NPP has lost focus in governance - Former MP

A former Member of Parliament for Buem Constituency, Mr Daniel Kosi Ashiaman, says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has lost focus on governance, hence the country's numerous problems.

He was commenting on the chaos in Parliament on Monday, December, 20.2021.

Ghanaian members of Parliament engaged in another physical confrontation on Monday night, December 20, 2021, during a debate on the controversial E-Levy.

The incident occurred just when the MPs were about to vote on the matter.

The Speaker, Alban Bagbin, was not in the House when the incident occurred.

Some MPs were captured punching their colleagues at will as the debate got out of hand.

The Finance Committee of Parliament had given the green light for the 1.75% E-Levy to be discussed on the floor of the House following a majority decision at the Committee level.

A similar incident occurred in Parliament on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, after First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu ruled in favour of the NPP following Minority'sMinority's motion to set aside Tuesday'sTuesday's 2022 budget approval.

Speaking on Atinka TV'sTV's morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Daniel Kosi Ashiaman alleged that the NPP members of Parliament do not want to respect the rules of the House.

"They said they are the Majority in Parliament; if you are the Majority in Parliament and there is an issue, who has to do something right for peace to prevail? You are the Majority, but you flout every law. I always tell the NPP MPs that they should be thinking twice."

He continued that, "In the 8th Parliament, everything has changed and when everything changes, who is supposed to do something to bring peace? It is the Majority, but they do not want to do that; you will see them talking anyhow on any platform".

Meanwhile, Mr Daniel Kosi Ashiaman said the approval of the E-Levy at the Finance Committee level was also a wrong move.

He said a letter should have come from the President's Office through the Minister for parliamentary affairs if they okayed the 1.75% at the Finance Committee level with a certificate of emergency, but the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs should not generate it.

"When you want to take a certificate of emergency, communication comes from the Executive. The President has the supreme authority in this country; in the case of the E-Levy, where is the letter?" he quizzed.