Suhuyini queries Annoh-Dompreh, “You have 138 MPs to do business, why worry about Minority boycott?”
Alhassan Suhuyini, a lawmaker from Tamale North, has urged the Majority to concentrate on their duties in the legislature while allowing the Minority to participate in the boycott in support of their members who are facing criminal charges.
With 138 members, the Majority, according to Suhuyini, should be able to conduct business in the House without the Minority’s attendance.
Following Frank Annoh-Dompreh’s criticism of the opposition lawmakers’ boycott, the majority chief whip made his remarks.
According to Annoh-Dmporeh, their members are now divided as a result of the minority’s choice.
He requested that after making this choice, the Minority leadership bury their heads in shame.
On Tuesday, July 18, he told media in Parliament, “I think that they should bury their heads down in shame. It is a very unpopular decision by the leadership, and I know that their side is divided about it.”
Annoh-Dompreh further alleged that the Minority had lied about their boycott.
He claimed that despite the Minority’s desire for the entire country to assume that their absence from the chamber is a sign of a boycott of the legislature, they actually attend committee meetings in secret.
The legislator from Nsawam Adoagyiri added, “We were anxiously waiting for them to reach the goal so we could watch what occurs, only for me to have the rudest shock of my life: the Minority attended in two committee sessions but steadfastly refused to appear in the chamber. What sort of moral standards do they uphold?
It’s a deceitful deed, says I. I wish to challenge the Hon. Ato Forson, a friend of mine, to demonstrate true leadership. If you’re going to boycott, make sure you do it all the way through so that we can see it. Furthermore, I want to convey to Ghanaians that they should not take the Minority seriously.
On Tuesday, July 18, Suhuyini responded to him on TV3’s News 360 by saying that “the majority of the 138 members of Parliament are more or less concerned with conducting government business.” However, where are the government MPs? They make it seem more like our boycott is intended to obstruct government business.
Speaker Alban Bagbin requested last week that the Minority Caucus submit a written, not an oral, permission before being acknowledged as absent with permission on days when they attend court to show support for their colleagues who are being tried.
The onus is now on you all to provide proof that I gave you permission to excuse yourselves in writing, as I’ve instructed you in writing, I suppose.
James Gyakye Quayson, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, was sworn in, and the Minority promptly declared its intention to boycott the proceedings each time he appeared in court to answer for his criminal accusation.
Later, the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and the MP for Asutifi South, Collins Dauda, faced trial as a result of this judgement.
The Minority members are not happy with the two boycotts that have been organised thus far because both were recorded as absences for them.