Kwame Offei Writes: Democracy of Minority Rule is a reality, Could ‘‘Ghana first’’ be Just a saying?

Ghana recently had 80 MPs from the sitting government who told President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to sack minister of finance, Ken Ofori Atta for poor performance; otherwise they will not participate in government business.

They expressed this desire and posture on the basis of carrying the concerns of their constituents who seem not to be happy with Ghana’s current Economic situation.

Ghana is currently challenged with high cost of fuel, high inflation (Sept 40.4%), exchange rate volatility and many more which have increased cost of living astronomically.

In the evening of that same day where the Majority MPs made the declaration, president had a meeting with the MPs and told them to allow the finance minister to complete the IMF negotiations before they can have a decision on the minister’s resignation.

One of the rational questions people have asked is what if the Minister is dead today will the day to day running of ministry come to a halt?

The minority in parliament initiated move for parliament to vote on the decision of letting go of the Minister while they urged the majority to join them during the vote of censure.

Osei Kyie Menah Bonsu, majority leader of Parliament is on record to have said that an unknown business man entered parliament and allegedly influenced the MPs to rescind their decisions and they working to find the business man who made such a move.

All things being equal, Ghana’s parliament has a close ties between majority and Minority with 136/ 136 members respectively with fomena constituency as the only difference.

According to the constitution, Parliament may by resolution supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of Parliament, pass a vote of censure on a Minister of State.

In my calculation 275* 2/3(0.6666)   = 182.6484 OR 183 therefore for the vote of  censure to come into being, parliament will need atleast 182 of its members to pass it. This means the opposition will need additional (183– 136) = 47

There 47 of the NPP MPs will be needed to add to the total number minority MPs for the censure to materialise.

This simply means the acceptance of the 80 MPs to go ahead and standby the position of their constituency could have been a game changer.

Now there is a clear U-turn after president’s calls has been re-enforced by the officially communication by the NPP Party for it parliamentarians not to vote in favour of the censure.

This must tell us that a party interest in democracy can override any other interest in a country, though we always say democracy is by the people and for the people but a minority group can make decision against the will of majority and it will hold.

This confirms the technicalities of Western democracy that put people’s decision in the hands of few which makes you believe your interest is been served but it could be the interest of a minority packaged as the voice of all.

Enjoy your Weekend

Author: Kwame Offei