Features
Parliament: Any chance for lasting consensus building?
Ghana’s 2022 budget was rejected by the Minority in Parliament on Friday, November 26, 2021. Four days later, on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, however, the Majority Group in Parliament also overturned the decision and approved the policy document. Mr Joseph Osei Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who presided, said the rejection of the budget by the Minority was null, void and had no effect.
According to Mr Osei Owusu, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin erred in presiding over the rejection of the budget “since there was no clear majority in the House during the proceedings.” Mr Osei Owusu said: “The consequence of this unfortunate error is that, it is void and inconsequential since it was done in violation of Article 104(1) of the 1992 Constitution.”
The Minority also claims that the approval of the budget by the Majority is unconstitutional and “an attack on Ghana’s parliamentary proceedings and democracy”. Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader in Parliament says; “the Majority engaged in a constitutional charade.” From the current tussle in Parliament; we reproduce this feature which was published in The Spectator on April 17, 2021, in this very column. I was privileged to have interacted with the venerable Mr Joseph Henry Mensah on a number of occasions and on varied reflective national issues. Affectionately called J.H. Mensah, the quintessential patriot, was very colourful but a controversial politician in the Ghanaian political history. Indeed, J.H. Mensah was not an ordinary Ghanaian politician. He was an international giant in his field of study; economics.
But more or less, he ended up in public life as a full-time politician; holding different portfolios at different times. He was virtually my father. I had the privilege to host him a number of times; on behalf of the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipal Assembly. And he practically contributed to the development of the municipality when I was the Municipal Chief Executive and he, the Senior Minister in President Kufuor’s regime. Incontestably, J.H. Mensah was responsible for Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s Seven-Year Development Plan. He told me: “I was invited from the United Nations in 1961 to take charge of the Planning Commission of the Development Plan. “Kwame Nkrumah was the Chairman and I was the Executive Secretary.
I wrote the plan. I did not just take part, I was entirely responsible for it.” He said: “I was also the Chief Economic Adviser to the CPP government at the age of 33. And I was acting purely as a professional and not a member of the CPP. I never joined the CPP.” Readers, why am I disturbing you about this great man who died recently and was buried here in Ghana? In the Fanti language, it is said that “tekyerema mporo”. Literally translated; the tongue never gets rotten and that any word that comes out from the tongue, is everlasting.
Most often, we quote outsiders to support our arguments in our national development efforts. But today, let’s listen to J.H Mensah. He says, “consensus building in Parliament is one area that must be developed in our present civil constitutional dispensation.” According to J.H. Mensah, when the Progress Party was in power between 1969 and 1972, there was a great deal of consensus in Parliament. He said: “The late Komla Agbeli Gbedemah and later, E.R. Madjetey who became opposition leaders, had direct access to Dr K.A. Busia’s office.
“And in Parliament, the government involved the opposition in the planning of major policies.” According to him: “This runs counter to the present system where the Minority is left in the dark but asked to support government policies.” Mr. Mensah says: “You can’t use Parliament like a rubber-stamp.
So that anytime you want parliamentarians to vote on something; you drive them like sheep,” stressing that, “this is one of the fundamental defects of the democracy we are practising here.” Readers, as a nation we cannot have consensus by declaration. We can get consensus by discussions; involving compromising and bargaining. And is it happening in our Parliament? Otherwise, why should ballot boxes be kicked and “stolen” in Parliament and ballot papers chewed like tiger nuts? And, for example, why should the approval of the fiscal policy of government and ministerial nominees, become intractable bone of contention in Parliament? And why should the Speaker of Parliament be branded as making Parliament an enclave of top opposition figures and fanatics? And why should the General Secretary of the opposition NDC openly claim that the “incompetence” of the current Finance Minister will inure to the benefit of his party; come the 2024 general election; thus, resulting in his recent approval by the Minority as Finance Minister? In effect, as a nation can’t we enhance the development of consensus in Parliament, besides having our national priorities right? And as indicated by J.H. Mensah; in Parliament for instance, can’t the NPP administration involve the NDC in planning some of its major prolicies? Again, per J.H. Mensah’s example; can’t the leadership of the Minority have direct access to the President’s office? Are the two major political parties in Ghana enemies or opponents? Readers, democracy is more than the sum of its institutions.
A healthy democracy depends in a large part on the development of a democratic civic culture. Culture, in this sense, does not refer to art, literature or music but the behaviours, practices and norms that define the ability of a people to govern themselves. So, as a nation, can’t we develop our own democratic civic culture to govern ourselves?
Contact email/WhatsApp of the author: asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
By G. Frank Asmah
THE state of feeling rejected, could be a terrifying experience especially for those who have become used to fame. If not properly addressed, it could lead to depression and the consequences, could be disastrous.
