The Privileges Committee of Parliament says it will proceed to probe the issue of absentee MPs as a motion filed by the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, seeking a referral of the matter to the Committee was turned down by the Speaker.
A memo addressed to Alhaji Mubarak from the Office of the Principal Assistant Clerk said pursuant to Order 79 (4) of the Standing Orders, the Speaker had directed that the motion be dismissed.
In reference to the motion by Alhaji Muntaka, Parliament was called “to revoke or cancel the referral made by the Speaker on April 5, 2022, to the Committee to consider the issue of absence without permission from the House.
The absentee MPs are Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, Henry Quartey and Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
While referring the three MPs to the Committee, the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, said the absence of the MPs without his permission constituted a breach of the rules of the House. Mr. Bagbin on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 asked the Committee to forward its report to the House in two weeks after the recess.
Citi reports that the Speaker of Parliament’s referral to the Committee was based on a petition filed by a former MP for Kumbumgu, Ras Mubarak to tackle absenteeism in Parliament. Per the standing orders, the absentee MPs flouted provisions of Article 97(1)(c) of the Constitution for absenting themselves for fifteen sitting days without permission.
