Kwame Governs Agbodza
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority members have reversed course and are now battling over which House Committee should review the Bauxite and Lithium Agreements after initially objecting to the introduction of the two mining lease agreements.
On the floor of Parliament yesterday, Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Adaklu, and his colleagues from Yapei Kusawgu, John Jinapor, and Tamale Central, Alhassan Sayibu Suhiyini, essentially argued over which House Committee the mining leasing agreements should be referred to.
The Minority Chief Whip, who set the tone, said there should be no attempt to side-step issues as the two agreements needed a thorough review.
“We have since made our issues known. Mr. Speaker, as we said the day before Friday and yesterday, these are major agreements that can have an impact on the economy and mining in this country.
“So, what we are calling for is a situation where, when these agreements are referred to the appropriate committee, there should be no attempt by the side opposite [referring to the Majority] to railroading and say that we are rising, and we should ignore issues about concerns about mining in forests, on water bodies and other things, just because we want this to impact,” he said.
He continued, “Mr. Speaker, there is nothing in our standing order today that will stop us from allowing them to leave. But be assured, you will not be allowed to control anybody to lay a legitimate agreement for anyone to go and mine in a reserved forest.”
“Even if you give us 10 trillion, we don’t care. You will be forced to do the right thing and make sure the environment is protected, not for you and I only, but for the future generations yet unborn,” he asserted.
Agbodza continued, “So, we are not going to stand in the way of laying it, but the committee that this will be referred to. Mr. Speaker, we are just about to approve the new committee under the new standing order. People have been attempting for this to be referred to a joint committee.
“Today, we are encouraging you to refer this to only the Committee of Land and Natural Resources. This idea of this joint committee creates a problem. Mining has nothing to do with energy,” he contended.
“Those who are pushing for this to be laid ahead of time should know, this will not be referred to Mines and Energy and Land Committees,” he insisted.
NDC MP for Yapei Kusawgu, John Jinapor, expressed misgivings about the remarks of the Minority Chief Whip.
He retorted, “I am not challenging the Chief Whip of the Minority side, and I dare not challenge him. If I do have issues, I will discuss it with him personally so that we resolve this matter.”
“Secondly, Mr. Speaker, nobody is rushing for any referral to be made to a committee. I am sure that, Mr. Speaker, you are competent enough to determine that based on the gravamen of the subject matter, you want one committee, two committees, or leadership of a certain committee to join another committee. And that has always been our practice,” he said.
He continued, “But to rise up and say that under no circumstances will you go to this committee, under no circumstances will you go to the other committee, I think it’s premature.”
“It’s premature, so I will plead with the Minority Chief Whip, if he wants a new committee to be constituted, let’s do that. It is in your court. If you constitute a new committee, wherever you take us, we will serve there and work for you. But such comments, I will plead with him,” he noted.
However, the NDC Tamale Central MP countered him and demanded the Speaker to refer the two mining lease agreements to the Lands and Natural Resources Committee alone.
According to him, anything short of that would not augur well for Parliament.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House