When you are on top of your game in whatever profession you find yourself such that you become famous, a lot of people try to associate with you. The phone never ceases to ring and one is tempted to feel loved and very important.
When a disaster strikes and the fame or the money which was the source of the attraction fades away, the circle of friends and fans begin to shrink and the phone will start to stop ringing until the call stops voting completely.
You will be shocked at how people you considered friends, will no longer be calling you or pay casual visits as they used to. You will begin to notice that messages you leave after calling them and not getting a response are not replied to and that is when you begin to know who your true friends are.
One of the most popular movie stars was an actress called Sharon Stone. In an interview with one of the media houses that was published, she spoke about how people who should have come around to encourage her in her moment of depression, shunned her. The calls stopped coming.
This is what the Bible admonishes that the arm of flesh will fail you and therefore we should put our trust in God. It could be a very frightening experience and can easily lead to depression.
Human nature being what it is, people will want to get close if things are okay. Everybody wants to associate themselves with interesting things, famous people, rich people etc for mainly selfish reasons.
We need to develop the habit of putting our trust in God and relying less on human beings. The lesson we have to take along in life is that, no one marries his or her enemy so how come people who took vows that they will love each other become so hostile to each other that they want to go their separate ways in life? Such is the reality of life.
It is therefore prudent for people to recognise that, life is full of uncertainties and so there is the need to prepare your mind for uncertainties so that when they occur, they do not disorganise your mental sanity.
A lot of people have experienced situations where people who they could have sworn will never betray their trust have disappointed them when they were through challenging moments.
If there is one thing famous people should desire, it should be the ability to identify who are true friends are. Countless stories abound regarding incidence of celebrities who have lost their shine and their wives divorcing them soon after.
It is sometimes useful as a famous or rich person to sign a prenuptial agreement before marriage to safeguard or protect yourself from any future unpleasant surprises.
People can be very pretentious these days, it goes both ways. There is this real life story where a man married a divorced wealthy woman and convinced her to sell her house so they could build a new one together, with the excuse that people are gossiping that he is being housed by a woman.
The woman agreed and they put up a new building. After a few years the man asked for a divorce, only for the woman to realise that the land on which the building was situated, was bought in the man’s name.
This can drive a person insane, if you are not mentally tough and this happens to you. When people hear that you are homeless, a lot of your so-called friends will stop calling, so that you do not become a burden on them.
By Laud Kissi-Mensah
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‘But, er …. I don’t even know your name’.
‘Paul. Paul Allotey. I’m Sarah, by the way. Paul, why don’t you leave me here, since this is the last important thing I’m doing today’.
‘Okay. Now Sarah. I was just thinking. You will be here at the cafe for about an hour. By then it will be about twelve thirty. Then, you would be thinking of buying yourself some lunch, to eat here or to take home. So if you would please allow me, I will take you to one of the nicest eating places in town, and after you have sorted that one out, then I can drop you home. Just that one errand, then I won’t bother you again’.
‘You are not bothering me at all. You are being very kind to me. And I just realised you are a mind reader too. The last item on my agenda was lunch’.
‘I’m so glad I appeared at your doorstep, just in time’.
‘Okay. Now Paul, since you say the cafe is a comfortable place, let’s go in together, and you can do your work while I get my application done’.
‘Okay, Sarah. Thanks. Let’s go’.
We got back in the car at eleven forty-five.
‘So where are we going, Paul?’
‘To Royalty restaurant. It’s a twenty minute drive away’.
‘So, do you enjoy your job?’
‘Most certainly. I won’t change it, not even to be President. And am I right to say that you are preparing to enter the university?’
‘That’s my plan. I hope it works’.
‘It will, if you are determined, and disciplined. You look very much like a disciplined person’.
‘Thank you very much’.
We arrived at Royalty in twenty-five minutes, ‘You are joining me for lunch, Paul’.
‘Thanks for the honour, Sarah. But the bill is on me’.
‘Aren’t you taking on too much for one day?’
‘I never do anything that is bigger than me, Sarah’.
Over the next hour and a half, we discussed fashion, local and international politics, and sports, as we ate and relaxed. Finally, he drove me to the shop.
‘I will never forget you, Paul’.
‘I’m glad to have been helpful. But if you don’t mind, I’ll say it again, your husband is extremely lucky. You are really beautiful’.
‘Thanks again. But do you mind if I call you sometime in the future?’
‘Certainly not. Let me write it here. I will not ask for your number, for obvious reasons. But I will be looking forward to hearing from you. And hopefully, I will see you next month, when I call to drop your bill’.
