Ghana-US Military agreement: Speaker Walks Out Of Parliament!

Parliament was reduced to a market place with Minority shouts and taunts of objection to a controversial Ghana-US Military Cooperation agreement currently before the House.

The incensed members banged tables, with others singing until some majority members joined in the chaos with their own shouts as well, Joy News’ parliamentary correspondent Joseph Opoku Gakpo reported.

Contrary to the norm, it was the Speaker, Prof Mike Ocquaye, who, in the midst of the chaos, walked out of the Chamber, not the Minority.

The Minority members were incensed by the failure of the leadership to allow a minority member to second the motion on the military agreement after the chairman of the Defence Committee had read the outcome of its report.

Instead, the Vice Chairman of the Committee was called to second the motion, a decision that threw the house into chaos.

According to Gakpo some NDC executives who were seated at the public gallery pulled out placards with inscription Ghana is not for sale but the security personnel quickly moved in to stop them.

APC Presidential candidate in the 2016 election Hassan Ayariga also removed his chequebook ostensibly to sign off $20 million to the government in order to stop it from ratifying an agreement he says was inimical to the interest of the country.

Ghana is expected to receive an amount of $20 million on account of the agreement.

This deepened the chaos in Parliament for a while.
After several of minutes of chaos, the Speaker returned to restore order and to continue the proceedings that is likely to have the controversial agreement ratified.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com