Minority blocks process towards laying of new EC C.I

The minority in Parliament today, Friday, February 10, 2023, blocked a process towards the laying of the new controversial Constitutional Instrument (C.I) from the Electoral Commission.

Some civil society groups, the NDC and individuals including former EC boss Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan have raised concerns about the new C.I seeking to make the Ghana card the only proof of nationality for voter registration.

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin had warned the EC on the C.I asking the EC to forget laying the new C.I in parliament if they fail to meet the leadership of the House to iron out issues.

However, the business statement for next week captured the laying of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2023 to the stiff opposition of the minority.

Its leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson questioned why the C.I which was not discussed during the business committee meeting found its way into the business statement.

Deputy minority whip Ahmed Ibrahim accused the majority front bench of deceit and bad faith. The Banda MP joined his leader to ask for the C.I to be removed amidst protest against his choice of words by the first deputy speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu who was presiding.

Deputy majority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin however refuted the assertions of the minority. According to him the appearance of the CI in the business statement is only an advertisement which should not be a big deal.

Minority leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson however insisted the C.I ought to be removed from the business statement which was consequently done.

Addressing the media after proceedings deputy majority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin questioned the basis for the outburst by the minority MPs.

He explained chairman for the subsidiary legislation committee, Dr Dominic Ayine was consulted by the majority leader over the scheduling of the laying of the C.I next week.

“Clearly all the allusions made on bad faith are misplaced, reason being that the majority leader had engaged the Chair of the subsidiary legislation committee, no less a person than Hon. Dr. Dominic Ayine. And this C.I has been with us for some time, but we all agreed that we should engage as a House so that we would finetune some few issues and eventually when it is laid there would be no controversy. So it isn’t the case that it was smuggled into the business document.

“That notwithstanding we’ve agreed to engage them, we’ve agreed to put that on ice. And again by way of explanation items that appear in the business committee report, do not necessarily come on the order paper. there is a difference between having an item on the order paper and giving an indication of something to be done in the business committee’s report. Again not all items that are on the order paper are considered; they’re all subject to engagements, and discussions so that the floor work will be smooth.”