Apologise to Speaker – Majority to Minority

The Minority in Parliament must, with immediate effect, apologise to the Speaker of Parliament for their insolent behaviour on the floor of the house on Thursday July 27, Mathew Nyindam, First Deputy Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Kpandai, has said.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu on Thursday said it was wrong for the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak to have banged his hands on the table during deliberations on the floor to protest a directive from the Speaker.

The Speaker had ruled that: “I have consistently made it clear to both sides of the House – Majority and Minority – that no one will be allowed a double bite as I said on many occasions to both the Minority and the Majority. In all honesty you all know that.

“Let me make it clear that this argument was most unnecessary and that in future what is going to happen is no leader shall have double bite at the chamber.”

This was after Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu was denied a second chance to ask the Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Akoto Owusu Afriyie questions relating to government’s Planting for Food and Jobs programme.

Dissatisfied with the directive, Mr Mubarak, according to Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu banged his fist on his desk in protest to the Speaker’s ruling.

Speaking on this development in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Friday July 29, Mr Nyindam said: “Their action was way below the belt and they need to apologise to the Speaker. You don’t have any right to use offensive language on the floor of parliament against any member or the Speaker. Muntaka spoke and used all manner of language to the Speaker which was highly improper. Is this the kid of parliament we want to run?”