‘Okay Paul. See you then’. What a lovely day, I said to myself as I opened the front door. I closed the shop and got home by seven. I went straight to the bedroom, stood in the mirror and took a good look at myself. ‘You are a very beautiful woman, Sarah. Never forget that’. I will not forget that, again.
Over the next several weeks, Martin and I had very little to do with each other. In the morning he ate his breakfast and after a shabby ‘I’m going’, he left. He came home around eight at the earliest, ate his dinner and, already soaked in beer, went off to sleep.
He spent the greater part of the weekends at the club house with his friends, playing tennis and partying. My mind was focused on furthering my education, so I didn’t complain to him, and didn’t bother to inform my parents about what was happening. I had decided that I would only take action if he lifted his hand against me again. I spent my free time reading all manner of interesting stuff on the internet, and chatting with my sister on WhatsApp.
One evening, he came home at about eight, rushed to the bedroom and rushed out. An envelope, obviously containing money, dropped out of his pocket, and I picked it up and followed him. I was going to call him and give it to him, but I noticed that there was a young woman in the car, so I went back in, counted it and put it in a drawer in the hall. He came back after some ten minutes.
‘Excuse me, I dropped an envelope containing money. You must have seen it’.
‘Yes, I saw it. Actually, I followed you, and was about to call you and hand it over to you when I realised that there was a woman in the car, so I came back in. I counted it. One thousand cedis.
‘Well let me have it. I have to be going’.
‘I will let you have it if you will tell me who the woman in the car is, and why you are going to give her that amount of money’.
‘Listen, if you waste my time, I will teach you a lesson you will never forget. Give me the money now!’
‘Here’s what we will do, Martin. I know you will give money to her anyway, so I will give it to you, if you will withdraw the threat you just issued. But I want you to know that I will be taking some steps from tomorrow. Things are getting out of hand’.
‘Okay, I’m sorry I threatened you. Can you please give me the money’. I handed it over to him, and he ran out’.
The following morning, I waited for him to finish having breakfast, and told him I wanted to have a word with him urgently.
‘You better be quick. You know I’m going to work’.
‘Well, I want to inform you that I will inform my parents, and your parents, about the situation in this house. As I said yesterday, things are getting out of hand. You spend most of your time drinking. You get drunk every evening, and through the weekend. And you are also spending your time and money on a prostitute’.
‘How dare you? One more stupid word from you …’
‘Am I lying, Martin? You have just started life, yet you are behaving like a rich, elderly man who has already seen his children through university, and can afford a life of fun. As I said, I’m going to inform our parents. Maybe your parents can straighten you out before it is too late’.
‘Look, we can talk this evening. It’s nothing like what you are saying’. He walked away, shocked.
That evening, I was expecting to have a meaningful discussion with him, but his mother called early in the evening to offer me some ‘advice’. Her son had called to say that certain developments at home were disturbing him so much that they were beginning to affect his work.
And, ‘as a loving mother to her daughter’, she was advising me to submit to my husband, and support him in prayer, and not ‘drive him from home’. Men would always be men, and she was telling me ‘from experience’ that no matter how much time Martin stayed away from home, he would always come home to me.
She had been a young wife before, so she understood the challenges I was facing. So I could be assured that if I followed her advice, all would be well. And, of course, she didn’t allow me to tell my side of the story.
Martin came home very late, and very drunk. And from the next morning, he carried on as before. With some hesitation, I called my dad and told him all that had gone on.
‘Well, my daughter. I’m not going to say “I told you so”. I was only trying to protect you. So here’s what we’ll do. Continue doing the best you can, and try not to give him any excuse to harm you, but if things continue to deteriorate, I will take you back.
A couple of days later, my cousin Dinah arrived in Accra from Brussels, having completed her medical course. With Martin’s agreement, I went to Koforidua and spent a couple of days. I spent most of the time chatting about her experiences in the US, but we also discussed my relationship with Martin, and she endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if Martin’s behaviour did not change after two weeks Elaine informed Mom and Dad. We endorsed Dad’s decision to take action if there was no change in two weeks.
Dinah returned with me to Takoradi. Her plan was to spend a couple of weeks, and return to Accra to be posted. I called Paul Allotey, and asked if he would meet her for lunch and, if possible, show her some interesting spots. Delighted, he suggested that we meet at Royalty the next day.
I told Martin about it, to remove any possibility of future disagreement over ‘going out with men’.
‘It’s fine with me’, he said, ‘if, of all the people who could show your sister round this town, you chose a borla man. Doesn’t that indicate the kind of person you are?’
‘ First of all, Martin’, I’ve spoken to him a few times, and he comes across as a decent guy, so I think it is rather unfortunate that you are writing him off when you don’t know him’.
By Ekow de Heer
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