The Minority in Parliament has hit hard at the Majority Leader for accusing their side of being manipulated by the former Speaker, Edward Doe Adjaho.
Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu on Thursday accused the former Speaker of Parliament, Doe Adjaho of micromanaging the Minority side, in an attempt to control the current Parliament.
Responding to the Minority’s allegations of being stifled and suppressed by Speaker Mike Ocquaye, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu alleged that the former Speaker is trying to gain control of the House through the back door.
But in a Citi News interview, the Deputy Spokesperson for the Minority Richard Quarshigah denied the allegation, describing them as misplaced.
“The Majority Leader is certainly above such pedestrian conclusions. It is terribly unfortunate. Does he have any evidence to the effect that the former Speaker of Parliament was directing the Minority on what to do to the extent that he is controlling us from the shadows? We as Minority in Parliament today know what we are about. The decisions that we take are solely our decisions but we also consult as we should but to suggest that we are being remote controlled to me is not only insulting but is stagnant. We are members of Parliament and we know what to do but to suggest that someone is telling us what to do in Parliament without substantial evidence to me is unfortunate.”
The Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu has alleged that the former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho is manipulating members of the Minority to take certain decisions that do not inure to the benefit of the country.
According to him, the former speaker among his instructions to the Minority was to kick against the presence of the press during yesterday’s engagement with the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei.
Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu made the comments in reaction to claims by the Minority that the new Speaker, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye was being unfair and stifling them in the House.
Parliament was thrown into near chaos when Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu expressed his displeasure over how the Speaker had deliberately ensured that they do not thoroughly probe the government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ programme.
According to him, the former Speaker of Parliament, who is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was more biased when the NDC MPs were in the majority in Parliament.
He also added that Doe Adjaho, despite being out of the seat as Speaker, “thinks he is still in control.”
“The man [Doe Adjaho] is behind the scenes, he still wants to control Parliament. Yesterday, he even called them and was telling them that, they should not agree for us in committee to allow you the press to be present. The man thinks he is still in control.”
On the reaction of the Minority in Parliament’s chamber, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu said, “If on an occasion you don’t fund the ruling or direction of Mr. Speaker favourable, there are avenues open to you. You don’t get raucous in the chamber, you don’t riotous.”
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
