You may be conversant with the Minority reading the True State of the Nation Address hours after Government has read the State of the Nation Address. You may be familiar with the Opposition reading a fully prepared statement debunking every single claim by the Government in the budget soon after the delivery by the Finance Minister. But, what about the Minority refuting claims in the budget even before it is read, one or two clear days before the Finance Minister has the chance to mount the lectern in Parliament? I don’t remember experiencing this before November 15 of 2017. But that is fine, if it will broaden the frontiers of our democracy.
Beautiful nonsense
But, don’t I doubt that? Some of the attendant practices of the near-polarised Parliament we have bother some of us. Did you watch closely as Kenneth Yaw Kuntunkununku Ofori-Atta read the 2018 Financial Estimates? Many on his (Government) side denied the all-important presentation the concentration it deserved.
Almost all on the Opposition Bench virtually blocked their ears to the budget delivery; nearly literally preventing the Finance Minister from reading the statement, even though it is an essential constitutional requirement.
Some of you, my cherished readers, might jump to the defence of the honourable members on the plea that their excessive applauses, heckling, jeering and general commotion were all part of the democratic process. You might even contend that the acts described by the Right Honourable Speaker as most unparliamentary were all part of the parliamentary democracy.
I have friends who are quick to cite examples from Southeast Asia or even Europe to buttress their claim that the distractions in Parliament over solemn issues are just fine. I respect these views; I firmly disagree with them.
If I had my own way
If I had my own way, State of the Nation Address, Budget and all other serious businesses would be listened to by all members with rapt attention. If I had my own way, the Government side – in listening with spellbound attention – would be meticulously compiling points to buoy their support for the President, Minster or other government official.
If I had my own way, the Minority would be listening with equal attention to pick points, omissions and loopholes as effective ammunition with which to strongly but civilly attack the government during debate time. If I had my own way, members on the regime’s side would regularly point to areas needing improvement, variation or outright rejection. The most beautiful of all would be the Opposition giving credit where credit is due.
If the 28 million people at this side of heaven think it is just fine for some 276 people changing their seating positions in Parliament House every eight years to swap roles in preaching the same things or criticising the same things, I capitulate. But, I think there is a better alternative. Talking about the same things and the shifting of musical chairs; I noticed a few items in Mr Ofori-Atta’s list that belonged to the Seth Terkper or Kwabena Dufuor portfolio.
Recurrent promises
This government has promised cocoa farmers an insurance scheme. Good. But the past two governments formed by the National Democratic Congress, which is now in Opposition, promised same from 2009 to 2016, but, failed to indemnify one single producer of the golden pods.
The last regime pro