Minority now notorious - NPP

The Minority in Parliament is dragging the image of parliament into the mud with its posture against the Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, acting Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Adomako Baafi, has said.

According to him, the attacks against the Speaker by the Minority is “a slap on the image of the Minority themselves” and, so, they must desist from such actions.

The Minority in parliament after a heated debate on the floor last week accused the Speaker of bias. The Minority Leader in Parliament Haruna Iddrisu served notice that his side will not be intimidated by the Speaker.

“Let me assure you Mr Speaker that we’ll remain a firm Minority and we’ll continue to discharge our duties without fear or favour and we will not be intimidated in the pursuit of that endeavour. We shall implore all available parliamentary and constitutional means towards the realisation of the goal for the good of our country. …Mr Speaker, in the last few days it’s as if there have been major disagreements and conflict, yes, there is.

The Minority should have its say and the Majority its way is a known established political cliché and we are aware that we are a party in the Minority possibly working into the future into the Majority. The people of Ghana expect that the Minority will keep an eye and an ear on public concerns and matters of public interest. We will support you in this House to maintain order, but our ‘right of say’ must be safeguarded by you as the chair of this House,” Mr Iddrisu said before parliament went on recess last week.

But speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Tuesday August 8, Mr Adomako Baafi said: “What the NDC Members of Parliament are doing is a slap on the image of the Minority.

“The Minority in parliament at the moment are carving themselves as notorious people. I say this because if any other person apart from the MPs speak against the Speaker or insults him, that person would be dragged before the Privileges Committee of parliament and so why should they themselves be going on that tangent?

“They are just bringing the image of the Minority in parliament into disrepute. You may have a valid point but how you choose to express it may appear insulting.”