MPs will one day sell Ghana for a penny

P.C. Appiah-Ofori, Member of Parliament (MP) for Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa, has for the second time in less than a month incurred the wrath of his colleagues by making what they described as offensive and un-parliamentary comments on the floor of Parliament.

Commenting on a motion before the august House yesterday, Hon. Appiah-Ofori told his colleagues at the Minority side to “go and commit suicide” if they did not like his comments, insinuating that they consistently murmured anytime he made contributions on the floor, eliciting serious confrontation between him and some MPs.

He recently told his colleagues on the floor of Parliament that if they “were not careful, they would one day sell Ghana for a penny,” incurring the displeasure of members who thought the comment was disparaging and affront to the integrity of the House.

“I am not here to please anyone. Anytime I make useful contributions in the House, I see people murmur. If you don’t like what I say, you can go and commit suicide,” Hon. Appiah-Ofori flared up, throwing his hands at his colleagues in the House. Visibly angry and agitated by the comment, Minority Chief Whip and MP for Suhum, Fredrick Opare-Ansah challenged P.C. Appiah-Ofori to substantiate his claim or withdraw the comments, which according to him were provocative and offensive.

Hon Opare-Ansah contended that all MPs were free to make contributions in the House without any hindrance or provocation, adding that it was unfair for Hon. Appiah-Ofori to make insinuations that offend the integrity of members. Virtually defying the demand by the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Appiah-Ofori told the House that he would only withdraw his comments if Madam Speaker asked him to do so.

In a swift move to reduce potentially explosive situation in the House, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Justice Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo, calmed nerves by jokingly saying, “I do not want to commit suicide so withdraw the statement,” drawing laughter among members in the House.

Responding, Appiah-Ofori obliged, “Madam Speaker, I withdraw the statement”. Later, the House adopted the reports of the Finance Committee on the 2006 Annual Report of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) and that of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the Ninth Annual Report of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for the period of January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004.