The Minority in Parliament has failed to remove Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, from office despite casting a secret ballot voting.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has indicated that the secret voting exercise executed by a one-sided Parliament to ensure a vote of censure against Ken Ofori-Atta is wasted.
The Minority in Parliament went ahead to cast their secret ballot on Thursday, after the Majority staged a walk-out.
The Majority led by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu walked out of the chamber during a heated debate after they pointed out that the censure motion is unfair. The said 80 NPP MPs who are against a Finance Ministry headed by Ken Ofori-Atta were among the legislators who walked out.
Despite their absence, the Minority went ahead with the secret balloting.
After voting, Speaker told the House that the voting exercise is “loss” because it fails to uphold Article 82 (1) of the 1992 constitution which states that “1. Parliament may, by a resolution supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of Parliament, pass a vote of censure on a Minister of State.”
In Parliament were 136 MPs on the Minority side. 136 votes supported the censure of the Finance Minister.
However, per the law, Parliament needs at least 184 MPs out of the 274 MPs, which is two-thirds of the MPs to pass a vote of censure on a Minister of State.