Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has disclosed the intention of Parliament exploring the option of a virtual meeting for its call on the Speaker to reconvene the House.
He says both the Speaker and Members of the House do not have to be physically present to conduct government business.
His comments follow a petition he signed on behalf of the Majority to the Speaker, asking him to reconvene the House to carry out some government businesses.
Speaking with the media in Parliament Friday, May 02, 2024, the Majority Leader indicated that a possible concern of the Minority to get all members in the Chamber should not be a problem since the House’s Standing Orders has made provision for a virtual sitting.
“We have initiated the process to trigger this and we do so in good faith and for the good of our democracy. Under Order 52, Parliament has provided for virtual sitting of Parliament so we don’t need members to be physically present in the jurisdiction. Technology has allowed us to join meetings by zoom. So Mr. Speaker doesn’t have to be physically present in the jurisdiction to convene,” he told the media in Parliament.
The Effutu Member of Parliament continued that, the Majority caucus doesn’t “need to have all our 138 physically present in the chamber. Neither is NDC Minority required to have all its 137 members present in the chamber. So, we entertain no worries at all as to the ability of Mr. Speaker to uphold this constitutional provision.”
He expressed confidence in getting the House together virtually as long as the Standing Orders of Parliament makes provision for it.
“It is our right, nothing at all puts an impediment on our way and we are confident that per the provisions of our Standing Orders, we will have a smooth sail,” he added.
Among the key business items the Majority is seeking to be addressed for the convergence includes the adoption of the Thirty-Fourth Report of the Appointments Committee and a motion on additional financing.
In the petition, the Majority indicated that the “Additional Financing Agreement between GoG and the IDA for an amount of US$150 million to finance the ongoing Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project” and also a “Request for Tax Exemption for selected beneficiaries under the 1D1F Programme,” are part of the matters to be considered.
According to the Majority, “it is important to state that this request is being brought in good faith to enable Government to discharge its constitutional and democratic obligations to the people of Ghana.”
Parliament adjourned on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin is expected to summon Parliament within seven days following the petition.
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