Speaker accepts Mumuni's apology
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 February 2002 - Mr Albin Bagbin, Minority Leader in Parliament, on Wednesday, called for an amendment of the constitutional provision for the presentation of Private Membership Bill to parliament.
He described the provision that consideration of a private membership bill should not impose any financial constrain on the government as a "disincentive". Mr Bagbin made the call at a forum organised by the Political Science Students Association (POSSA) of the University of Ghana under the theme, "The legislature and the Consolidation of Democracy in Ghana."
It was to provide a platform for the majority and minority to discuss the importance of the legislature in consolidating democratic governance but Papa Owusu-Ankomah, the Majority Leader, failed to turn-up.
The presentation of private membership bill on condition that it did not add any financial burden to the government was "ambiguous, as all bills would inferable have financial cost," Mr Bagbin explained.
The Minority Leader noted that parliament lacked the necessary structures, logistics and capacity to play its watchdog role on the executive effectively, "as Parliament is young in terms of arms of governments". He called for support for MPs to operate effectively to ensure good governance.
Dr Nicholas Amponsah, a Political Science lecturer appealed to the public to desist from attacking parliamentarians who criticised government policies since criticism shaped governance and enhanced mulit-party democracy.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 February 2002 - Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, NDC-Kumbungu, on Wednesday said President John Agyekum Kufuor's zero tolerance dictum was applicable to the government's "zero tolerance for opposition". Under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government there has been suppression of political opponents, intimidation, gagging and intolerance, he said.
Contributing to the debate on the President's State of the Nation Address, Alhaji Mumuni gave a catalogue of incidents, which he regarded as blight on the NPP administration's claim of being the apostles of the rule of law and the protagonists of democracy.
Alhaji Mumuni, whose contribution met a lot of hecklings, point of orders and uproar from the Majority side declared that the claim by President Kufuor that his government was a listening one could be described "as a government that listens but does not hear."
Alhaji Mumuni, who was continuing the debate he had to cut short on Tuesday when the Speaker ruled him out that he would not be heard in the House because he had refused to withdraw a statement, purported to have been made by Mr J.H. Mensah, Senior Minister at an NPP congress in Accra.
He withdrew the statement on Wednesday and apologised to the House for the Speaker to allow him to continue his contribution to the debate.
He said although the majority of Ghanaians opted for the 1957 time frame for the Reconciliation Bill, the government ignored that opinion. Alhaji Mumuni said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) consequently sent a petition to the President on the issue that the law if assented to would rather divide the nation and polarise the body politic.
"The President did not even acknowledge receipt of the petition. That is not a government that listens," he said. Alhaji Mumuni said Albert Hamid Odinga, a Belize national and a friend to Former President Jerry John Rawlings was arrested under bizarre conditions and was charged under the seditious law when at that time that law was under repeal.
After the repeal of the law Odinga has been under arrest at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) since June, last year and his lawyers have now filed a habaes corpus at the appeal court.
At that juncture the Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey drew the House's attention to the fact that Parliament has no right to touch on a case that was pending at a court of jurisdiction.
Alhaji Mumuni continuing said his own car was seized from him by the security services for more than six months and it was only released to him through the intervention of Mr J. H. Mensah, Senior Minister, while the same government detained Mr E. T. Mensah, a member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram for more than 48 hours contrary to the Constitution.
This brought Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to his feet on point of order saying that the BNI once arrested him in Koforidua under the previous regime under suspicion. The Speaker said such matters should not be introduced into the debate and that "we must make progress. I was also in the BNI cells before."
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 February 2002 - Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, NDC MP for Kubumgu, on Wednesday apologised to Parliament and withdrew the statement he made that led to an impasse in the House.
Alhaji Mumuni on Tuesday defied the ruling of the Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, to withdraw a statement he made when he was contributing to President John Agyekum Kufuor's State of Nation Address.
The Speaker then ruled that he was not to be heard in the House and that he was referring the matter to the Privileges Committee. Following an amicable solution the Leadership of the House brokered, Mr Mumuni withdrew the statement, saying: "I did not intend to abuse the authority of the Speaker. I don't want the issue to ruin relationship in the House".
The Speaker said Mr Mumuni, by his withdrawal, had "purged himself of any contempt. The matter will no longer be referred to the Privileges Committee." Mr Adjetey said it was the dignity of the House and not that of his personal self that was at stake. "It will be an affront on the House to accept unsubstantiated statements."
He said what happened on tuesday was that the member did not have the proof to substantiate. Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader, said he believed that whatever the merit or demerit of what happened, the House should be able to find amicable solution to it.
He said he hoped the Speaker would put the issue behind him and allow the members to continue the debate. Papa Owusu Ankomah, the Majority Leader associated himself with Mr Bagbin's intervention and said as a House, any issue that would bring about disharmony must be resolved in such a way that communication did not break down.
When the Speaker gave way to Alhaji Mumuni to continue with his debate, the NDC-MP bounced back to attack President Kufuor's government and accused it of suppression political opponents, intolerance and its ability "of listening but not hearing". Alhaji Mumuni's contribution drew hecklings and point of orders from the Majority side of the House.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com