Majority Leader apologises for chaos in parliament
Ursula Owusu wants NDC MPs punished for role in chaos
Kobina Tahir Hammond, the Member of Parliament for Adansi-Asokwa, has urged the minority caucus in parliament to use the Standing Orders to have their issues addressed.
KT Hammond said that the minority’s preference for chaos as a means to have them heard is not the best and need to stop.
Speaking on Citi TV, KT Hammond boasted about how he used ‘legal’ means to fight the passage of the Right to Information Bill.
KT Hammond who expressed no regret over his actions said there were days he had to let go of other important matters to focus on ‘frustrating the passage of the bill'.
He however insisted that the RTI Bill was not in the interest of the country and left to him alone, it would not have been passed.
“Recently, Speaker Bagbin in a statement on quorum talked about when I raised the same issue during the RTI debate. I did it to frustrate it. On one occasion when Bagbin was minority leader, he tried to raise the matter, I spent my whole day in parliament and wouldn’t go anywhere because I wanted to oppose, torpedo it. I did it legally and peacefully. They came to reason with me and I told them I’m not budging an inch. We didn’t fight.”
His comment connects to the chaos that happened in parliament on December 20, 2021, when members of both sides traded blows.
Meanwhile, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has apologised to Ghanaians over the issue.
He assured that leadership will take steps to ensure that blows are traded in the house no more.
“As a leader of the house, I feel ashamed. I feel ashamed to be a leader of this house. Ultimately, I bear the responsibility. If a team loses a game, the coach takes the blame despite not being a member of the team. That is why I’m taking the blame despite not being the one who orchestrated the violence. We apologise to Ghanaians for our disgraceful conduct.
“We have disgraced the whole country. Until recently, Ghana’s Parliament used to be referenced as the ideal Parliament. We started with shame but some thought this it one-time event only for it to happen again. This is so embarrassing. It’s a very sad situation,” he said.
What happened in Parliament
On Monday night, the First Deputy Speaker decided to take leave of the Speaker’s chair for the Second Deputy Speaker to take charge allegedly to enable him to participate in voting, which occasioned disagreement from the Minority, and a subsequent tussle over the Speaker’s sitting area ensued.
Dozens of the opposition parliamentarians exchange fisticuffs with their colleagues on the Majority side while some officials of parliament tried to protect the Speaker’s seat and the mace of parliament from being attacked.
However, calm returned moments after, before the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, adjourned the sitting.
Meanwhile, the House, without the Speaker, Alban Bagbin has adjourned sitting to take a break for Christmas and will resume sitting on January 18, 2022.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS