Parliament delays sittings due to lack of quorum

Proceedings in Parliament on Thursday was suspended for about 20 minutes when a member on a point of order pointed out that the House did not form a quorum to enable it to continue with commencement of public business.

Mr Kwakye Addo, NDC Member of Parliament for Afram Plains South, said members in the House which stood at 31 for the Majority side and 33 for the Minority did not form a quorum as spelt out in the Standing Orders of the House, Order 48 (1). The Order states that at least one third of all members besides the person presiding shall be necessary to constitute a quorum of the House.

The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey after consulting with the Clerk of the House asked the bell to be rang for members, who might be in the lobby to attend to the sittings and said if after 10 minutes the number was not up he would decide on the next line of action.

After the 10 minutes had elapsed, the Speaker said the House did not still form a quorum and quoted Order 48 (2) which says he has the authority to adjourn sittings without question if there was no quorum after the 10 minutes had elapsed until the next sittings. Just then the Clerks informed him that a few members had entered the Chamber to swell up the numbers to form a quorum.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah, the Majority Leader raised a point of order and said the issue of quorum should be carefully considered because certain circumstances could make it impossible for members to be present in the House to attend to meetings, since they might be attending to other committee sittings.