Rasheed Draman, the executive director of the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), has bemoaned the lack of punitive actions against MPs who engage in scuffles in the chamber.
MPs shouted at each other and engaged in an open brawl in Parliament on the evening of 20 December 2021 as the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, left his seat to enable him also to cast a vote to pass the controversial E-Levy under a certificate of urgency.
Although both sides of the House have condemned the incident, Parliament is yet to punish any member caught in the act.
“If our MPs continue to avoid using ‘arguments’ on the floor of Parliament and rather resort to violence, yet they are not charged for it, then nothing will change,” Draman told Kwaku Nhyira-Addo, the host of this morning’s Asaase Breakfast Show.
“It is not clear why the people involved in the scuffles in Parliament have not been charged. It is emboldening these people as they do not seem to think there will be repercussions.”
He added: “Just as happened in our Parliament, there were fisticuffs in the Parliament of Kenya. The people involved in the incident in Kenya were punished but we don’t see similar happening here.”
The ACEPA director feared that Ghana’s Parliament will witness more fighting if the belligerents in previous incidents of lawlessness in the House are not penalised.
“Our current parliament is unique in its structure, and so if we do not see tolerance and mediation take a salient role then we will continue to see confusion and scuffles in Parliament,” he told
We’re tired of fighting
Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip, says the Majority in Parliament is tired of fighting the Minority over passage of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) Bill.
Annoh-Dompreh said the Majority is ready to make compromises and reach a consensus with the opposition to ensure that the E-Levy is passed.
Speaking to Beatrice Adu on The Big Bulletin on Monday (31 January 2022), he said: “I concede that we have also not told our story well. It is [a problem] with our PR and I concede that absolutely.
“[But] as we speak, the town hall meetings and engagements are going on. It’s better late than never.
“…That’s very important, and I hope that we’ll be able to deal with this matter … We’re tired. We are tired of these fights … So, if there are compromises that have to be made, I know they will be made. And already I’ve noted that there are more engagements going on.
“The compromises that have to be made have to be made for the sake of our country,” Annoh-Dompreh said.
Consensus-building
The Majority Chief Whip said further that the government has stepped up consensus-building over the past few months and will continue to do so.
“I think it is a genuine observation that we need to extend it or make it more inclusive engagements. It’s important; I have no doubt about [that]. But it is also a fact that it is a work in progress.
“The [finance] minister has not shown any indication that he is done with the engagements yet. Civil society groups, religious groups, other interest bodies and the clergy have also been engaged.
“… We shouldn’t get the wrong impression that it is only the Minority that is raising concerns, no. I mean, a cross-section of the populace is also raising issues. So it’s more of responding to these broad-based interest groups and, basically, the people of this country,” he said.
Make or break?
Annoh-Dompreh said although the government has improved its engagements on passage of the E-Levy, it is politically poised to pass the bill, with or without consensus.
He said: “Some engagements went on [between Majority and Minority], so we’re hoping that they will yield some results ultimately. We [the Majority Caucus] have our destiny in our own hands, that’s what it is.
“… We reached out. We have to do what is politically expedient for us to get this decision passed and quite a number of them [the NDC MPs] are reasonable. So we’ll keep talking to them [the Minority] but we have our plan B.
“You don’t always get consensus … and sometimes you can do all you have to do but still you don’t get consensus.
“That’s why I said we have our destiny in our hands. While we’re pursuing the consensus-building, we’re being guided accordingly, as it were,” said Annoh-Dompreh.
Fred Dzakpata
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