Minority must apologize to Oquaye – Matthew Nyindam

The Majority Chief Whip, Mathew Nyindam says the Minority in parliament must render an unqualified apology to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye for accusing him of bias.

According to him, the Minority’s accusation was disrespectful and unfair.

The Chamber of Parliament was thrown into a state of near chaos when Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu protested over what he suggested was a deliberate attempt by the Speaker, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye to prevent his side from thoroughly probing government’s 'Planting for food and jobs' programme.

The Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak in an interview with Citi News, described as unfortunately the reaction of the minority on the floor of the house but he said it was necessary because the Speaker had refused to afford them the opportunity to voice out their concerns.

“It is out of frustration…. the Minority, we have lost all the opportunity to vent our frustration so we have to, unfortunately, burst in anger which may not be called for but our patient us running out.”

“We in the Minority are really disappointed in the manner in which the speaker has been handling affairs in the how since his appointment…. Since this speaker came, we've been treated with a lot of disrespect,” he added.

But speaking on Eyewitness News on Thursday, Matthew Nyindam, who is the Member of Parliament for Nyindam constituency said he was shocked at the minority's reaction.

“I am calling on them to render an unqualified apology to the speaker because we don't see what the speaker has done wrong,” he said.

Muntaka Mubarak in an earlier interview with Citi News threatened that the minority will “advice itself” if the Speaker does not change his ways.

He continued that “We the minority, we have more than one-third of the house and he knows the implication of that.”

Reports suggested the minority had already started collecting signatures for the speaker's impeachment but Mr. Nyindam said that minority was “embarking on a fruitless journey.”

“The minority is just embarking on a fruitless journey. I am so disappointed in the minority. The minority are capitalizing on the leniency of the speaker. I can tell you that this is the friendliest speaker I've ever seen. During Doe Adjaho's term, some of the things that this speaker will allow, Doe Adjaho will never allow.”

In a related development the Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu has alleged that the former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho is manipulating members of the Minority to take certain decisions that do not inure to the benefit of the country.

According to him, the former speaker among his instructions to the minority was one to kick against the presence of the press in yesterday's engagement with the Electoral Commissioner, Charlotte Osei.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana