Three sector ministers appeared in Parliament last Friday to answer questions, but the time was not well utilised until the House adjourned.
The reason was that the 21 Minority parliamentarians, in whose names those questions stood, were not available in the Chamber. The only MP, Samuel Erickson Abakah, Shama Constituency, who was available on the Majority side, asked his question, which was answered by the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu.
On several occasions, the Minority has had cause to bare its teeth at ministers of state for their failures, in some instances, to honour the invitation of the House to answer questions from their constituents.
Some members, on verifiable occasions, expressed their displeasure towards that attitude, arguing that the ministers should not appear to be snubbing the people’s representatives, with the excuse of a busy schedule, as the business of the House was equally important.
On Tuesday, November 2, 2021, according to a report published on Parliament’s website, the Minority complained about Cabinet ministers abandoning parliamentary questions. In March last year, the Minority got furious with the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, for not availing himself to answer questions.
However, the ministers for Education, Health, and Tourism had honoured the invitation of the House to respond to questions asked of them by 21 Minority parliamentarians, but that did not happen.
It had been advertised that the ministers would appear on Thursday, July 6, 2023, for which they were present, but the MPs in whose names the questions stood were nowhere to be found.
At the commencement of public business, some papers were laid, as well as the first reading of the National Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was referred to the Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs.
RECORD
The Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Lydia Alhassan Seyeram, informed the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, that the next item on the agenda was for the ministers to respond to questions, but that could not happen due to the absence of the responsible MPs in the Chamber.
The Deputy Majority Chief Whip urged the Speaker to allow the records of the House to capture the development.
“Mr. Speaker, it is a plea, and it must be on record that the ministers for Education, Health, and Tourism were all here to respond to the questions, but the members were not available. The Hansard must capture the same,” she stated.
Order 68 (1-4) reads: “When the time for asking questions arrives, Mr. Speaker shall call successively each Member in whose name a Question stands on the Order Paper.
(2) The member called shall rise in his place and ask the Question on the Order Paper standing in his name.
(3) In the absence of the Member asking the question, any Member so authorised may, with Mr. Speaker’s prior permission, ask the question on behalf of the absent Member.
(4) The answer to any such Question shall, whenever practicable, be printed and a copy thereof supplied to the Member asking it not less than fifteen minutes before the time fixed for the Sitting at which the Question is to be answered, and such answer shall be read by the Member to whom the Question is addressed or by the Member acting for the Member to whom the Question is addressed.”
DIRECTIVE
The Speaker told the House that he had been guided by the leadership of both sides, and that those questions should be rescheduled, but no new date was given.
“My attention has been drawn to the fact that the Minister for Tourism is also available, and, in the circumstances, you are at liberty to leave the House and go and attend to your business,” the Speaker said.
MPS
The MPs who were to ask the questions included Dr. Clement Apaak, Builsa South; Vincent Oppong Asamoah, Dormaa West, MP for Madina; Francis-Xavier Kojo Sasu; Edward Abambire Bawa; Kobena Mensah Woyoe, South Tongu; and Suhuyini Alhassan Sayibu, Tamale North.
The members of Parliament for Upper Manya Krobo, Bismark Tetteh Nyarko, Yusif Sulemana, Bole/Bamboi, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawane, Nabdam, Alhassan Kobina Ghansah, MP for Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, and others were to ask questions in the health sector of their constituencies.
On the tourism side, the MPs for Nkoranzah North, Joseph Kwasi Mensah, Anthony Mwinkaara Sumah, Nadowli/Kaleo, and Yao Gomado, Akan, were tabled to ask the Minister questions.
COURT
Though during the proceedings no formal communication was attributed to their absence, the minority group had earlier stated in the House that they would boycott proceedings anytime their colleagues standing trial were to attend court.
In the early hours of Thursday, July 6, 2023, the Minority issued a statement that it was not attending the day’s proceedings but instead moving to the court to solidarise with the Assin North MP, James Gyakye Quayson, and the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who were to appear in court that day.