Alleged loose talk by Fanteakwa MP causes stir in Parliament

Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu (left), Mr. Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah, MP for Fanteakwa (middle), Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr. Inusah Fuseini (right)

Deputy Energy Minister, Inusah Fuseini caused a stir in parliament yesterday when he demanded that the Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah be hauled to the Privileges Committee for denigrating northerners on radio. Fuseini told the House that the MP is fond of making such loose talk on radio stations in the country.

According to Hon. Inusah, the Fanteakwa MP was on Peace FM, an Accra based radio station on Tuesday, this week, describing people from the North as having a psychological position that they cannot better their lives because poverty is their portion.

They lack the culture of property owning, which makes them very lazy, they always have to be spoon fed. They should eliminate that mental culture of poverty in the north, Inusah quoted the MP as saying.

The Deputy Minister further quoted the Fanteakwa MP as saying that in the south, people go into all sorts of farming on their own, and that northerners have no excuse to be poor. 'They have vast land available for all kinds of crop production, yet they don't use it.'

The MP was also alleged to have stated that 'all the companies built in the north have collapsed, because of the people's attitude, and so they must be taught that when you get money it is yours. Look, they go to school free, they do everything free, yet they are still poor'.

'If they don't change their attitude, the SADA project will fail because the main focus is for mechanization. The people in the south also need it, so why has it been taken to the north.

'The other problem in the north has to do with land issues, as they are always fighting over land, which they don't use for anything. All they do is to cut down trees and burn them into charcoal. 'Whenever you see any vehicle carrying charcoal, it is from the north, why?'

'They are always involved in tribal and community wars, so no one is stable, they are always on the move. Vandalism has also become a culture there, they are always in the news for violence. They have a culture which is inhibiting development in that area.'

Inusah Fuseini argued that the words of the member has lowered the esteem of parliament to right thinking persons, and also an affront to the dignity of the House.

Responding to the statement, the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu said the manner in which the deputy Minister put across the issue was in breach of the house's standing orders, and that it was an exercise in futility.

He added that the assertion of the Minister was unfounded because the narration has been transcribed from Twi to English, as such there may be distortions which would not represent what the member exactly said.

He noted that since the member, who is alleged to have made the statement was not in the house, a recorded version should be brought for the Privileges committee to listen to.

The Minority leader later issued a press statement on the alleged comments made by his colleague member for Fanteakwa. The following is the full statement

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken notice of what happened on the floor of Parliament yesterday, regarding a statement allegedly made by Hon. Amankwah Asiamah, Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa on an Accra based radio station on Monday.

The party believes that the words and meaning of the MP's statement has been twisted. An investigation by the Privileges Committee of Parliament or any other body would establish this fact.

In the meantime if the statement by the Hon. MP has given offence to MPs or any other person, the party unreservedly apologises.