Parliament on Tuesday technically skipped the moving of the National Reconciliation Bill, which all members claimed they were committed to in uniting the country, to the consideration stage where amendments would be made to it before its final passage.
The First Deputy Speaker, Mr Freddie Blay on Tuesday told the Ghana News Agency that the House was silent on the Bill although it appeared on the order paper (agenda) because it did not have the numbers to do so.
He explained that for a question to be put for a vote to enable the Bill to move to the consideration stage constitutionally required 101 members of the 200-member Houses. He said the number could not be met.
The GNA asked Mr Blay, who was in the chair on Tuesday, about the fate that awaited the Bill since the Minority walked out of Parliament last Friday when the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was winding up the debate during the second reading of the Bill.
Mr Blay said the alleged position of the Minority that they would not have anything to do with the Bill until Nana Akufo-Addo apologised in the House had not come to the notice of Parliament.
He said he would put the question on Wednesday if the number in the House met the constitutional requirement that would make the House take a decision.
Dr Kwabena Adjei, NDC-Biakoye told the GNA that “if Nana Akufo-Addo did not apologise the Minority would not have any hand in the passage of the Bill”.
He said the reconciliation Bill was very dear to the Minority and they were prepared to co-operate in its passage adding, “but if the Majority did not want us to contribute to it we will then boycott it and it will be a law bulldozed by the NPP government”.
The Minority walked out of Parliament last Friday accusing the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for using abusive language when winding up the debate on the Reconciliation Bill during its second reading.
The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, who was in the chair before the incident, was said to have travelled outside the country.
Source: GhanaWeb
