Minority to insist on headcount for decisions following controversial budget approval

The Minority in Parliament intends to subject every budgetary allocation in the 2022 Appropriations Bill to a vote.

Addressing the press in Parliament after the controversial approval of the budget, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said the minority would not compromise on this.

“Let me warn, that from Wednesday, every other decision of Parliament will be by voting. From Wednesday, every other decision of Parliament, we will insist on a minimum number of headcounts. At appropriation of estimates, we will vote on them,” he warned.

“Therefore, if they claim that they respect the Constitution, they must respect the fact that Tuesday’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 added.

At the press briefing on Tuesday, the Minority indicated its malcontent with the decision of Parliament under the leadership of First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu to overturn the rejection of the 2022 budget statement last Friday through the interpretation of the constitution and the standing orders of Parliament.

The First Deputy Speaker included himself in the total number of MPs in the House before having the motion for the rescission of the rejection of the 2022 Budget moved.

This is despite him serving as the Speaker of Parliament in the absence of Alban Bagbin.

His inclusion pushed the number of Majority Caucus MPs to 138; one more than the Minority.

This kept the Majority within the remit of standing orders, which stipulate that no question for decision in the House shall be proposed for determination unless there are present in the House not less than one-half of all the Members of the House.

Mr. Owusu then pushed for the motion arguing that the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, erred in overseeing the rejection of the budget by the Minority side last Friday since there was no clear majority in the House during the proceedings.