The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has accused the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, of deliberately delaying a headcount in the chamber.
According to the Majority Leader, Speaker Bagbin's delay was aimed at allowing absent Minority Members of Parliament to enter the chamber, despite the absence of five of their members.
Speaking out about the Speaker's actions, the Leader said, "You were all there. You all heard what the Speaker said loud and clear. Why should the Speaker beat such a hasty retreat? He said to us that, and I'm quoting him, 'I think the Ayes have it.' That is how Speakers make pronouncements and determinations - 'I think the Ayes have it'...
"In this case, he said 'I think the Ayes have it; the Ayes have it.' Then we have the Speaker making a sudden U-turn to say he didn't add that the Ayes have it; he just expressed an opinion.
“…what is happening is that there are five members of the minority who are not here, so all that he is doing is to buy time to enable them come to the chamber that all it is., what kind of thing is that.”
Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further suggested that the Speaker's delay was solely to buy time for the absent Minority MPs to reach the chamber.
Expressing his frustration, he questioned, "What kind of thing is that?"
The Majority Leader specifically mentioned Mahama Ayariga, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Emmanuel Agyekum, Sam Nartey George, and James Gyakye Quayson as the names of the absent MPs.
The situation in parliament on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, escalated when members of the Majority Caucus staged a walkout, disrupting the approval process for the Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the year ending December 31, 2024.
The walkout occurred after the Speaker decided against an initial "The Ayes have it" declaration, and went with the suggestion from the Minority to rather have a headcount to determine the votes.
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