Minority MPs stage another walk out over Speaker's refusal to recognise their leaders
The Minority Members in Parliament Wednesday staged a walk out over what they said was the Speaker's continuous refusal to recognise their leaders.
Their concern was that the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, did not call the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, to ask a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kennedy Nyarko Osei, a follow-up question as was the convention in the House.
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The question they said related to the answer Mr Nyarko Osei had provided on the Export Trade, Agriculture and Industrial Fund (EDAIF) funding for irrigation infrastructure for horticultural crops production.
They said the Speaker again failed to recognise Mr Iddrisu when he rose to his feet to make a point as to why the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremarten, did not appear to answer a question on the One District, One Factory' initiative.
Rather, the Minority members told journalists that the Speaker went ahead to invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, to present a statement on the alleged sale of African migrants in Libya.
Mr Iddrisu stood for a while Ms Botchway was presenting the statement before he resumed his seat.
Moments after, the Minority members began filing out of the House, till their seats became vacant with only the Majority members in the House.
The business of the House continued till the adjournment of the House.
Concerns
Recently in the House, Mr Iddrisu expressed concern about the refusal of the Speaker to show him respect as the Minority Leader.
But Mr Iddrisu declined to comment on the reasons for the Minority's boycott today (Wednesday) when contacted by this reporter.
But the Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, told journalists that the consistent refusal by the Speaker to give hearing to the leadership of the Minority was not good to the entrenchment of Parliamentary democracy.
He said if the Speaker did not recognise the Minority leaders, then the back benches did not have any hope.
The MP for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, said the Minority members were not happy with the attitude of the Speaker towards the Minority.
He said the Minority members walked out because they were not being recognised in the House.
Dr Apaak said the Minority members felt that they should rather attend committee meetings than sit in the House.
