Accra, Jan. 27, GNA- Mr. Alban Bagbin Minority Leader on Tuesday described as "a vitriolic attack on the dignity of the house," a front-page commentary in the "Independent" newspaper, headlined "Ala Adjetey's Boys and Girls need the 3Ds".
The Minority Leader, who is also the Member of Parliament for Nadowli North, said the story was meant "to run us down, and should not be tolerated by this nation."
Mr. Bagbin who drew the Speaker's attention to the story before the commencement of Public Business insisted that the matter be brought before the Privileges Committee and the editor invited to appear before it to give reasons for calling some members of parliament "dishonourable" when it was unwarranted.
The paper in its front-page story commented on hecklings and actions put up by some Parliamentarians during the President's State of the Nation Address in the house last Thursday.
In its January 26, edition, it alluded to some actions during the delivery of the address, and said:" Parliamentarians, particularly, a few in the minority need heavy dosages of decorum, decency and discipline in the performance of their duties."
The Minority Leader, who took time to read portions of the story said members of parliament were adults and not boys and girls as referred to in the paper.
He described some portions of the story insulting since words such as "misguided legislators", "spoilt rude, uncouth and indiscipline boys and girls" featured high in the story.
Mr. Freddy Blay, Deputy Speaker who was in the chair, in his ruling, suggested that the matter be first brought to the attention of the Parliamentary Press Corps to exhaust the proper channels of communications and as a sign of cooperation with the press.
The Minority leader, however, said the matter had nothing to do with the Press Corp but a matter directly between Parliament and the Paper, and therefore, the appropriate committee of the house should handle it.
The matter was therefore referred to the Privileges Committee.
