Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has served notice that it will, from henceforth, ensure that decisions taken in the House will be by voting.
Alternatively, he said that the Minority will insist on minimum headcounts.
Mr Iddrisu made this known when the Minority addressed the press after Parliament approved the 2022 budget in his side’s absence.
For him “cooperation has suffered” and therefore, the Minority will take a cue from it and be advised accordingly.
“Let me warn, that from tomorrow, every other decision of Parliament will be by voting. From tomorrow, every other decision of parliament, we will insist on a minimum number of headcount. At appropriation of estimates, we will vote on them,” Mr Iddrisu warned.
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The Minority leader said that “if this is the way they [Majority] want us to walk, we are very capable of walking with them.”
He further said that the Majority’s action on Tuesday is a slap in the face of the law; basing his assertions on Article 104 (3) of the Constitution and standing order 109 of Parliament.
According to him, the combined effect of the two provisions, read in a purposive manner, points to illegality on the part of the Majority, as they did not have the required numbers to approve the Budget.
The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South bemoaned the unconstitutionality he said was masterminded by his colleagues in the Majority.
“Therefore, if they claim that they respect the Constitution, they must respect the fact that today’s decision is a constitutional nullity because the Deputy Speaker has no original or casting vote. Nothing more. And therefore, they were at best, 137,” Mr Iddrisu explained.
On Tuesday, November 30, 2021, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta re-tabled the 2022 Budget and Economic Policy and urged the House to approve it accordingly.
He, however, indicated that the Budget factored some concessions, following deliberations and concerns from the Minority MPs in Parliament.
With the Minority absent in Parliament, the Majority MPs voted to approve the budget through popular acclamation.