Executive Director of the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), Dr. Rasheed Draman, has observed that the Minority in Parliament currently appears more organized and coordinated than the Majority Caucus of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, Dr. Draman criticized persistent absenteeism among Majority Members of Parliament (MPs), warning that the lack of discipline is affecting the House’s ability to form a quorum and carry out its legislative duties effectively.
“This is foretelling us what we should expect. It is showing that the NPP Minority looks a bit more organised than the NDC Majority,” he remarked.
He stressed that while the governing side holds a numerical advantage, they must demonstrate leadership by ensuring a strong and consistent presence in Parliament to advance the legislative agenda.
“We are waiting to see what happens in this current meeting—they just started today. The coming days will tell us whether the whip of the Majority side, as well as the leadership, is able to mobilise their troops and ensure their presence at all times,” he said.
Dr. Draman urged the NDC Majority to take the issue of absenteeism seriously, emphasizing that it is obstructing the business of government.
“At least they have been handed a comfortable majority. What we want to see is that they stop this whole business of absenteeism to the extent that they don’t get a quorum to do the work of their own government,” he added.
