Monday morning’s sitting of Ghana’s Parliament was brought to an abrupt end by an adjournment following a lack of quorum by both the Majority and Minority.
As part of its strategy to deal with the numerous items on its agenda, Parliament had planned to extend its sittings from the usual days to include Mondays and sometimes Saturdays to facilitate its activities before recess.
Today’s sitting saw only 24 MPs in Parliament, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the session. Sadly, the Majority side, which is expected to show utmost commitment and urgency in executing government business, could not outnumber the Minority.
Only 8 out of the 24 MPs present were from the Majority side, while the Minority, who are seeking the mandate of their constituencies to represent them, outnumbered the incumbent with 16 MPs.
Unfortunately, the Right Honourable Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who could not accept this situation, suspended the sitting for an hour. However, upon the return of MPs to the Chamber, the number still failed to reach the required quorum.
This did not sit well with the Right Honourable Speaker, compelling him to adjourn the sitting to tomorrow at 12:00 noon, as the Minority is likely to attend the Accra High Court in solidarity with their leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, in the ongoing ambulance trial.
Only 24 MPs reported to Parliament today, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the sitting.
A paper containing the mining lease agreement between the government of Ghana and Barari DV Ghana Limited for the exploitation of lithium at Ewoyaa in the Central Region was to be laid today but was unsuccessful due to the absence of the MPs.
Even before the adjournment, the Minority had raised issues with the agreement and suggested broader consultations with Ghanaians and civil society organizations before presenting the paper to Parliament on the lithium find.
Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Hon Ahmed Ibrahim, indicated that the views of stakeholders must be sought adequately on the use, management, and exploitation of lithium before pushing Parliament to consider it.
The Majority Chief Whip, Hon Frank Annor Dompreh, on the other hand, said the Minority was putting an impediment on the process by not allowing the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Samuel Abudulai Jinapor, to lay the paper containing the agreement in Parliament.
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, upon the disagreement on the laying of the paper by leaders of both sides, adjourned the house later after his attention was drawn to the lack of quorum to conduct business by the MP for Tamale Central, Hon Murtala Mohammed.
Report by Prosper Kwaku Selassy Agbitor from Parliament
