MPs engaged in fisticuffs
The Ada MP says MPs have fighting partners
Ghanaians should expect more fights
Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, MP, Ada constituency, has indicated that, every MP in Ghana’s Parliament has a fighting partner, therefore, the public should expect more fights from their representatives in Parliament.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Adom FM, the Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip indicated that, the Minority side will not kowtow to the whims and caprices of the Majority.
Madam Cudjoe-Ghansah noted the brawl in Parliament on Monday, December 20, is the tip of the iceberg.
“There will be more fights if Majority does not change its position on E-levy,” she stated.
“The women are 20 for both sides so everyone has chosen her fighting partner,” the Ada MP added. “It is not for anything that both Majority and Minority have 137 members. Everyone has a fighting partner.”
She noted, the Minority is ever ready for consensus-building if the government is ready and agrees to scrap the controversial E-levy from the 2022 budget.
Fight in Parliament
Some Members of Parliament on Monday night were engaged in a fistfight following a disagreement during the voting on the government’s E-levy bill.
The fight ensued when the MPs were voting in a headcount to decide whether the E-levy bill should be accepted under a certificate of urgency.
The Minority had attempted to stop the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, who was presiding over the House, from leaving his seat and participating in the voting process.
This infuriated the Majority MPs met them at the Speaker’s table to challenge the NDC MPs.
The Minority MPs explained that Joe Osei-Owusu, while in the position of Speaker, does not have a casting vote.
An early voice vote was taken with the First Deputy Speaker ruling favouring the Majority, the NDC MPs were not convinced and later called for a headcount.
Joseph Osei-Owusu then decided to swap positions with the Second Deputy Speaker, who had voted to take part in the decision making.
However, the Minority MPs who disagreed with that position swiftly moved to the Speaker’s seat to stop the swap. Members of the Majority also moved to the Speaker’s seat, which led to the clash.