Politics

Minority threatens walkout over passage of RTI

osei-kyei-mensah-bonsu1The minority in Parliament says it would boycott the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) Bill if the necessary consultation is not done by the majority.

Minority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu says the rapid way government is conducting its activities few days to its handing over contravenes the Presidential Transition Act 2012 (845).

He said the law provides the opportunity for the incoming government to be consulted by the outgoing government on key national decisions but this has not been done.
“Personally I am committed that we do it,” he said but the “Presidential Transition Act has to be followed.”

The RTI bill has suffered several setbacks in Parliament.

The bill has been in the House for 13 years and the commitment of legislators to ensure smooth passage of the bill has been questioned by the Coalition on the Right to Information (RTI).
Current Parliament which is the sixth made over 100 amendments to the bill, raising excitements of Ghanaians that it would be passed, but nothing was done.

The legislators abandoned the bill to embark on their campaigns ahead of the last two weeks general elections.

With two days for the tenure of the sixth Parliament to expire, Speaker of the House, Edward Doe Adjaho has reiterated his preparedness to have the bill passed into law.
“We have a bill before us and I am doing my work as Speaker of Parliament,” he said, adding “The Presidential Transition Act is not Parliamentary Transition Act.”

The interjection of the Speaker angered Mr Mensah Bonsu who said his side would walk out if the majority carried through with the passage of the bill.

“If that is the way the Speaker wants to go then with respect we will not want to be part of it,” he said.
He added that the minority, “Will not be part of any law in the House.”

 

Source:myjoyonline.com

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