Mr. Agyeman-Manu is expected to appear before the legislature on Monday, March 29, 2021 to answer questions on the state of health facilities in Sefwi Akontombra in the Western North Region.
He, however, failed to make appearance, saying other commitments have engaged his attention.
The excuse did not go down well with Bagbin after the Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak raised the issue on the floor of the house.
“Ministers are given ample time [to prepare and answers questions from MPs]. They [Ministers] need to prioritize this House. If the Minister is not available, we can’t call someone who is not in this chamber to answer the question. Mr. Speaker, we will be grateful if you send the right message to all the ministers that, this Parliament is not like the Seventh Parliament where they can do those things and get away with them. This is a new dawn, and they must wake up to the reality that we are in a new era. We are not going to be allowing ministers to be disregarding this House with the excuse that they have other things that are equally pressing,” the Asawase legislator said.
Mr Bagbin ordered the leaders of the Majority caucus of the house to ensure that Kwaku Agyeman-Manu appears within two hours to answer the questions for which he has been invited.
According to him, just like other ministers, Kwaku-Agyeman Manu was given enough time to prepare and come to parliament, so his failure to do so is disrespectful to the house.
He cautioned that the time when ministers did not take parliament seriously and treated it as a second fiddle was over, adding this is a completely new era.
“The Minister responsible Health is aware that the question has been scheduled for today. The reason he has given for his inability to present himself before the House to answer the question is completely disrespectful of Parliament, and I am not going to take that. I direct that the minister appears before Parliament within two hours to answer the question. Failing to do so, the necessary consequences will apply. Ministers must be serious towards parliamentary business,” Citinewsrroom.com quoted him as having said.