Two opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs disrupted proceedings in Parliament last Friday, by insisting on being heard on a motion that had already been adopted by the House.
Yusif Sulemana of Bole-Bamboi and Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed essentially held the House hostage, compelling the Presiding Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, to suspend the proceedings for about an hour.
Following the House’s adoption of the motion on the urgency of the National Service Authority Bill, the two rabble-rousers from the Minority side rose to challenge the decision.
The angry MPs disrupted proceedings by shouting across the aisle that the bill did not require urgent attention as there were more important matters, including the GH¢95.83 million needed to be released by the government for the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) to organise the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
“Are you challenging my decision?” Andrew Asiamah Amoako, Second Deputy Speaker, inquired before suspending the House, adding that he wished to engage with the leaders of the House.
The Bole-Bamboi MP raised the issue of quorum when he did not get his way, but he later withdrew his application when the House reconvened.
Meanwhile, the Committee on Education has requested that Parliament consider the National Service Authority Bill, 2024, under a certificate of urgency.
Among the reasons mentioned is that the present NSS framework limits the agency’s ability to undertake certain initiatives.
According to the Committee, a parallel agency in the Gambia has indicated that it will collaborate with the NSS to replicate the scheme in that country as part of a World Bank programme.
The MPs stated that if the bill is passed, the new NSS will have legal authority to conduct specific operations.
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