ACEPA: Walkouts Are an Ineffective Strategy for the Minority Caucus
One has to ask if it was a weak strategy on their part
- ACEPA has highlighted the ineffectiveness of walkouts as a political strategy
- Dr. Draman provided a historical context of walkouts in Ghana's Parliament
- This imbalance of power means the NPP lacks the numerical strength to disrupt government business
The African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has highlighted the ineffectiveness of walkouts as a political strategy for the Minority caucus in Parliament.
Dr. Rasheed Draman, the Executive Director of ACEPA, shared this perspective during an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Saturday, January 25. He discussed how the political dynamics of the current and previous Parliaments impact the success of such tactics.
Dr. Draman provided a historical context of walkouts in Ghana’s Parliament, exploring both the advantages and limitations of this strategy.
He also compared the challenges facing the NPP in the 9th Parliament with the NDC’s position in the 8th Parliament.
Reflecting on the 8th Parliament, Dr. Draman noted that the NDC Minority held a strategic advantage due to its numerical strength, which allowed the party to disrupt government proceedings or demand concessions from the Majority.
However, he pointed out that the NDC did not fully capitalize on these opportunities during that term.
“For four years, we didn’t see the NDC fully utilize their position,” Dr. Draman observed. “They were in a stronger position than the NPP is now, but they didn’t leverage it. One has to ask if it was a weak strategy on their part, as they didn’t push the issues as strongly as the NPP is now.”
Dr. Draman also emphasized that a walkout in the current Parliament, where the NPP is in the Minority, would not have a significant impact because quorum can still be formed without their participation.
In contrast, the current NPP Minority faces a different set of challenges in the 9th Parliament, where the NDC holds a commanding majority with over 180 seats, compared to the NPP’s 88. This imbalance of power means the NPP lacks the numerical strength to disrupt government business or make a meaningful impact through walkouts or other tactics.
Dr. Draman explained that while walkouts have traditionally been used by opposition parties to demonstrate dissatisfaction or draw attention to specific issues, their success is contingent on the numerical composition of Parliament and the willingness of the Majority to engage with the Minority constructively.
