General News of Tuesday, 28 December 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-12-28Applaud us for 'fighting' to protect national interest - NPP MP submits
Parliament has been the scene of chaotic scenes recently
Parliament recently witnessed chaotic scenes
Disagreements arose over approval of E-levy
MPS on both sides apologize to public
Member of Parliament for
Read full articleBibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai, Alfred Obeng Boateng, has tasked Ghanaians to cut them some slack on the back of recent open fights on the floor of the lawmaking chamber.
According to him, MPs on both sides of the house, the New Patriotic Party, NPP - to which he belongs and the minority National Democratic Congress, NDC, amid the brawl; were acting in the best interest of the nation.
In an interview with Joy News, he likened their violent disagreements to a property owner having two watchmen who had good intentions in seeking to safeguard the interest of their boss - i.e. the people of Ghana.
“I’m sure everybody knows that what went on, I mean that extend was wrong but we should also appreciate the fact that … we have two watchmen watching your property so even though the two watchmen you saw them fighting, you should also find out the intention.
“The intention was that the two watchmen wanted your property to be better protected so the intention was not wrong but the approach and process might be wrong,” he stressed.
The first-term lawmaker stressed how important the work of Parliament was and how he and his colleagues take their tasks seriously at all levels for which reason he believes they deserve applause.
“I think that we should applaud them [Members of Parliament] because they have the nation’s interest at heart,” he stated
“My one year stay in Parliament, I really have a lot of respect for Parliamentarians, all that we do in Parliament, you see that we still have the nation's interest is really paramount irrespective of what others say the nation's interest from both parties.
"I won’t say my party alone, perhaps when it comes to performance how one will do it will vary and perhaps that will make my party stand tall but the intention of each and every Parliamentarian,” he added.
He also stressed that the respective caucuses will resort more to the use of dialogue and compromise in their line of work going forward.
“Going forward we will try to see how we will all dialogue and come into a compromise for the nation to benefit ultimately,” he said.
The most recent fight in Parliament was over a vote on the controversial E-levy bill. When First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu vacated his seat for the Second Deputy, ostensibly to enable him vote on the bill, Minority MPs moved to prevent that from happening, leading to violent scuffles around the seat of the Speaker.
The House subsequently adjourned to January 2022 without passing the Bill.
