The Majority side in Parliament has accused the Speaker of Parliament of colluding with the Minority to have the 2024 budget rejected.
According to Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Alban Bagbin’s conduct in the now adjourned 2024 budget debate is unfortunate and improper.
He was speaking after his side had staged a walkout in protest of the Speaker’s demand for Members of Parliament to stand and be counted after their names are mentioned.
The Speaker had earlier delivered an opinion on a voice vote on the approval of the 2024 budget statement and economic policy in favour of the majority side; however, his opinion was challenged by the Minority who called for a headcount.
This saw protests from the Majority side who claimed the Speaker had ruled on the voice vote instead of an opinion.
“You were all there. You heard the speaker loud and clear. Why should a speaker beat such a hasty retreat from what he has said? He said to us that he thought and I’m quoting him, ‘I think the ayes have it’ that is how speakers make pronouncements and determinations ‘I think the ayes have it’ and if he’s convinced and persuaded then he goes further to say the ayes have it.
“Or maybe, ‘I think the nos have it, the nos have it.’ That’s how it’s done. Once you say the nos have it then the determination has been made. In this case, he said ‘I think the ayes have it, the ayes have it.’
“Then you have the speaker making a sudden u-turn that no, he didn’t add that the ayes have it. He just expressed an opinion and that’s most unfortunate. So we think that the proper thing should be done,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.
However, explaining his action, the Speaker said he had only given an opinion and thus his opinion was open for challenge.
“So throughout the practice when it’s an opinion, you say I think, I think, that is opinion I’m expressing. I think the ayes have it. Now an opportunity is created for somebody to challenge the opinion and so when you read 113 (2) it doesn’t talk about ruling, it talks about the opinion that’s why it says a member may call for a headcount or division if the opinion of Mr Speaker on a voice vote is challenged,” he explained.
But the Majority is not convinced. They have accused the Speaker of deliberately frustrating the process to allow absent Minority members to enter the chamber.
“What is happening is that there are five members of the minority who are not here, so all that he’s doing is to play for time to enable them to come to the chamber. That is it, that’s all that it is,” the Majority Leader said.
Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta who was in the house told the media that as far as he is concerned the budget has been approved.
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