General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said that Parliament is not sitting today Thursday September 1, 2016 to discuss the impeachment process against President John Mahama.
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, per Article 112, summoned the legislators who were on break and were expected to resume sitting at the end of the month.
A statement from Parliament said the recall was also in accordance with Order 38(1) of the Standing Orders of parliament.
The sitting on Thursday is at 10:00am
The only motion tabled to be considered by the House was the one filed by Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu on behalf of his colleague NPP MPs dated August 3, 2012 seeking to impress on the House “to constitute a special parliamentary committee to investigate” what has become known as the Ford Expedition saga.
In a recent investigative piece by Joy FM’s Manasseh Azure, the said contractor revealed that he gave President John Mahama the luxury vehicle as a gift.
Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states, “A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts or is likely to conflict with the performance of the functions of his office.”
However, Johnson Asiedu Nketia in an interview said the present motion for which reason MPs have been recalled has nothing to do with article 69.
General Mosquito as he is popularly called indicated that it is erroneous for anybody to suggest that the MPs will today consider an impeachment process against the president.
He stressed that a motion seeking to rally parliament to make an inquisition into a matter is different from a motion to trigger impeachment proceedings against the President.
Impeachment proceedings by parliament under article 69 of the constitution do not require parliamentary inquiry.
Such a motion, Mr. Nketia noted if moved and seconded, would have to be referred to the Chief Justice who will then institute a committee chaired by her to investigate the matter and make recommendations to parliament to decide on.
“Parliament is not meeting over impeachment of Mahama and so the minority should stop talking about impeaching the president because there is no agenda or whatsoever” he stated.
On his part, Minority leader, Kyei Osei Mensah Bonsu, said, “We have not taken the decision to impeach President Mahama yet.
“We are also conducting our personal investigations and so far, we can say that the revelation by Manasseh Azuri has affirmed our findings. But as I speak to you now, we have not decided to impeach the President” he stated.
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