BY Daniel Bampoe
Parliament on Friday witnessed a heated exchanges between the Majority and Minority caucuses as lawmakers grappled with delays in the submission of government budget estimates and the worsening environmental devastation caused by illegal mining (galamsey).
The discussions, which began as a routine response to the Business Statement, evolved into a broader interrogation of government’s commitment to fighting galamsey and managing parliamentary workload.
The Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, took to the floor shortly after the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, presented the Business Statement for the coming week.
While acknowledging the Majority Leader’s efforts, Annoh-Dompreh raised concerns about the slow pace at which ministries and agencies were submitting their expenditure estimates for committee scrutiny—a development he warned would delay the House’s consideration of the national budget.
Recurring Delays In Budget Cycle
Parliament’s budget cycle has in recent years been marked by persistent delays in the submission of estimates from government ministries.
In many previous sittings, committees were forced to work late into the night or rush through critical reviews due to late submissions, a situation some MPs say undermines fiscal oversight.
This year appears no different. According to Annoh-Dompreh, only 15 out of approximately 41 estimates had been received as of Friday—an improvement over previous years but still inadequate given the tight legislative calendar.
“Fifteen estimates are good progress, but it is far below what is required. The delays are contributing to the backlog of motions and referrals before the House,” he lamented.
Over 290 Pending Referrals
The Minority Chief Whip revealed that Parliament currently has over 290 outstanding referrals—matters referred to committees for investigation or report writing. With committees now shifting full attention to the budget estimates, he warned that the backlog will only worsen.
“For the next two weeks, committees will be concentrating on the estimates. The earlier referrals will suffer. We cannot leave this burden on the Majority Leader alone. Leadership on both sides must meet urgently to craft a practical solution,” he insisted.
Annoh-Dompreh urged the Business Committee to innovate, warning that relying on the current advert system for referrals “is clearly not helping.”
Galamsey Crisis Dominates Debate
But it was the escalating galamsey crisis that dominated much of his submission.
Against the backdrop of widespread reports of polluted rivers, destroyed farmlands, and heavy metal contamination in food crops, Annoh-Dompreh reiterated his earlier call for weekly parliamentary briefings by the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.
“We are reading disturbing reports—our water bodies are getting worse, our lands are being destroyed, and now scientific evidence shows heavy metals in our food. We cannot treat this casually,” he said.
He stressed that his call was not partisan, but a patriotic duty.
“Galamsey is killing us. This is not about NDC or NPP. Our food, our water, our future—everything is at risk.”
The Minority Chief Whip insisted that the Lands Ministry must appear at least once a week, not merely to read statements but to report on progress, setbacks, enforcement activities, and strategies.
“The Ministry should not come here with long speeches. We must give them a template—clear, measurable indicators such as turbidity levels of water bodies. That is how we can objectively assess whether the fight against galamsey is working.”
Clash With Majority Over Interpretation Of Business Statement
Tensions rose when the Majority side suggested that the minister would appear “as often as possible”—a wording Annoh-Dompreh described as vague and insufficient.
“As often as possible can mean anything. I am saying minimum once a week. This House must adopt that position,” he said.
The exchanges grew more heated when he accused the Majority of attempting to limit the number of speakers during debates—a move he said “is alien to parliamentary practice.”
He challenged the Majority to follow proper parliamentary procedure if they disagreed with the Speaker, insisting that any attempt to vary an existing ruling must be done through a motion.
“You cannot appeal to us. If you want to challenge the Speaker’s ruling, come by a motion and we will meet you on the floor,” he warned.
Majority Leader’s Position
Responding earlier, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga had assured Parliament that the government was committed to combating illegal mining and would not shield any official found complicit.
He noted that the President would allow due process to take its course against any wrongdoing by party or government officials.
Call for Unity In Protecting the Environment
Despite the heated exchanges, Annoh-Dompreh reiterated his central message—that Parliament must rise above partisanship to confront the environmental catastrophe threatening the nation.
“No matter what is said, the people of Ghana will judge us by the state of their rivers, the purity of their drinking water, the safety of their food. If these continue to deteriorate, no one will believe that we are fighting galamsey,” he emphasized.
The Minority Chief Whip concluded by once again urging Parliament to adopt a formal decision compelling the Lands Ministry to present weekly updates, saying the crisis demands “more than ordinary parliamentary action.”
Good call by the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Annoh-Dompreh