Two Members of Parliament from either sides of the House were embroiled in a very heated moment on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, over an attempt to seek clarification from the Speaker of Parliament on how they should react to an address by the Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.
The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, had provided an update to parliament on the flood situation in the Volta and other regions of the country that had come about following the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams.
In reactions and responses from some MPs, the Ayawaso Central legislator, Henry Quartey, sought the wisdom of the Speaker on what the direction should exactly be.
While speaking and seeking the clarification of the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, he made a comment that did not sit down well with the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Attempting to catch the eye of the Speaker without much of a success, he sought of distracted Henry Quartey, pushing him (Quartey) to call out his colleague on the other side, accusing him of being notorious for interjecting him.
The Speaker, at a point, tried to call the chaos to order but was not entirely successful.
This is a transcript of how things turned out, starting with when Henry Quartey, who is also the Greater Accra Minister, started his submission:
“Mr. Speaker, with the greatest of respect to my colleagues, while I was walking in, I saw some school children who had just left the gallery. Mr. Speaker, I understand that the minister presented a statement for us… bringing the house up to speed about… what I call force majeure natural disaster in the Volta Region.
“Mr. Speaker, I want us to communicate to the world what exactly our practices in this plenary are. Was the statement made for us to debate it or for us to contribute? Because, clearly, Mr. Speaker, from where I sit, the comments coming…”
Speaker Andrew Asiamah:
“Honourable member! Honourable Okudzeto, you’ll get the opportunity to speak. He is on the floor, please.”
Henry Quartey:
“Mr. Speaker, I rephrase but I will want to inform my colleague that he is not the Speaker and he cannot direct me on what to do. It’s becoming one too many of him. Honourable Okudzeto it’s becoming one too many of him. He doesn’t direct me on what to speak.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa:
“Well, Mr. Speaker, I need your direction, respectfully. Is the honourable minister suggesting that honourable MPs cannot raise a point of order? That is what I got up to do, which is very much within our rules and then he goes on a tirade, launching a personal attack
Speaker:
“Honourable member, I didn’t allow you to speak. You wanted to come in a point of order but I didn’t allow you.”
Okudzeto:
“Yes, so, it’s not on the record. So, why is he speaking on the record and going after my person?… but he’s totally out of order, Mr. Speaker… but he attacked me on the record.”
The House then went into a brief moment of loud murmurs from the MPs, following which Emmanuel Armarh Kofi Buah, Deputy Minority Leader, broke the silence with the comments:
“Mr. Speaker, you should allow me to speak. The Minister of Energy was summoned to this House on the strength of Order 70(2). Mr. Speaker, any member who is to comment on that statement must speak briefly on those facts. There was no mention by the Minister of Energy of a natural disaster, and he made a statement about natural disaster and the honourable member was drawing his attention and then he went on a tangent of attacking his personality…
“… But the honourable minister that I respect so much knows that this is a reason to attack a Member of Parliament the way he did.”
Henry Quartey:
“Mr. Speaker, while I rephrase the disaster, may I also say that I have not attacked honourable Okudzeto; I only made an observation of he trying to interrupt me when I’m speaking without catching your eye, Mr. Speaker…”