Chasing The Wild Goose To Nowhere

Indeed it was an expensive wild goose chase leading to nowhere; a cul de sac of sorts. That is the outcome of the cash-for-seat probe.

Parliament was recalled to deliberate upon a complaint lodged about monies allegedly paid for opportunity to sit close to the President during a public function.

The Trade Ministry was penciled for indictment by the Minority but not even the opportunities given them to make their case convinced the committee that something untoward happened as alleged by the MPs on the other side of the House.

Until the report was readied and presented to the authorizing body, a fake outcome of the probe had been put out on the public domain through social media to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians.

With its contents at variance with the genuine report, the intention of the originators of the fake thoughts was not far-fetched.

The Minority have in the past few months been very busy throwing spanners into the works of governance in the country – the subject under review being one of such frivolities. As we pointed out in previous commentaries, the Minority is part of our democracy. Without their input in the democratic process, good governance can hardly be attained. This we acknowledge unequivocally.

The Minority can be hard on the ruling government without being irresponsible. Unfortunately, we have not witnessed them in this mode since the change of government through an electoral process which took place a little over a year ago.

The payment-for-seat allegation was so choreographed that superficially, an outsider could have betted that something was going to come out that would indict the government.

Recalling Parliament exacts a heavy toll on the kitty of the state but because democracy and indeed good governance is expensive, there was no option to the action hence the Speaker's decision to do as was required of him.

We are imagining what the Minority would have said had the Speaker decided otherwise. Happily it went their way and Parliament was assembled.

We would wish that frivolities are eliminated from the work of Parliament especially where recalling of members is triggered through this inappropriate flimsiness.

Originators of such frivolities should be held responsible for the cost incurred as a result of the recall of Parliament and other related expenses; such as the live broadcast of the proceedings. The state cannot continue to part with rare resources through such avoidable expenses.

The opportunity cost of the expenses emanating from such frivolities is enormous. In future, the cost involved in responding to such frivolities should be brought to the notice of Ghanaians so they can appreciate how much it cost them as taxpayers to entertain frivolous concerns raised by the Minority.

They were at it again yesterday when they staged a walk-out in Parliament to protest what in their opinion was a procedural breach in the manner in which the report was being pushed upon them – some of them having complained that they were tired and would need more time to study the over a hundred-paged document.