The Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh Dompreh, has dismissed allegations that he sneaked into Parliament before the designated time.
Earlier, Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Chief Whip of the NDC caucus, expressed frustration over Annoh Dompreh’s entry into the chamber before the stipulated time.
According to Agbodza, the room was supposed to open to MPs at 8 a.m., but Annoh Dompreh was already seated in the front row on the Speaker’s right-hand side before that time.
“Why is Annoh Dompreh already sitting in there when we were told that the room opens at eight o’clock? He’s already sitting in there, so they are the ones who are going to cause the fight,” Agbodza said, raising concerns about possible procedural breaches that could escalate tensions between the two sides.
In response to these allegations, Annoh Dompreh, the Chief Whip of the NPP Caucus, explained that his early presence was part of his duties as whip.
He stated that he regularly reports to Parliament early, even on normal days, dismissing any wrongdoing.
“For anybody to say that I connived is a wild thing that anybody can imagine or even put out. I don’t want to glorify that kind of allegation. I came here as part of my duties. It’s not only these days or today that I come to work early; I come early all the time. When I came, I didn’t enter by my own will.
“I sought permission from the security and asked, ‘Is this place accessible? Can I enter?’ And they answered in the affirmative. So we went there together with my colleague just to be sure. It’s my duty as a whip to make sure things are okay. I got there, found what I wanted, and sat down.”
Annoh Dompreh further dismissed claims that he was dragged out of the chamber, clarifying that he willingly stepped out when workers indicated they needed to sweep the premises.
He also advised Kwame Governs to be humble and learn from him, citing his seniority in the role of whip.
“They called me and said they wanted to sweep the place, so I willingly walked out and stood here. What is wrong with that? He came to meet me. I was a whip before he became a whip. There are lessons I need to teach him. He should be humble enough to learn. He just entered the whip job, so he should be careful when making allegations and humble enough to learn how whips work. This is how whips operate, and it’s my duty to ensure everything is in order before I inform the entire leadership and the majority leader,” he explained.
MAG/OGB
