Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said that the Majority in Parliament will re-engage the Minority on issues the two sides have disagre
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said that the Majority in Parliament will re-engage the Minority on issues the two sides have disagreements on, in order to reach a consensus.
While calling on the lawmakers especially the opposition legislators to be civil and not to resort to fisticuffs in resolving issues, the Ofoase Ayirebi Lawmaker noted that the image of Ghana was badly damaged following the fights in the House during the first session of the 8th Parliament.
To that end, he said Parliament has a second chance to recover from this bad image.
“The past few months in Parliament’s history will go down as some of the most embarrassing
“I am one of those who believe that there is ab9slutly nothing wrong with disagreeing on a matter. Indeed, if we all agree on everything this would probably not be a robust democracy . But while it is ok to disagree with each other it is not ok to physically obstruct parliamentary business with violence and unruly behaviour simply because we disagree,” Portions of a statement he issued on Monday January 25 said.
The statement added “We are guilty of damaging the country’s image but we have a chance to recover as parliament resumes sitting from today . As has been announced we in the Majority will re-engage our colleagues in the Minority and seek to reach consensus on matters we may have disagreements on.
” It is our expectation that both sides of the House will approach these matters in good faith and in accordance with the laid down rules and conventions of Parliament we have a responsibility to be civil , lest we bring down the democracy by our own unruly behaviour.”
On Monday December 20 Members of Ghana’s Parliament could not hold their emotions as some exchanged brawls in the House just before the final vote on the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy Bill, also known as e-levy.
The sit-in Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, had announced that a division would be followed to approve the Bill, presented under a certificate of urgency, and he was going to vote as well in his capacity as a Member of Parliament.
That appeared to have provoked the National Democratic Congress (NDC) members, who questioned his decision to vote after presiding over the night’s proceedings.
They moved to the front of the dais, issuing threats at the Bekwai MP.
This got the Majority MPs to also start agitations and immediately Mr Osei-Owusu handed the presiding role to the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the fight broke out.
COMMENTS