Some Members of Parliament(MPs) have raised concerns that the new roll call procedure adopted in the new standing orders of Parliament will send the wrong signal to the public.
Yaw Boamah, the Member of Parliament for Okaikwe Central, along with John Abdulai Jinapor representing the Yapei Kusagwu Constituency, emphasized that the decision would result in significant political repercussions.
Parliament resumed sitting with a series of new changes to procedures in the House. Among several new changes, members will now recite the National Pledge every morning before Parliamentary business commences. In addition, some committees have been reconstituted, and others dissolved. To reduce absenteeism at sittings, clerks are required to call out the names of all MPs on the register for their presence to be recorded.
During deliberations on these changes, the MP for Yapei Kusagwu indicated that members are likely to be marked absent while they undertake other committee functions. However, this concern was overruled by the Second Deputy Speaker who was presiding over the business of the day.
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“The decision is that the new rule covers roll call, the Speaker may act with discretion but today, my decision is that the roll call must go on, ” he said.
With the State of the Nation’s Address scheduled for February 27, the Minority called on the government to make reforms to his government as parliament has.
“Our country is not sitting well, and just like Parliament has reformed yesterday, I call on His Excellency the President and Vice President to also reform their government because Ghanaians are fast losing hope in our democracy,” said Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority Leader.
On the floor of Parliament for discussion was also the LGBTQ+ bill which has become a major business for the house since 2021.
