We'll not tolerate shabby treatment - Parliament

Accra, Dec. 11, GNA - Parliament on Monday raised reservations on the shabby treatment meted out and lack of enough courtesies to Members who perform duties on behalf of the State outside the country by both the nation's missions and the foreign nations.

It noted with grave concern the lack of enough courtesies given to the Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes during a recent trip to Rwanda via Ethiopia.

The issue was raised during discussion on the Budget estimates for the Ministry of Harbours and Railways, for which the House approved an amount 29.4 billion cedis for the 2007 financial year.

Members from both the Majority and the Minority sides condemned the practice whereby both Ghanaian officials and non-Ghanaians did not give enough courtesies to Members of Parliament, who happened to be performing functions outside the country.

This often worsened when the Speaker did not accompany a Ghanaian delegation on a foreign assignment.

Mr John Mahama, NDC-Bole Bamboi, expressed concern about the killing in cold blood of some Ghanaian nationals in The Gambia last year. Mr Stephen Manu Balado, NPP- Ahafo-Ano South, said Parliament would not tolerate the mediocre treatment, and called on the House to exhibit all its strength in addressing the situation. He said the necessary courtesies had to be accorded to the Ghanaian Parliamentarian, who went outside the country for private business, since the Parliamentarian would be performing public business at a time within a private foreign trip.

Mr Ken Dzirasah, NDC- South Tongu, recalled an experience he had in a West African country, where he had to run to appeal to Ghanaian protocol officers, who had greeted him but were rather driving away in two empty vehicles without attending to him.

Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, NPP-Asokwa, said any shabby treatment of a Member put the dignity of the State at stake, and rejected the explanation by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Akwasi Osei Adjei that the Ministry had to receive notification of an MP on a trip outside the country before the protocols officers accorded them the necessary courtesies.

Mr Osei Adjei said the Ministry would address the issue.