Placards to be banned in Parliament – Majority Leader

The Majority leader in parliament, Hon. Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has disclosed that parliament may soon ban the display of placards in the chamber. He says such activities bring disgrace to parliament and that it must not be tolerated.

Speaking in an interview on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ the Suame legislature explained that parliament will hold series of meetings in parliament the coming days to see how best they can address this issue of placard display in the chamber.

“It does not happen anywhere in the world and as legislatures we must work to put a stop to it,” he said.

“We are members of parliament and we should not be doing this to ourselves to the extent that we describe one of our own as a ‘bloody widow’,” he added.

The minority in parliament came under heavy criticisms for describing Hon. Lydia Seyram Alhassan as “bloody widow” when she was sworn-in by first deputy speaker of parliament, Hon. Joe Osei Wusu in the chamber last week.

However, the Minority in parliament has defended their actions for calling the newly elected Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Alhassan Seyram as a “bloody widow”. The NDC MPs waved placards with the inscription “bloody widow” before they boycotted Lydia Alhassan’s swearing-in as the MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon.

The Minority staged a walk out on Tuesday, February 5, when the Speaker introduced the Lydia Alhassan Seyram to be sworn-in. The Minority MPs said they boycotted Alhassan’s investiture because they did not want to give credence to her victory in the by-election which was characterised by violence.

After Madam Alhassan’s introduction for the administration of oath of office by First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei-Owusu, Minority Chief Whip Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak caught the attention of the Speaker to announce the Minority’s boycott of the exercise.



Muntaka who doubles as the Asawase MP stated that because of the security challenges that were encountered during the by-elections, the NDC will not be part of the exercise on the floor of the House.

“Our side of the House cannot be here to witness this swearing-in,” he said.