It is absolutely unbelievable the level at which the deepening economic crisis of the country continues to affect every facet of state institutions without any immediate recourse. Recently it was the third arm of government, the judiciary which was hit so badly by the financial woes of the country to the extent that the Appeal courts in Cape Coast and Kumasi were shut down.
The situation was such bad that the Ghana Bar Association issued a press statement over the inability of the judiciary to run effectively due to financial challenges because government has not released their annual subvention.
Now it is the turn of the Second arm of government, the Legislature, who is broke to the extent that the lawmakers may be forced to go on recess come Friday, 18th July. Interestingly, it was the same financial problem that compelled parliament to postpone their reopening thrice last month.
I vividly remember that they went on recess on the 28th of March 2014, and were expected to reconvene on the 27th of May but the Speaker failed to reconvene the house to government business due to financial constraints.
The Speaker however rescheduled the sitting date to 3rd of June but just a day before the sitting, the Public Affairs directorate of parliament issued a statement that the date has been changed to 10th June instead.
The Head of Government business and the leader of the house Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor in presenting the business statement for this week shockingly hinted that the house may rise ‘’sine die’’ come Friday. Members of Parliament were taken aback by the announcement because although they knew they will go on recess but not so early.
Chiefly among the reasons given by the Majority Leader was that the contractor to embark on the renovation of the chamber is ready and the house must go on recess to enable the contractor begin the work and complete it on time.
But source close to the seat of the leadership of the house told me there is pressure on them to go on recess because there is no money and their continuous stay in the house is draining government coffers.
I remember very well that the Deputy Minority Leader and MP for Bimbila Dominic Nitiwul in an interview with Adom news a day before the house resumed from break said parliament is saddled with huge debt to service providers such as Travel and Tour Operators, suppliers of A 4 sheet papers, various Parliamentary Committees and MP‘s in terms of fuel and per diems.
According to him, even the money secured by leadership to enable the house sits was such small that it can only take care of parliamentary business for less than a month but they have no choice because they have to work for the people of Ghana who have put them there.
He explained that if parliament was actually looking for money to service their huge debt to suppliers, the house wouldn’t have reconvened. He hinted that the house may be force to go on early recess if additional money did not come to argument what they have.
The announcement made by the Majority Leader Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor Last Friday, confirms exactly what the Deputy Minority Leader Dominic Nitiwul said that financial constraints may compel them to go on early recess.
