'You will withdraw' - Ablakwa, Afenyo-Markin exchange words in Parliament

Two MPs were in a near brawl in Parliament

Ablakwa had raised concerns over Akufo-Addo's breach of law

Afenyo-Markin took exception to his colleague MPs comments and asked him to withdraw

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, North Tongu MP, and Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Effutu MP, were engaged in a heated argument on the floor of Parliament

Read full articleover some words Ablakwa used to describe the President of Ghana.

So intense was the exchange not even the shout for order by Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Asiamah, who was presiding, could calm nerves.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, had raised concerns about the constant failure of President Akufo-Addo to furnish Parliament with the list of presidential staffers within the stipulated time in line with the Presidential Office Act.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, Ablakwa said, by failing to submit the list of staffers, the president was undermining Parliament and also violating the Constitution of Ghana.

“Section 11 of Act 463 of the Presidential Office Act relates to an annual report and it provides … ‘the President shall within 3 months after the end of each financial year submit to Parliament an annual report containing the following information; the number of presidential staff employed at the Office, the rank or grade of such staff; and employees in the other public services assigned to the Office.

"Mr. speaker today is the 1st of April, the president is in clear breach of the Presidential Office Act...we cannot accept this as a House. If this delay continues, it undermines the authority of this institution. I recall that virtually every year the president is in breach of this provision and I have to be screaming and crying and yelling before the presidency will comply,” he said.

He added that it is baffling that; “the President who likes to project himself as a paragon of the rule of law to be violating the laws of our country in such a violent manner.”

He reiterated that furnishing Parliament with the presidency's staff list is a legal requirement and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo must comply with it.

This didn’t sit well with his colleague Afenyo-Markin who is also the Deputy Majority Leader, who was answering questions on the business statement.

“Mr. Speaker, a Member of Parliament can make his point and express his views regarding the law but a Member of Parliament does not have the liberty to attack the integrity of Parliament and I insist that the words he [Ablakwa] used to describe the President, he must withdraw...," he said.

Whiles Afenyo-Markin shouted at Ablakwa; “You will withdraw your words about the President and be courteous to him,” Ablakwa stood his ground stating: “I won’t withdraw, no one is a child here.”

The heated nature of the arguments had members present taking sides, shouting in support of their respective members.

The Speaker finally restored peace in the Chamber by his continuous order for Mr Ablakwa to sit down.

Watch the proceedings below.

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