Barbaric, uncivilized, uncouth…
There are no better words to describe the goings-on in Parliament last Thursday, 30th January, 2025. A free-for-all; in a house of dignity and grace reduced to a house of ignominy and disgrace. Overturning tables, destroying loud speakers; exchanging blows; pulling apparels – all in the name of democracy.
It was simply reprehensible, and instead of bowing their heads in shame, they make bold to say: “We’ll repeat it at the opportune time”.
Agreed: The MPs must have gotten exhausted working from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm! They must have missed other “appointments” outside of Parliament. They must have lost opportunities for other engagements. But is that not the job? To whom much is given, much is expected (Will someone kindly supply the Latin equivalent?).
With the macro-majority in Parliament (NDC) touting a 24-hour economy, did they not have to practicalise what they had been preaching? And, Afenyo Markin is trending all week – who are we suggest to him to tone down? He has to put on the whipping garb – for his micro-minority group (NPP) to get noticed. Some people say they miss Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu. What about the “all-knowing” attitude of NPP MPs? “Too known”, that is the Ghanaian parlance.
A young man leaves SHS or a Tertiary institution, and all he is thinking of is to go into politics … an old man returns home from a sojourn in government service and his next move is politics, active politics. All that a person needs is qualify under Article 94 (1) (a) … a citizen of Ghana… attained the age of twenty one… a registered voter; (b) resident in the constituency… not less than five years … or hails from that constituency (c) paid all his taxes… and not (2) (ii) be of unsound mind nor criminal lunatic… and all these will be waived if (5) (a) ten years or more have passed since the end of the sentence or (b) he has been pardoned.
Without “studying” the “culture” of the Ghanaian Parliament, without learning its history, without marking some parliamentarian down as his model, the young man dashes to Parliament and will hardly consult any one in his Constituency – for advice or guidance. Save for the dishonoured title “honourable”.
How honourable can he be? Overturning tables and destroying public property, bought with our taxes and resources? Elsewhere as in the U.K. no one is called ‘honourable’ outside of the House of Parliament, but here, an Assemblyman (or woman) would bark at you if you do not call him ‘honourable’!
He will be placed on a salary which shall not be varied “to his disadvantage” and at the end of his four-year tenure go home smiling with a hefty ex-gratia to build a mansion at Legon Hill, Tantra Hill or East Legon… US President, Jimmy Carter could die a pauper, because he was not “smart”.
Call us old duddy-fuddies: we recall that the Gold Coast acquired the title “model colony” because we used “refined” methods in all our dealings with the colonial masters; we were taught to obey rules and procedure, respect the elders and chiefs.
We are getting fed-up with what is going on in Parliament, reducing the august house to a J.H.S. playground: chewing ballot papers, using the chamber for “march-past” and generally desecrating the house.
You remember what Jesus Christ did when people had turned the church into a market place? He took a rod and whipped those desecrating the temple of God.
And what were the Minority saying? Speaker breaking the rule and suspending the errant MPs? What do we want? A weak or firm Speaker? If it was wrong in the past, would it be right now? So, do NPP have leaders, elders, models, people to guide them?
We all know what is happening at other Parliaments – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Do we adopt the British model or be guided by what is happening in Kenya, India or Indonesia, and follow suit.
So, our school children pick a cue: break school rules; disregard order and discipline; wreak violence and show no respect to the authorities. What would an MP go home and tell his errant children about the happenings in Parliament? AD: “I said in Twi: ‘Mo mmubunkonwa no’ efiri se yene won “ncooperate”.
Do people forget that “the evil that men do lives after them…”? (quoting Marcus Antonius in Julius Caesar). Or they forget that “nemesis” will catch up with them some day? “Nea odiakyiri no suaneaodikannantee” (the person following learns the leader’s walking style). Our children are watching … and these days, with internet, YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok it is easy to pass on messages and images.
If it is not a student using a machete (cutlass) to “cane” fellow students at Accra Academy it will be a senior student strangling a junior student (in the name of “homo-ing) at Adisadel. If it is not a Salaga SHS student hiding a gun in the school, it will be one suffering slaps after stealing something he is a “thief”.
And to make matters worse, Parent-Teacher Associations have collapsed, giving way to Parent Associations! What does that mean? So, you go to your wards’ school for a meeting, raise an issue, and the persons who should see to the implementation of the issues are not part of the meeting … all done in the name of “modernization”!
Well, we see the members of the Vetting Committee “apologizing” and the Honourable Speaker accepting the apology and allowing the MPs he had suspended to return to Parliament. So be it. But our humble opinion is that the investigative committee should expedite work and submit a report – so we get to know who did what and brought great shame on Ghana and Ghanaians.
We need to say, and repeat it. The MPs are not in Parliament to represent themselves. They may not be the best materials in the Constituencies. Others equally qualified, but “circumstances” worked for the MPs to get the nod.
And the Ministers-designate have not got the chance to breathe. We see a “swarm” of well-wishers from their Constituencies who have come to show solidarity.
And the questions at the Vetting! The questioner, Afenyo Markin was grilled by OkudzetoAblakwa about owning 100 acres of land at age 22; with 50 estate houses built for him. Was it Great Equalisation? Did you have a secondary source of income? Sam George: “I am married to an industrious woman; … my wife takes care of me”. What term is used for such a man?
Annor Dompreh had said: “Mahama is a curse” and he in turn wanted Sam George to go and apologise to Nana Akufo-Addo first before the vetting. So, is Nana Akufo-Addo there?
