Motion is flawed, needs amendment - Majority

Accra (Greater Accra) 17 June '99

The Majority in Parliament on Wednesday raised a preliminary objection to a motion enjoining the National Media Commission, the state-owned media and the Information Services Department, to ensure compliance with the 1993 Supreme Court ruling on equal media coverage for political parties.

The motion sought to ask the Commission, the media houses and the Information Services Department "to take steps to comply and/or ensure compliance with the unanimous decision and judgement of the Supreme Court...by granting equal time, space and access to the activities of the Majority NDC party as well as the Minority parties in Parliament, NPP, CP and PNC".

The Majority side was of the view that the motion was flawed and needed an amendment before it could be moved.

Just as Nana Akufo Addo, Minority Spokesman on legal and constitutional matters, was about to move his motion, Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture, initiated the objection to the motion.

Mr Owusu-Acheampong, who is also MP for Berekum, contended that the Supreme Court's judgment said the affected agencies should grant equal time, space and access to the activities of all political parties and not just political parties in Parliament as the motion sought to do.

He said the motion was therefore out of place and needed to be amended to correctly reflect the Supreme Court ruling.

Responding to the objection, Nana Akufo Addo, argued that the Supreme Court decision was of general application and was not restricted to the party that went to court to seek the relief.

He said if the Majority side still maintained the objection, "we can make the amendment right in the House".

"I am prepared to make the amendment to accommodate the other political parties," he said.

This drew shouts of shame! Shame! from the Majority side.

Mr Owusu-Acheampong said the motion should be stepped down to allow Nana Akufo Addo to redraft and submit it to the House at another date.

He said the motion was important and must be handled carefully to enable members to debate it thoroughly, and insisted that "the motion must be stepped down for, at least, a day.

Mr Kenneth Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker who was in the chair, intervened in an effort to direct the minds of members to the issues raised by both sides of the House.

He said the motion, as it stood, could either be debated or dismissed, or that Nana Addo must be allowed to amend it; but the amendment "should be brought properly before the House".

Nana Akufo Addo suggested that the amendment would not change the substance of the motion, saying "I want to make an amendment on the motion as it stands now".

Nana Akufo Addo argued that he was entitled to make the amendment without notice, having given notice of his motion three months ago.

He quoted Standing Orders 78 (d) and 80 (2) (a) to support his point.

In his ruling, Mr Dzirasah said Nana Akufo Addo was within the Orders, adding that the motion had been pending for more than three months.

He therefore allowed Nana Akufo Addo to proceed with his motion subject to the proposed amendment.

The relevant part of the Minority Ranking Member's amended motion read:"...by granting equal time, space and access to all registered political parties".

The Majority side again insisted that in fairness, members of both sides of the House should be given a copy each of the Supreme Court judgment.

They argued that they would be able to make informed contributions to the debate, if they are furnished with the substance of the judgment.

Dr Kwabena Adjei, Leader of the House, said it was not the intention of the Majority side to block the motion, adding "all that we are doing is to allow Nana Akufo Addo to fine-tune his motion"

Mr Dzirasah, after listening to the argument by the Majority side, ordered the Clerk's Office to make copies of the judgment available to all members before debate on the motion could begin on Thursday.