The General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress has called the bluff of the minority Members of Parliament who boycotted President John Mahama’s State of the Nation address.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia says the NPP members can stay away from Parliament for as long as they want and it would not affect business of government.
He was commenting on the dramatic boycott of the Parliament shortly before the president gave his State of the Nation Address on Thursday.
Media reports were rife that the minority may boycott the president’s sessional address but after a caucus meeting on Wednesday, the Minority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu gave the assurance the Minority will be present.
They were present though, but only for a short time. Joy News’ Elton John Brobbey who was present in Parliament reported that when the time came for the leadership of the House-Majority and Minority- to welcome the president into the Chamber, the minority members in unison stood up and walked out.
They did not go out without drama. They brandished leaflets with “STEALERS” boldly written on them, forcing the majority members of the House to shout “SHAME!”
After the president’s address, Johnson Asiedu Nketia told Joy News the action by the NPP MPs was shameless.
He said the country will be governed better without them, saying, in 1992 when they boycotted Parliament it was during that period that the country passed better laws which the NPP lawyers are now carrying in their “armpits” around town.
The inscription stealers did not escape criticisms. Asiedu Nketia said the word stealers has no place in English dictionary and wondered how the NPP MPs, some of who are Professors will be brandishing such inscriptions.
“It shows how horrible their English is,” he snapped.