The Minority has, for the second time this week, scuttled approval of a €20 million loan agreement between government and Germany over the lack of quorum for decision making.
The facility, which is to finance Green Credit Line under the Reform and Investment Partnership between the two countries, is expected to help cut down carbon emissions.
However, immediately after the chairman of the Finance Committee, Kwaku Kwarteng had, presented his committee’s report on the facility on Thursday, NDC MPs Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor and Bernard Ahiafor raised issues.
Their concern was about quorum under articles 102 and 104 based on the judgment by the Supreme Court, which gave Deputy Speakers voting rights while presiding.
They argued the numbers in the House did not meet the threshold of half of all MPs to enable decision-making.
According to the NDC MPs, the Apex court, through the judgment, has reversed the ‘Parliament is the master of its own rules’ mantra, and thus proceedings could not continue on the agreement.
But Adansi Asokwa MP, K.T. Hammond was not enthused by the South Dayi legislator’s stance.
He believes the development is stifling Parliament’s effort to conduct the day’s business.
Mr Hammond fumed and asked the NDC MPs to do as they please with the House and inform his side when they are ready to progress the parliamentary business.
“You won’t let us do any work because we don’t have 90 plus or whatever, take this Parliament, do whatever you want to do with this Parliament. When you are tired, let us know,” he said.
This is the second time in a week that the Minority is citing the Supreme Court judgment to arrest approval of loan agreements.
Second Deputy Speaker, Andrews Akwasi Asiamah, was compelled to adjourn proceedings to Friday.