The Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Akoto Osei has charged persons in charge of government business to release members to go back to their constituencies if they are not serious in conducting government business in parliament.
As the campaign season gains momentum, most MPs especially those who are not seeking another term have shown less interest in the business of the house.
The few who have abandoned their campaigns to participate in proceedings of the house, like Akoto Osei, appear disappointed.
Akoto Osei who is a former Minister of Finance expressed his unhappiness Monday, when the house was to debate the Sports Bill 2016.
The substantive Minister was not present. His Deputy or any Director from the Sports Ministry did not also show up.
The normal practice per the standing orders of the house is for invited Ministers to appear any time they are called upon by the Majority Leader who is in charge of government business.
As at 12:00pm on Monday when the Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye was expected to appear before the house for the debate on the Sports Bill to proceed, he was nowhere to be found.
The Majority Chief Whip Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, tried to shield him by informing the house that the minister was suffering from cold which he said has resulted in his inability to be in the house at that time.
But Ranking Member of the Finance Committee Akoto Osei insisted that members cannot be summoned for them to travel all the way from their various constituencies at the risk of their lives to Parliament only to realize that those in government business after all are not serious.
Akoto Osei was livid that while they are committed to promoting and working for the nation at this crucial time, majority of their colleagues are campaigning.
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho supported his views, noting that Mondays are even not normal time for sitting, but we the MPs were assembled because the house is press for time as a result of the upcoming elections.
The Speaker maintained that those in charge of government business must be serious since time is not on the side of parliamentarians.
Source: Owoahene Omari Acheampong |Onua FM|3news.com