The Minority Members of Parliament who have expressed their disapproval of the agreement are also clad in red armbands and headbands.

“The minority MPs are either in red armbands or red headbands,” Citi News correspondent, Duke Mensah Opoku reported.

General Secretary of NDC and his deputy, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and Koku Anyidoho, NDC National Vice Chairperson, Anita Desoso among other party leaders, are currently in the public gallery of Parliament to throw their weight behind the minority MPs.

Also present is the founder and leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga.

The Minister of Defense, Dominic Nitiwul, on Tuesday laid before Parliament the document seeking to ratify an agreement for space around the Kotoka International Airport, which will serve as a camp for some US military forces in Ghana.

If approved, the agreement will among other things, exempt the US government from paying taxes on equipment that is brought to Ghana.

They will also be given the chance to set their own telecommunication system, although they will be allowed to use Ghana’s radio spectrum free of charge.

Although many Ghanaians have expressed resentment over the clauses of the agreement, government had defended it and said the agreement is in the best interest of Ghana.

But the Minority has called on government to withdraw the agreement in its current form, saying it is not in the best interest of Ghana.

The Minority in Parliament on Thursday blocked the laying before Parliament, the report of the Joint Committee on Defence and Interior and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, on the agreement.

In a brief protest between the two sides in Parliament today [Thursday], the leadership of the Majority said the report was ready to be laid before the House to allow for debate.

However, the Minority disagreed insisting that the report wasn’t ready.

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye subsequently ruled that the laying of the report should be skipped until the two sides can come to a consensus on it.

“If the report is ready it is ready. If it is not ready, you negotiate and if there is a negotiation and there is understanding I [will] proceed. [But] it appears there is clearly no negotiation so no progress,” Prof. Oquaye said.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonile.com
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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The angry MPs accused the Speaker of seeking to frustrate them from expressing themselves usually on controversial issues.

The NDC MPs hooted at the Speaker after Parliament approved the controversial Legal Profession Regulations 2017 L.I. through a voice vote.

Among notable changes, the Subsidiary Legislation Committee recommended that the Ghana Legal Council should not be allowed to conduct interviews for entrants into the Ghana School of Law.

The Committee, however said the entrance examinations for admission into the school would continue.

Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, had insisted that the House should have done division voting where every Member of Parliament is given the opportunity to vote the way they wanted, but claims that he was completely ignored by the Speaker.

The Minority MPs hooted at the Speaker and chanted songs loudly in the chamber.

Muntaka in a Citi News interview said Professor Oquaye was a threat to Ghana’s democracy saying neither “Mobutu [Sese Seko]” nor “Idi Amin will behave the way he is doing.”

He also called on civil society groups to speak against Professor Oquaye’s actions.

“Civil society should be concerned about how the Speaker is conducting himself, it is so terrible. As for listening to us, you have to listen to us and make your ruling. If we want to challenge your ruling we know what to do, but to deliberately, continuously do what he is doing, I think he is a biggest threat to our democracy.”

I will disrespect you if you dare me – Haruna threatens Speaker

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, had expressed similar sentiments against the Speaker whom he said ignored him when he wanted to make a comment on the Floor of the House.

Haruna Iddrisu threatened to disregard the authority of the Speaker of Parliament if such actions persist.

This followed what he described as the Speaker’s failure to recognize him when he wanted to make an intervention during the debate on the Special Petroleum Tax last month, February 2018.

“I am sad at the way you have treated me as Minority Leader. I stood up before the Majority Leader. You owe me that courtesy and that respect. Mr. Speaker, even after hearing him [Majority Leader], you have still not decided whether to hear me or not,” he said.

About the controversial Ghana School of Law L.I.

The LI was drawn up and laid in Parliament on December 22, 2017, in response to the Supreme Court order directing a parliamentary approval for the admission process into the Ghana School of Law and to the Ghana Bar.

Some concerned law students had earlier put pressure on Parliament not to pass the L.I. claiming it was not in the best interest of LLB students and potential lawyers in the country.

But Parliament adopted the Subsidiary Legislation Committee’s recommendations for the Legal Profession Regulations 2017 amid the protests.

Among notable changes to the L.I, the Subsidiary Legislation Committee recommended that the Ghana Legal Council should not be allowed to conduct interviews for entrants into the Ghana School of Law.

The Committee, however said the entrance examinations for admission into the school should continue.

Click here to listen to the Minority MPs hoot at the Speaker:

Click below to listen to Muntaka as he lambastes Prof. Oquaye:

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Minority MPs hoot at Oquaye; liken him to Idi Amin [Audio] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to NDC MP for Ho Central, Benjamin Kpodo, failure to capture debts such as the ones incurred from the collapse of Capital and UT Banks, indicate that government has not accurately reported to the people of Ghana about the country’s debt situation.

[contextly_sidebar id=”azw5Mlh7FaeIax131IbSXOsZTiTy3uxJ”]Contributing to the debate on the State of the Nation Address in Parliament, the Ho Central MP called on the Finance Minister to come clean.

“With these controversies over the figures, I would want to challenge the Minister of Finance to come to this House and give us a list or a schedule for outstanding liabilities; both domestic and foreign so we put this matter to rest. Mr. Speaker, I am currently asking you to rule on this matter,” said the MP.

Ghana’s debt stock hits 137.2 billion

Figures released by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) in January 2018, had shown that the country’s total debt stock had hit GH¢138.8 billion cedis as of November 2017, representing 68.7 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

It showed a marginal decrease from September’s figure of 138.9 billion cedis compared to November’s figure of 138.8 billion cedis.

The figures, however showed that the debt stock decreased in October to 137.6 billion cedis before going up to 138.8 billion cedis in November.

The external component of Ghana’s debt also stood at 16.9 billion dollars, equivalent to 74.7 billion cedis, while the domestic component of the debt is at 64.2 billion cedis.

Government had indicated through its issuance calendar that it will borrow 11 billion cedis in the first quarter of 2018.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Minority MPs want Ofori Atta summoned over Ghana’s debt stock appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Parliament is expected to go on recess by Friday, April 7, however the Appointments Committee will continue vetting the remaining 50 deputy ministerial nominees named by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

[contextly_sidebar id=”onrexXSM87nA0ykJ1cltdkTOdztK4osM”]While reading Parliament’s business statement in Parliament last Friday, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, noted that the House was to rise on Friday prior to the Easter celebrations.

But the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu strongly rejected the move.

Haruna Iddrisu argued that, the recess should begin today [Wednesday], adding that the Appointments Committee could submit its report of the deputy ministers it had screened within the period for Parliament’s approval, but the Majority Leader disagreed.

Parliament has so far approved eleven (11) Deputy Ministers for the various sector ministries, as well as ten Deputy Regional Ministers.

NPP boycotts vetting of NDC ministers

This is not the first time an opposition party is boycotting vetting of Ministers.

In 2013, New Patriotic Party MPs on the Appointments Committee boycotted the vetting of ministers appointed by the then National Democratic Congress (NDC) government after they claimed that the election was not legitimately won by the NDC.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Minority MPs boycott Appointments Committee sittings appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The President who handed over power peacefully to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Saturday spent his time networking and deliberating with the MPs — both old and new ones.

Spent my Thursday afternoon with the NDC Caucus in Parliament. Great atmosphere, frank discussions and networking.
#NDC #Ghana pic.twitter.com/UWLHfhaAPI

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) January 12, 2017

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, NDC National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy as well as former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho and former Chief of Staff were all at the place.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

Photo credit: Office of John Mahama

The post Mahama spends time with Minority MPs [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.