The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has deferred a motion proposed by former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu that sought to remove four Members of Parliament (MPs) contesting as independent candidates in the upcoming December 2024 elections.
This decision has sparked debate over the relevance and urgency of the motion amid pressing national issues.
Former National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Ras Mubarak Kumbungu Constituency has labeled the motion as a “bizarre and shocking frolic” that diverts attention from critical concerns affecting Ghanaians, particularly the need for a credible electoral process.
Ras Mubarak raises the alarmed that the focus should be on addressing the conduct of the Electoral Commissioner to ensure free and fair elections on December 7.
Urgent Issues Overlooked
Ras Mubarak believes that as Ghanaians prepare for the elections, pressing matters such as road safety and environmental degradation remain high on the public agenda. Recent statistics reveal that nearly 1,500 people lost their lives in road accidents in the first quarter of 2024 alone, with almost 10,000 injuries reported within six months.
Ras Mubarak emphasize that Parliament should prioritize legislation and funding to tackle this crisis rather than engage in motions perceived as politically motivated.
Additionally, the Former NDC MP expressed concerns about illegal mining, destruction of natural resources, and economic mismanagement under President Akufo-Addo’s administration continue to grow.
Ras Mubarak expressed disappointment that the first act by the Minority was not to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President for his perceived failures.
Calls for Focused Action
Ras Mubarak argue that practicality dictates that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should concentrate on holding the Electoral Commissioner accountable instead of pursuing what they view as a futile motion. With just over seven weeks until the elections, there are doubts about how removing four MPs would impact broader electoral issues.
At this critical juncture, many expected Parliament to address urgent questions regarding national security, particularly concerning Ghanaian peacekeeping troops in Lebanon amid rising tensions in the region.
Ras Mubarak however calls for legislative amendments to address issues affecting deceased individuals’ autopsies, particularly within Muslim communities.
A Distraction from Constitutional Duties
The former Minority Leader defended his motion as a constitutional obligation; however, the Former MP argue that it fails to address more significant constitutional violations previously overlooked during his tenure.
Ras Mubarak further attacked Haruna Iddrissu, the former Minority Leader that in 2022, several MPs were accused of absences without leave, yet little action was taken at that time.
“This was in 2022 when the following MPs- Hon Sarah Adwoa Safo, Hon Kennedy Agyapong, Hon Henry Quartey and Hon Kojo Kum, absented themselves from Parliament without leave of the Speaker. Never once during this egregious violation of the constitution did we hear the mover of today’s motion talk about defending the constitution”
He added “At a time when it mattered most, the former Minority Leader abandoned his duty to defend and uphold the constitution. And alas, the issue has been conveniently swept under the rug”.
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Haruna Iddrisu’s Motion A Waste of Everyone’s Time.
A decision on a motion in Parliament by the former Minority Leader to remove some four MPs who are contesting as independent candidates in the December 2024 Parliamentary election was deferred by the Speaker of Parliament.
While we await the decision of the Speaker, I must say the motion was a bizarre and shocking frolic that completely ignores the most pressing issues in the country.
Members of Parliament who spoke in support of the motion completely ignored one of the issues high up on the minds of Ghanaians yearning for a credible election in December – how to reign in the intransigent Electoral Commissioner and getting her to produce nothing but a free and fair election on 7th December.
That should be the priority of every elected Member, especially those in opposition. What is the electoral fortune of the motion?
With almost seven weeks to the December election, how does removing four rogue MPs revolve the issue of the Electoral Commissioner’s adamant posturing?
It doesn’t in any significant way clip the wings of President Akufo Addo, who should have been impeached by now.
We have had almost 1,500 Ghanaians die in road accidents In the first quarter of 2024 alone according to public records. The country had recorded nearly 10,000 injuries from road accidents within the first six months of this year.
It is a major disaster that requires serious and urgent action by all stakeholders, including Parliament, which ought to enact the necessary legislation to stem the tide, and appropriate the necessary funds to deal with the crisis.
There’s also the wanton destruction of our water bodies, forest reserves and a plastic pollution crisis, plus President Akufo Addo’s government running the economy aground.
And the first act by the Minority is not a motion to impeach the President for his colossal failure to tackle the illegal mining crisis, nor a bill to prosecute parents like Bishop Salifu Amoako, whose minor children commit high crimes.
Practicality and common sense dictates that the NDC and its MPs must be focused on reining in the Electoral Commissioner, whose posturing and impunity is very worrying.
At the time of writing this article, we are 52 days away from the December 7 election. There would be no by-election even if the four rogue MPs are removed.
Upon the resumption of Parliament, I expected an urgent question to the Minister for Defence on whether our peacekeeping troops in Lebanon were harmed in anyway by the criminal Israeli regime which attacked the position of UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon.
I expect private members bill for an amendment to the Coroner’s Act, which requires for every deceased person, including deceased Muslims, to undergo autopsy. This is an issue i unsuccessfully raised when I was MP in the 7th Parliament, and one which is of grave concern to Muslims up and down the country, including majority of the former Minority Leader’s constituents who are Muslims.
All of these issues are ignored for a more hopeless frolic that has zero impact on our fortunes in the upcoming elections nor the issues high up on the minds of suffering Ghanaians.
The former Minority Leader said he was defending the constitution, which in truth is what every Ghanaian, especially those in elected office should do.
But at a time defending the constitution would have been effective and productive, he and just about everyone who spoke In support of the motion abandoned their constitutional obligations, and betrayed the sacred and hallowed oath of office.
Under the watch of the former Minority Leader, the NDC had a chance to cause of the removal of some MPs who’d violated the constitution, and cause a by-election. This was in 2022 when the following MPs – Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, Hon. Henry Quartey and Hon. Kojo Kum, absented themselves from Parliament without leave of the Speaker.
Never once during this egregious violation of the constitution did we hear the mover of today’s motion talk about defending the constitution. It took my petition to Parliament, which the Minority even attempted to shoot down, for the matter to be heard and brought before the Privileges Committee.
At a time when it mattered most, the former Minority Leader abandoned his duty to defend and uphold the constitution. And alas, the issue has been conveniently swept under the rug.
We in the NDC are hungry for political power. We are going into a very difficult election, where the referee (EC) is clearly biased against us. The sooner we kept our eyes on the most important things, the better for us.
We can’t afford to take our eyes off the ball. Parliament is clothed with all the powers to put the Electoral Commissioner in check. And I hope we make that a priority than this injury time gymnastics that are a waste of everyone’s time.
The life of this parliament is less than three months from coming to an end. There’s little or no political capital from removing the MPs going Independent.
End.
Ras Mubarak,
Accra
15th October 2024.
