Tensions flared in Parliament on Tuesday when the Minority Caucus descended heavily on the ministers of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The minority accused the ministers of gross negligence and disrespect for parliamentary procedures due to their persistent failure to appear before the House to answer questions.
Leading the charge, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, who expressed deep frustration over what he described as a “disturbing culture of absenteeism” among ministers.
He explained that several ministers have consistently ignored parliamentary invitations to respond to questions from MPs, thereby undermining legislative oversight.
“This is becoming a worrying trend,” Annoh-Dompreh stated on the floor of the House. “Ministers must be in this chamber to respond to questions. Not the reverse. Parliament cannot be reduced to chasing ministers for accountability.”
The Minority Chief Whip, who also sits on the Business Committee, revealed that the issue has been raised repeatedly in previous sittings, yet little has changed.
He disclosed that in many instances, ministers simply claim to be unavailable without officially writing to the House to explain their absence.
“All we hear is that ‘I am not available.’ Fine. But you must write formally to the Speaker, and it is Parliament—not you—that decides whether your excuse is acceptable,” he added.
Annoh-Dompreh noted that this failure to adhere to established parliamentary practice has resulted in an accumulation of unanswered questions, disrupting the House’s business schedule.
He emphasized that under parliamentary convention, if a substantive minister is unable to attend proceedings, their deputy must appear on their behalf to ensure accountability continues uninterrupted.
He, however, singled out the Minister for Roads and Highways for commendation, describing him as one of the few who regularly attends parliamentary sessions.
“As for the Roads Minister, with the greatest respect, he is almost always present. The others should emulate him,” he said.
The Minority Whip’s remarks drew support from several MPs who echoed concerns about the executive’s growing disregard for parliamentary authority. Some legislators described the ministers’ conduct as a reflection of “lazy governance,” arguing that the NDC administration was failing to respect the principle of separation of powers.
Annoh-Dompreh also reacted sharply to a comment by the Majority Leader suggesting that MPs engage in unnecessarily long debates. He described the remark as “most unfortunate,” asserting that every contribution made in Parliament holds significance.
“This is the Parliament of Ghana, and we determine our business. Every debate here is important. To call our discussions long-winded is disrespectful,” he said firmly.
Calling for urgent reforms, Annoh-Dompreh urged the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, to intervene decisively by enforcing standing orders that compel ministers to appear before the House when summoned.
“This is not a request; it’s a constitutional obligation. Ministers must be accountable to Parliament and, by extension, to the people of Ghana,” he stressed.
