Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has dismissed allegations from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) minority caucus regarding the misuse of certificates of urgency in Parliament, describing their criticisms as hypocritical.
Responding to a Monday press conference held by the NPP minority under Alexander Afenyo Markin’s leadership, Ayariga disclosed that between 2017 and 2021, NPP-led Parliaments approved 30 bills through certificates of urgency, with 26 more fast-tracked from 2021 to 2024.
“Sadly, Afenyo Markin has brought the leadership of a caucus to such low levels,” Ayariga stated.
According to Ayariga, bills processed under certificates of urgency are typically non-contentious and frequently receive thorough examination before being reintroduced for expedited approval. He noted that some require swift passage to comply with deadlines linked to international commitments or programmes.
“The minority always has the opportunity to propose amendments to any bill processed under a certificate of urgency,” he added.
Ayariga maintained that employing certificates of urgency represents legitimate parliamentary practice rather than procedural misconduct.
“Taking a bill under a certificate of urgency is a standard legislative practice and does not imply misconduct in the passage of the bill,” he said.
The NPP minority had previously alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) majority was exploiting its numerical advantage to force bills through Parliament using certificates of urgency.