders 79, 81, 82 and 90 of our Standing Orders and can no longer be tolerated. In that regard, we have resolved to pursue this matter further with the Right Honourable Speaker upon his return,” the letter mentioned.
Furtherance to that the caucus’s Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, told journalists after a crunch meeting on Monday, December 13, 2021 that “Obviously when Mr Speaker comes, we will take this matter up to possibly submit another motion on it because we believe that refusal to admit the motion was very bias,”
The Member of Parliament for Asawase in the Ashanti Region was angry that the First Deputy Speaker was more politically bias instead of doing the work of a Speaker of Parliament.
According to him, the action by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP has given the Minority no option than to wait for a member of their political party who has risen to become Speaker, Alban Sumana Bagbin to come for a fresh motion to be filed.
The speaker of Parliament is expected to return on Tuesday, December 14, from a medical treatment in Dubai.
By Vincent Kubi