Culture of silence hits Parliament

The Parliament of Ghana, Wednesday, witnessed the return of the culture of silence as Minority Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) abstained from government business in protest against the Speaker and the Majority Leader.

In their view, the lack of respect exhibited by the Speaker, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye and the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu during Tuesday’s sitting was uncalled for, hence, their decision to stay away from government’s business.

The group had earlier participated in the private member’s business when one of their own, Kwame Governs Agboza, MP for Adaklu, interrogated the Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh over challenges confronting the Adaklu Senior Technical High School and when the educational facility will be absorbed by the government.

The NDC Minority Caucus was particularly not happy about the Speaker for hauling two of their members before the Privileges Committee and dared him to go ahead with that decision.

They were also not enthused about about a plea from the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, to the House to bring charges of wilfully causing financial loss to the State against Hon. Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka who moved a motion which was seconded by the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, at an emergency Parliamentary sitting on January 5, 2018, calling on the House to probe the alleged cash for seat saga.

The group on Tuesday walked out from the chamber during deliberations on the report of the five-member Adhoc Committee that probed the alleged cash for seat saga.

The walk out was in protest against what they described as unfair treatment suffered in the hands of the Speaker and the Majority Leader for not giving them enough time to study the Committee’s report to enable them make meaningful contributions on the subject matter.

  • They also accused the Chairman of the Committee, Kwesi Ameyaw Cheremeh of refusing to incorporate their findings in the committee’s report.

The Minority Spokesperson on Communication, A. B. A. Fuseini, told journalists on the sidelines of Wednesday’s sitting that they are likely to maintain their stance in the chamber when the President of the land, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo visits to deliver his message on the State on the State of the Nation.

قالب وردپرس