Mosquito Stops NDC MPs From Going To Parliament
It appears, the ongoing standoff in Parliament is far from over, as Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has further aggravated the situation, by instructing the party’s Members of Parliament (MPs) to boycott any emergency recall of Parliament, with barely three weeks to the December 7 polls.
This means that, some key government businesses, will heavily be affected, including the revoking of Legislative Instrument (L.I.) on mining in forest reserves, approval of 2025 budget, approval of $250 million Ghana Financial Stability Fund, approval of $350 million worth of tax waivers, approval of $250 million Ghana Energy Sector loan, approval of two Supreme Court nominees among others.
According to Mr Asiedu Nketia, popularly known as General Mosquito, there is nothing in Parliament to be done few weeks a crucial general election.
Addressing a rally at Ellembele constituency in the Western Region, Chairman Mosquito, claimed the only reason for recall of Parliament, would be for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to perpetuate corrupt activities.
“Let no NDC MP step foot in Parliament. If they like, they can go and burn the sea. There’s no work in Parliament that can be said to be an emergency. There is no emergency. Parliament will only be recalled so they can continue with the insatiable corruption they have perpetuated for the past eight years. They still want to advance the corruption with just three weeks left. We won’t go close to them today or tomorrow”.
His directive, throws out several appeals by concerned statesmen for Parliament to be recalled, after the Supreme Court, declared Mr Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant, as unconstitutional.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah argues that, the Supreme Court, has overreached its powers and it is threatening the nation’s democracy, which must, therefore, be resisted.
“The judges can say what they want. We will also use the rules of Parliament to work in Parliament. When we speak of democracy standing firm, democracy does not exist if you take out Parliament. That is why every nation interested in their democracy must collectively protect their Parliament because your democracy falters if Parliament is weakened, and that would not be allowed to happen. Our Parliament and democracy were built off our blood. We won’t sit and watch one person come and destroy our democracy. That will not happen today or tomorrow,” he stated.
The House remained disintegrated after the minority side, drew the attention of the speaker, the decision by some MPs numbering four to contest the upcoming election as independent candidates.
The NDC, had argued that the vacation of seat and subsequent announcement by the Speaker meant that, they were now the majority throwing the house into a frenzy.
This forced the majority leader and MP for Effutu straight to the Supreme Court, following which he was given a favourable outcome.
The Supreme Court, in a 5-2 majority decision last Tuesday, ruled that Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant was unconstitutional.
What was left, was for the House to be recalled.
But the ruling had angered some NDC MPs, including the Odododiodioo constituency lawmaker, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpujie, who is exiting with this parliament.
In an interview with Channel One TV, Vanderpuye, emphasized that the NPP caucus, could not justify what he called “unnecessary spending” of taxpayer money.
He affirmed that the NDC minority caucus, would focus on election preparations and resume parliamentary duties only after the December polls.
“They should not waste the taxpayers’ money by asking us to come to Parliament in the next three weeks. We are not coming. We are concerned about elections, and we shall only come to Parliament after the elections. That should be at the back of their minds,” he said.
He further stressed “We want them to understand one fact that as far as we are concerned, issues about minority or majority are determined by the numbers in the house, so when we resume, the numbers will tell whether we are the majority, or they are the majority. This is not about the Supreme Court.
“…It is not for the NPP or the Supreme Court to define for us who are majority or minority in Ghana’s Parliament. We have our own procedures for determining who is a majority or who is a minority. When they were declared majority by Speaker Bagbin, did they go to the Supreme Court to seek that declaration?
The likes of Adaklu, Ningo Prampram, South Dayi, Governs Kwame Agbodza, Sam Nartey George, Nelson Rockson Dafeamekpor respectively and others, objected the position of the apex court.
They had indicated they were not going to return to the house and that if the court is minded, the court can come to Parliament and lead them on what to do.
In the first indefinably adjournment of the House, the majority MPs, requested for an emergency recall for serious government businesses.
They had argued for some bills, contracts and loans that needed to be taken care of. Even though the house was recalled, not much could be achieved after the two sides continued their tussle on who was majority and minority. The directive by the NDC chairman, comes as a different layer of setback.
Source: Anchorghana.com
