Ayariga slams Habib over 'market women would have attacked Ato Forson' comment

Drama unfolded on the floor of Parliament on July 24, 2026, when the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, took the Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Habib Iddrisu, to the cleaners over a comment on Finance Minister Ato Forson.

The leader of government business, Mahama Ayariga, launched a blistering attack on his colleague, who is also in the leadership for the Minority, accusing him of behaving “irresponsibly.”

The vociferous deputy chief whip of the minority, Habib Iddrisu, had stated that market women would have attacked the finance minister, Dr Ato Forson, if he had visited the market before presenting the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review.

Following a motion by the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, that the House adjourns, the deputy minority whip, Habib, stood to second the motion, during which he passed the comments that infuriated Mahama Ayariga.

While seconding the motion for the House to adjourn debate on the Mid-Year Budget Review until Tuesday, Habib Iddrisu described the budget review as presented by the minister as uninspiring.

He further claimed that he had received reports that traders were waiting to confront the finance minister over what he said was the poor economic impact.

According to him, tomato and onion sellers were furious over the economic situation and had expected the minister to visit the market before heading to Parliament.

“This morning I was getting a report from the market. You know, normally you go to the market before coming to parliament. The tomato sellers were very angry, waiting for him to come to the market. He couldn’t attend. The onion sellers were equally waiting for the finance minister to come to the market. He couldn’t go.

“Now he’s moving from TV station to TV station… And the minister is very lucky that he didn’t go to the market before coming to this chamber. Probably he would have been attacked by the market women because they are very angry. So Mr Speaker, we can adjourn,” Habib stated.

The claim immediately provoked a fierce response from the Majority Leader, as he could not fathom the essence of the comments.

“Speaker, this level of irresponsibility cannot be allowed in this house. This level of irresponsible behaviour, reprehensible behaviour,” Ayariga fired back.

He continued, “How can you stand in this chamber and say market women are planning to attack the minister of finance? Waiting to do what? That’s very irresponsible of you as a Member of Parliament. This is irresponsible behaviour. Very irresponsible. You must withdraw that and apologise,” Ayariga demanded.

He cautioned against making statements that could portray sections of the public as plotting violence against public officials.

First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, commenting on the matter, reminded Members of Parliament that although they enjoy constitutional immunity for statements made in the chamber, such comments could still trigger proceedings before the Privileges Committee.

He confirmed that Habib’s claim that market women would have attacked the finance minister was on record and advised members to exercise greater restraint in their contributions.

The First Deputy Speaker also criticised the Deputy Minority Chief Whip for turning the seconding of an adjournment motion into a political commentary, describing the practice as contrary to parliamentary procedure.