Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah
Two mining lease agreements meant to be laid in Parliament for consideration by the House have been met with eye rolling, disengagement and aversion tactics by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority.
The Minority is opposing the agreements between the Government of Ghana (represented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources) and Ashanti Bauxite Company Limited for bauxite mining in the Nyinahin Block 2 Area in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, as well as Barari DV Ghana Limited for lithium exploitation at Ewoyaa in the Central Region.
Resistance from the opposition MPs is one of the key barriers to the government’s policy to build an integrated aluminum industry in the country.
The Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation (GIADEC), which was established to promote and develop the country’s integrated aluminum industry, has identified four projects to help build it.
Already, the government has suffered two defeats in the House over agreements, with NDC MPs using ‘quorum to do business in the House’ as a tool to oppose them.
Last Friday, the NDC MPs rejected the two agreements, and they repeated their action yesterday by invoking Article 102 of the Constitution in the absence of several of the Majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs in the House.
The Tamale North NDC MP, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, set the tone, which was reinforced by the NDC MP for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, who stated unequivocally that the agreements could not be laid because the Chair and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Committee on Mines and Energy were not present in the chamber.
After a lengthy filibuster, the 10-minute requirement became due, and Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin suspended sitting in the House for an hour.
When the House resumed, it was unable to reach a quorum, forcing it to adjourn without allowing Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor to lay the agreements.
A quorum of Parliament, apart from the person presiding, shall be one-third of all the Members of Parliament (92).
This situation is not different from sittings in the previous week which were characterised by paralysis amid deep divides over issues.
It has been notoriously hard to get new laws passed in the House after voters denied an absolute majority to the ruling NPP government, with 137-137 MPs for each side of the aisle.
This uncharted territory has led to a prolonged political logjam in Parliament because the House has longstanding procedures that allow the Minority to demand a pre-laying agreement to bills, subsidiary legislation and agreements.
Even overwhelmingly popular laws have withered on the parliamentary vine.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House