Tony Aidoo Slams Parliament Disruption Over Kpandai Rerun
Dr. Tony Aidoo, former Deputy Minister and Ambassador to the Netherlands, has vehemently condemned the actions of Members of Parliament who disrupted proceedings on Tuesday, December 10, calling for the removal of their “Honourable” titles.
The House descended into chaos as the Minority Caucus staged a protest in the centre of the chamber, abandoning their seats and leading to a brief scuffle that prompted the Speaker to suspend the sitting.
The disruption stemmed from disagreements over the declaration of the Kpandai parliamentary seat as vacant, a decision the Minority deems unlawful and procedurally flawed.
Prior to the outburst, the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, had criticized the Minority’s continued protests, asserting they were hindering parliamentary business.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, December 10, Dr. Aidoo expressed his dismay, stating, “Yesterday what happened in Parliament was not palatable at all. Increasingly, the Ghanaian Parliament is exhibiting conduct that is not acceptable. In as much as there is a right to heckle your opponent, there is a limit. Yesterday they went beyond heckling; it was a total attempt at filibustering, and that is not good for people who have been voted into Parliament to exhibit democratic conduct.”
He emphasized that the Minority’s obstruction of the Majority Leader’s speech, combined with their disrespect towards the Speaker, violated established parliamentary protocols.
“They breached democratic conduct, and they didn’t show any respect to the Speaker,” Dr. Aidoo said. “Under their own standing orders, when the Speaker begins to speak, you have to sit down and listen. Not only did they refuse to sit down, but they also wouldn’t listen.”
Dr. Aidoo acknowledged the challenging circumstances under which the Majority Leader attempted to deliver his speech, and commended the Hansard staff for their efforts to document the disorderly proceedings.
He voiced his deep concern over what he perceives as a decline in Ghana’s democratic culture since 1992, lamenting, “I feel very sorry that this democracy has not endured to the benefit of the ordinary people. All it has done is create a minority class of parasites – people sitting on the necks of the citizens, voted into power to cream off resources while neglecting national interest for party interest. This is very bad.”
Dr. Aidoo argued that MPs have a fundamental duty to prioritize national interests over personal gain or partisan loyalty.
He further stated that the unacceptable behaviour wasn’t limited to one side of the House. “On both sides, we have seen conduct that has become too unbecoming. Parliament is not a marketplace for you to go and filibuster in a manner that is not honourable.”
He was unequivocal in his call for sanctions, declaring, “All the people who took part should be scraped off their ‘Honourable’ titles. They are not honourable; they are dishonourable people.”
Dr. Aidoo also criticized the Speaker for what he saw as a failure to decisively restore order. “The Speaker would have been right if he walked them out and he should have walked them out,” he asserted.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
