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Tag: the Speaker of Parliament

  • Speaker erred in referring censure motion on Ofori-Atta to a committee – Lawyer

    Private legal practitioner, Lawyer Tachie Antiedu has disagreed with the decision by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, to refer the censure motion to remove Ken Ofori-Atta, to an ad-hoc committee.

    The lawyer explained that Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution confers the power of censorship of a Minister or Deputy Minister in Parliament.

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, November 10, 2022, set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations in the Minority Caucus’ motion of censure against the embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to the Speaker, the committee will allow the Finance Minister to respond to conflicts of interest raised by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.

    Dominic Ayine, NDC Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East, and KT Hammond, NPP Member of Parliament for Adansi-Asokwa, will co-chair the committee, which must report to the House within seven (7) days.

    But in the opinion of the lawyer, ”Though Order 106 permits reference of a censure motion to a Committee, I hold the view that such referral be appropriately confined to the motion for removal of the President and Vice President.

    The reason is that Article 69 sets out the grounds for removal of the President which may be inquired into in cases of no or insufficient evidence.

    In the case of removal of a Minister or Deputy Minister, no such grounds have been stated. The implication is that Parliament can pass a vote of censorship against a Minister or Deputy Minister without citing any reason or adducing any evidence to establish the existence or non-existence of any ground. Hence, nothing to be inquired into by a committee.”

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Meet the 8-member ad hoc committee set to probe Ofori-Atta censure allegations

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, November 10 announced an ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee was constituted of Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.

    Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.

    The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.

    The composition of the committee is as follows:

    It will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

    The three members from the Minority side are:

    MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa;

    MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and

    MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.

    From the Majority caucus, the members include:

    MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah;

    MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and

    MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.

    How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued

    The Minority Leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger debate and a vote on the same.

    Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority’s claims against the Finance Minister.

    The committee co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP) is expected to present their report in seven days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.

    Below are the seven points for which the Minority want Ofori-Atta censured:

    a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang

    b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.

    c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.

    d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament

    e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world

    f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis

    g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Ofori-Atta saved as Speaker of Parliament refers censure motion to 8-member ad hoc committee

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has referred a vote of censure motion filed by the minority cause of Parliament for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee

    The committee is expected to make a determination on removal of Ofori-Atta within 7 days.

    The speaker announced that the committee will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

    Alban Bagbin added that the determination of Ofori-Atta’s removal will be made in consultation with the leadership of the House.

    The other Members of the committee from the minority caucus include the MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.

    The committee members from the majority caucus are MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah; MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.

    “The clerk to the committee is Mr. Puaman Kamilo… The proposal is in consultation with the leadership, I hope that it will be accepted by the House,” the speaker added.

    The speaker gave this ruling after rejecting an attempt by the majority in parliament to raise a preliminary objection against the motion for a vote of censure brought by the minority against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta

    The minority, led by Haruna Iddrisu, moved the motion on Thursday, November 10, 2022, seeking to pass a vote of censure against the under-fire minister for finance.

    Arguing against the motion after it was moved by the minority leader, Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said admitting the motion in the house would amount to injustice being dealt against the minister for finance.

    Source: Ghanaweb

     

  • How Nana Ampadu’s wife wept profusely

    It was rather a ‘grief-stricken’ moment when tears consistently rolled down the cheeks of the late Highlife musician, Nana Kwame Ampadu’s wife, who was captured at the funeral grounds of her late husband.

    All efforts by some women to console her proved futile as she cried profusely, as her tribute to her late husband was being read.

    The manner in which the late musician’s wife wept got so infectious that even one of her ‘consolers’ ended up wailing as well.

    Not forgetting the fact that the words in her written tribute sunk the audience into a more sorrowful state.

    In attendance at the ceremony were President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin; the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare; ministers of state; Members of Parliament; a former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings; the clergy, some veteran actors, musicians, chiefs and several other dignitaries.

    The late Nana Ampadu was finally laid to rest on Saturday October 9, 2022, in his hometown, Obo Kwahu, in the Eastern Region.

    Source:ghanaweb.com