Parliament ratifies Statute on International Criminal Court

Speaker overrules objection against Minority motion asking Peprah to resign

Accra (Greater Accra) 11 Nov. '99

Mr Justice Daniel Francis Annan, the Speaker of Parliament, on Wednesday, had a though time in deciding whether a motion calling on the Minister of Finance to resign for incompetence and mismanagement of the economy could be accepted for debate in the House.

After a heated debate interspersed with heckling, the Speaker overruled an objection by the Majority that a Minority motion calling on the Finance Minister, Mr Kwame Peprah to resign for his incompetence and mismanagement of the economy, was not proper before the House.

Mr George Boadi, NDC-Amenfi -East, had raised a preliminary objection to the motion, arguing that it is a vote of censure, which requires among other things, that the motion should be supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of Parliament.

Mr Boadi said the motion is also in conflict with Article 82 of the Constitution, which requires that 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.

The Minority, spearheaded by Nana Akufo Addo, Spokesman on Constitutional and Legal Matters, argued that the motion seeks to request the House to express its disapproval about the handling of the economy by the Minister of Finance and calling on him to advise himself.

He said by the motion, the House is only expressing its displeasure about the manner in which the economy is being managed.

He said the fundamental misconception on which the Majority objection was raised, was that the House itself was taking formal steps to remove the Minister from office.

The motion stands in the name of Dr Kofi Apraku, the Minority Spokesman on

Finance. It states: "That this House, recognising the serious economic crisis that has resulted from the incompetence and mismanagement of the Ghanaian Economy by the Minister of Finance, hereby calls on the Minister of Finance to resign".

The Speaker after inviting comments from both sides of the House, said that he had problem with the use of words such as "incompetence" and "mismanagement", and the "call to resign", which make the motion looks like a censure.

He ruled, however, "that even though the motion stands close to a censure, it is not.

"In my opinion, it is not a motion of censure and should, therefore, stand.

There is, however, a Majority amendment motion, which states: "That this House, recognising the current economic difficulties facing the nation due largely to unfavourable external economic factors; such as the falling cocoa and rising crude oil prices; hereby calls on the Minister of Finance to introduce, as a matter of urgency, measures to alleviate the said difficulties"

The amendment motion stands in the names of Mr Doe Adjaho, the Majority Chief Whip, Squadron-Leader Clend Sowu (rtd), NDC-Anlo, Mr A. S. K. Bagbin, NDC- Nadowli North and Mr John Tia, NDC-Talensi.

Commenting on the motion, Dr Kwabena Adjei, Leader of the House said the motion, by implication, is calling for a vote of censure, which he defined as a formal act of criticism.

"I am surprised that Nana Akufo Addo is in that group yet they have brought this incompetent motion before the House", he said.

Mr Agyare Koi-Larbi, NPP-Akropong, said the motion is more of an appeal than censure. "It is a moral appeal to the Minister to resign".

Mr Doe Adjaho, Majority Chief Whip, said the Majority was only asking that the motion should comply with Article 82 of the Constitution and Standing Order 82.

"We have not closed our doors to the motion".

Mr Cletus Avoka, NDC-Bawku West and Minister of Environment Science and Technology, said the objection is well founded and wondered under which Standing Order the motion had been brought before the House.

He said the motion, in its present form is misconceived and charged the Minority of trying "to pass through the back door".

Mr Abraham Ossei Aidoo, NPP-Tema West, said the motion is an ordinary one and it is therefore, proper before the House.

Mr Kobina Fosu, NDC-Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, said the motion is fraught with a lot of difficulties adding that asking the House to call on the Minister to resign is a serious matter of censure.

He said the objection is therefore very much in order and urged Dr Apraku to go back and "put his house in order' if he is serious about the motion.

Dr Apraku said all that he is trying to do is to call on the Minister to have the moral responsibility to resign, in view of his poor handling of the economy.

Mr J.H. Mensah, Minority Leader, said the motion seeks to allow the House to debate a matter of public concern.

He questioned why the Majority has sponsored an amendment knowing that Dr Apraku's motion is not proper before the House.

He said he was surprised that the Majority was placing limit on Parliament to debate public interest.

"The issue is we are criticising the Minister's handling of the economy and as a rider, asking him to resign.

GRi../