Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has been explaining why he refused to escort President Mills out of Parliament as protocol demands after the President’s State of the Nation Address.
The third-term Member of Parliament who represents the Suame Constituency within the Kumasi Metropolis has since apologised for his conduct but explained that the Minority was forced to embark on that action as a sign of their unhappiness at President Mills’ failure to recognize former President Kufuor and other distinguished personalities during his address, despite their protestations.
The leadership of the Minority in Parliament, for the first time in the annals of the country’s parliamentary history, refused to accompany the President out of the chamber after his address.
“…we (Minority) are being told that he (Mills) was not compelled to do that and I am also saying that I was not compelled to do that (escort him),” the Minority Leader said.
But after being told of the president’s apology, he admitted; “if the president had done that earlier, if this acknowledgement had come, certainly, it would have informed my decision and conduct. I will not have decided not to lead the president out, certainly not…Since the president did not acknowledge the presence of the former President and the Chief Justice, I also decided not to escort him,” he expatiated.
Speaking in an interview with Shamima Muslim on Citi Fm’s Eye Witness News, Hon. Kyei Mensah-Bonsu pointed out that though by convention, it is only the Speaker of Parliament who should be acknowledged, there is empirical evidence showing that other dignitaries apart from the Speaker are sometimes acknowledged.
He, however, quickly added that if it is the case that the president has apologized (for failing to acknowledge Kufuor and others); “then I also apologise” (for refusing to be part of the parliamentary retinue to see him off).
Source: Rebecca Quaye