The Second Deputy Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Bia East, Richard Acheampong, has dismissed claims that Majority MPs are neglecting parliamentary duties, insisting that members are fully engaged in committee work.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Acheampong explained that parliamentary scheduling is deliberately structured to allow both committee and plenary activities to proceed efficiently.
“When it comes to this work we are doing, we act in good faith, and as MPs, we understand the rudiments of the House,” he said.
He noted that adjustments have been made to sitting times to accommodate the increasing workload, with committee meetings generally held in the morning and plenary sessions starting at 10 a.m.
“Committee meetings can start from 8 a.m. and by 10, they will close, so plenary can begin,” he explained.
Mr. Acheampong stressed that parliamentary work does not require the presence of all MPs in the chamber at all times, as many are attending committee sessions.
He criticised the Minority for repeatedly raising quorum issues, saying such interventions disrupt parliamentary work and create unnecessary tension. He accused the caucus of attempting to embarrass the Majority despite knowing the structure of parliamentary operations.
“So if you know your members are attending to committee work in the interest of the nation, why is the Minority always raising issues about quorum? They try to embarrass the government, and we in leadership cannot allow that,” he said.
Citing Tuesday’s proceedings, he said several committees, including Finance and Foreign Affairs, were in session while quorum challenges affected work in the chamber.
“They pushed the Second Deputy Minority Whip to raise the issue of quorum, and we couldn’t do the work we intended,” he added.
Mr. Acheampong emphasised that the Majority holds the numbers across committees and should not be faulted for deploying members to various assignments.
“On every committee, the Majority has the most numbers. If you want all of them at committee meetings, how then do you expect them to return to the chamber to address quorum issues? You can’t eat your cake and have it,” he argued.
He also recounted Wednesday’s events, noting that he had to recall members to the chamber to pass key legislation, including the Money for Value Bill.
“I watched quietly during confrontational moments because if I had reacted, it would have been bad,” he said.
He urged that while political differences exist, relationships among MPs should be guided by mutual respect.
“They cannot take our members to committee meetings and later return to disgrace us in the chamber, claiming our MPs don’t come to work,” he added.
ALSO READ:
