Parliament is not a chamber pot for brawlers - Gabby Otchere Darko blasts MPs

Gabby Otchere Darko says 8th parliament is becoming “uncharacteristically disgraceful”

Minority vow to challenge first deputy speaker’s overruling of motion to reverse approval of budget statement

Parliament continues sitting tomorrow Thursday, December 2, 2021,

A leading

Read full articlemember of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, has expressed his utmost disgust at the confrontations between members of parliament (MPs) in the 8th Parliament.

According to him, the legislative arm of government is turning into something “uncharacteristically disgraceful” based on today’s altercation between majority and minority MPs on the floor of the House.

“Ghana’s Parliament since January 6 appears committed to shedding its proud image as a shining light for democracy to something uncharacteristically disgraceful. It is as if we have to have our way by arguments or fisticuffs. There can be more order on a playground of toddlers…Parliament is a chamber of intellect and not a chamber pot for brawlers” he said in a tweet.

Ghana’s Parliament since January 6 appears committed to shedding its proud image as a shining light for democracy to something uncharacteristically disgraceful. It is as if we have to have our way by arguments or fisticuffs. There can be more order on a playground of toddlers…

— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) December 1, 2021

Parliament is a chamber of intellect and not a chamber pot for brawlers.

— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) December 1, 2021

Parliamentary sitting today Wednesday, December 1, 2021, turned chaotic as the sit-in speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, overruled a motion by the minority to have the approval of the 2022 budget statement reversed.

The minority caucus in parliament had earlier argued that the deputy speaker erred in counting himself as part of the MPs present for which a supposed quorum was formed and the budget statement passed.



They maintained that his role as acting speaker meant he had no casting vote and thus the NPP had not satisfied the number of MPs present to accept the budget.

The Bekwai MP in dismissing the motion and arguments of the minority caucus stated that there was a distinction between who a deputy speaker was and who a Speaker is.

He said that any attempt to mix up the two positions will amount to a misreading of the Constitution.

This is the second time in the country’s hung parliament that tensions have risen almost leading to a fistfight between MPs.



The first was during the swearing in of newly elected MPs and the election of the Speaker, Alban Bagbin.

Meanwhile, parliament is expected to continue sitting tomorrow Thursday, December 2, 2021, with the minority vowing to challenge the ruling of the sit-in speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu.