It is gradually emerging that the creeping lawlessness and sheer hooliganism by some lawmakers is creating fear and panic in Ghana’s parliament.
This is because the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has admitted living in fear for his life during and after proceedings in the House.
According to him, some sittings, which involve heated debate have sometimes culminated in threats of physical harm and abuse from some rowdy Members of Parliament (MPs).
The eight parliament has notoriously become synonymous with chaos, an embarrassing episode that began after the midnight of January 6, 2021. Events in the past week appear to indicate that the absence of an urgent and official inquiry in respect of the 6th January, 2021, mayhem has emboldened some unruly MPs to desecrate the image of this important legislative institution and drag the image of the country in the mud.
Speaking on Joy News programme ‘News File’ on Saturday, Mr Afenyo-Markin indicated that the recent impasse over the 2022 budget statement has revealed a plot by the minority to physically abuse the First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu who presided and gave a ruling in the House.
“Sometimes I sit in the chamber and I fear for my own life. I fear for my life because one moment we are debating then you threaten someone that I will beat you. You should call them out. Sam George is apologising on behalf of the minority and majority; we don’t need you to apologise for us. With all due respect, apologise for your caucus. NPP has been gentle,” Mr Afenyo-Markin told Sam George, National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Ningo-Prampram who was also a panelist on the programme.
Making his submissions, Mr Sam George, rendered an apology on behalf of the House.
However, his apology was rejected by the Deputy Majority leader, who noted that the chaos was orchestrated by the NDC side of the House.
“Sam George is apologising on behalf of the minority and majority; we don’t need you to apologise for us. With all due respect, apologise for your caucus. NPP has been gentle,” Afenyo-Markin retorted.
The whole world witnessed shocking scenes in Parliament during the election of a Speaker for the Eighth Parliament.
The unacceptable behaviour and sheer lawlessness from some MPs, as our front page comment pointed, during the process of electing the Speaker, including the snatching of ballot boxes, destruction of polling booths and snatching of ballot papers culminating in the presence of the security forces in the chamber of Parliament, gave Ghana a very bad image and lowered nation’s credibility in the eyes of the democratic world.
Ghanaians have still not overcome this embarrassing moment in country’s history as a leading light in democratic practice in Africa.
