Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu
Governance risks facing significant disruptions in the coming months as ongoing disagreements over which parliamentary business ought to be attended to first by lawmakers and delayed proceedings threaten the approval of critical financial allocations.
The former Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has expressed frustration over what he described as the propagation of unfounded rumours and needless squabbles, which have derailed essential parliamentary business, including the presentation of the vote-on-account by the Finance Minister.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament yesterday, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasised that the delay in presenting the vote-on-account is not due to government inaction, as has been suggested by sections of the Minority.
According to him, the document for the vote-on-account had already been submitted to Parliament prior to recent disagreements over parliamentary leadership roles and the December 7 elections.
He criticised what he termed “palpable untruths” being peddled by the Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza, to suggest that the government is shirking its responsibilities.
“The document, as you said, was even brought here before the conduct of the elections,” Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu asserted.
“At the time, the House, embroiled in squabbles over who occupies majority and minority seats, elected not to transact business. Let it not be stated for the record that the ruling administration is failing in its duty. Again, a palpable untruth. You don’t do that,” he intimated.
The former Majority Leader explained that the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, who was absent from the chamber due to ongoing work on the document, would present the vote-on-account at the appropriate time.
However, he warned of serious consequences should the House fail to approve the vote-on-account promptly.
“If this House is unable to approve the vote-on-account, it’s not just workers who may go unpaid from January 2025. Even the House’s ability to meet after December to listen to the President’s last State of the Nation Address cannot hold,” he said.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further stated that failure to approve the vote-on-account could jeopardise key constitutional events, including the swearing-in of the new Parliament and the President-elect after the 2024 general election.
“Technically, the summoning of Parliament to elect a Speaker and swear in new Members of Parliament cannot take place if we fail to approve the vote-on-account. Is that what we want as a nation?” he queried.
The former Majority Leader blamed the current impasse on what he described as misplaced priorities and partisan bickering. “Instead of addressing critical matters of national importance, we have spent time fighting over which seats to occupy,” he lamented.
Despite these concerns, Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu assured the House that the Finance Minister remains fully aware of his responsibilities and is committed to presenting the vote-on-account. He urged patience and emphasised the need for collaboration between parliamentary leadership and the Speaker to resolve the current impasse.
The vote-on-account, also known as expenditure in advance of appropriation, remains a crucial financial document required to ensure government operations and payments continue seamlessly into the next fiscal year.
The delay has sparked concerns among members of the House, as failure to approve the document could disrupt public services and essential governance activities.
Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu proposed a brief suspension of parliamentary proceedings to allow time for the two leaders Majority and Minority) to return to the chamber and conclude the necessary deliberations.
“If we can suspend for a brief while… let them come, and then we take it from there,” he suggested.
He continued, “Mr. Speaker, the other one, the other one that he related to the Minority Leader, the Majority Leader, and you the Chief Whip, we have been in consultation with the Speaker.
“And we know the route that has been defined. I will leave it there, Mr. Speaker. The proper thing will be done. So I guess moving forward, as I’ve said, the proper thing will be done.
“But because the two leaders are not here, and I’m told that some consultation is going on, if we can suspend for a brief while. Let them come, and then we take it from there,” he added.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House