No placards at budget - MPs told

The Majority and Minority, together with the leadership of parliament, have agreed to ban the display of placards during the presentation of this year’s budget by the Finance Minister on Thursday, March 2.

The Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu expressed disappointment with the conduct of members of the Minority when President Akufo-Addo presented the State of the Nation address on Tuesday.

He said the conduct of MPs in the past had cast a slur on the image of parliament and that it was time parliament conducted itself with civility to win the respect of Ghanaians.

The Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu also supported the Majority Leader’s call for members to be civil during the conduct of business of the House.

He also called on the Majority to conduct themselves well in future since they were the first people in the House to sing when the President mounted the podium to deliver his address.

This is not the first time MPs have been asked to desist from showing placards on the floor.

In November 2013, the then Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, stated that it was unparliamentary for members to display placards in the House and accused both sides for the wrongdoing.