President Mahama outlines vision in State of Nation Address today
All is set for President John Dramani Mahama to deliver his maiden State of the Nation Address to Parliament, amid fears that the Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) will boycott the event.
Advertisement
But the Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has given an assurance that the Minority would not boycott the event.
“But we shall not participate actively in the event," he added.
The Minority boycotted the inauguration of President on January 7, 2013 in protest against the declaration of President Mahama as the winner of the December 2012 presidential election.
The NPP has since filed a suit at the Supreme Court to challenge the decision by the Electoral Commission.
The Minority has stated in principle that it would have nothing to do with decisions by the President which would "evaporate" should the disputed 2012 presidential election be declared in favour of the NPP’s presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told the Daily Graphic after a meeting of the NPP's hierarchy at the Osu Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Hall in Accra yesterday that the Minority “will be in the House".
Asked whether they would stay in the House throughout the delivery of the address, the Minority Leader would not go further, except to say,, "We will be in the House."
But if the Minority decides to follow its principle not to have anything to do with the President, then Ghanaians should expect a boycott of the event.
On the other hand, if it softens its stand, just as it had done during the approval of the vetted ministerial nominees, then its members will sit through the proceedings without uttering any word.
Although the Minority NPP MPs had not taken part in the vetting of the ministerial nominees, they had not boycotted sittings during the motion to approve the report of the Appointments Committee on the ministerial nominees.
Earlier, after the Minority Caucus meeting in Parliament, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu would not speak to the media beyond stating, "You will witness what will happen tomorrow."
It was not clear what the agenda of the meeting at the Osu Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Hall, which lasted more than two hours and was attended by all NPP MPs, national executives, former MPs and a cross-section of members of the party, was.
None of those who participated in the meeting would disclose its agenda.
One MP, who pleaded anonymity, told the Daily Graphic that there had been no discussion of whether or not the Minority should boycott the President's State of the Nation Address to the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
Meanwhile, President Mahama’s address is expected to focus on the state of key sectors, including the economy, energy, infrastructure, health and education.
The President will use the occasion to outline programmes and projects that the government will implement in the medium term to improve the various sectors and propel the country's socio-economic development.
On energy, President Mahama is expected to outline the measures the government is taking to increase power generation and end the current load-shedding exercise.
With the increase in fuel prices, he will state how the government intends to cushion the burden on the poor.
He will also use the occasion to enumerate Ghana's economic and democratic gains and affirm its commitment to strengthen relations with its allies.
President Mahama is expected to re-echo his call for professionalism, inclusiveness, efficiency, civility and service in humility from all government functionaries, including civil and public servants.
In a related development, the leadership of the NPP says it has not changed its earlier decision regarding boycotting issues relating to President Mahama which they considered “transient”.
According to the First Vice-Chairman of the party, Mr Fred Oware, the party would fully engage in issues relating to the President which bordered on permanency, such as the signing of treaties, agreements and others, and not such issues as appointment and vetting of ministers and the delivery of the State of the Nation Address.
Such transient matters, he explained, would be of no significance when eventually President Mahama was asked to leave office by the Supreme Court.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Mr Oware explained that although the party had a meeting in Accra yesterday, the issue of whether to participate in the delivery of the State of the Nation Address by the President Mahama was never discussed; “not even remotely discussed”.
He noted that for the time being, the party did not begrudge President Mahama and his transient legitimacy but would not participate in any activity that was “transient in nature”.
Story by Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah, Donald Ato Dapatem & Musah Yahaya Jafaru