A stalwart of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Arthur Kennedy believes it’s strange for the 98 NPP MPs to call for the head of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta yet won’t take part in the censure motion against him.
“If they are against the motion of censure they can vote against it, why walk out?” he questioned.
The Walkout
Members of Parliament on the majority side before the conclusion of the debate on the report of the censure motion to remove the Finance Minister staged a walkout.
Majority side, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu before leading his side to walk out, said: “The minority leader said that some of the issues that they have raised are right. What it means is that some of them are not right, some of them are untrue, some of them are falsehoods and you want us to vote with you. Mr Speaker, he didn’t point out which ones are true and which ones are false and you want us to follow you on this misadventure. Mr Speaker, like Pontius Pilate we wash our hands,” he said.
According to Arthur Kennedy, instead of boycotting, the Majority could have stayed and voted against the motion.
“I can’t find an example in history of a majority walking out of chambers because they have the numbers, if they are against the motion of censure they can vote against it . . .Why wouldn’t they stay and vote for it? What were they afraid of?
“This is a charade . . . even if the NPP MPs had stayed and this motion of censure had passed, it will still be up to the President to decide whether to remove the Finance Minister or not. The part that is serious is that indeed the NPP MPs, 95 of them went on record that Mr President this Finance Minister must go . . . somehow the very people who had gone to demand for the persons’ head now won’t support the motion of censure, it’s strange . . . “ he said on Joy Newsfile programme, Saturday.
Afraid of defeat?
There are reports that these NPP MPs described by some as rebellious backtracked on their demands because they were afraid of losing the next election.
However, Arthur K says they standing by their conviction, would have rather ensured their reelection.
“The 95 MPs; if they had stood by their position that the Finance Minister must go, their reelection will be easier because that sentiment is widespread, it’s very popular within the party and in general,” he added.
Meanwhile, the censure motion filed against Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta was lost because the Minority couldn’t get the numbers.
Source: peacefmonline.com
