Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed
In Parliament on Thursday, July 15, during a debate on the $28million car loan for lawmakers, Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed told some of his colleague MPs who oppose the facility not to pretend to be who they are not.
This comes after his colleague Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had said in relation to the loan that an impression has been created as though the lawmakers are in the house for their personal gains.
Contributing to a debate on whether or not this should be approved on Thursday, July 15, Mr Ablakwa said “The impression is created as though the 275 Members of Parliament are here just for ourselves. We are not here for ourselves, we are here for the people of Ghana.
“We went to the people and offered ourselves with a vision to serve them and to deliver on the hopes and aspirations of our people and to achieve for our collective good, a country that is based on success, progress and on development. We make sure that our people will be well and duly served and their wellbeing at all times will be our focus.
“That is what we wake up every morning to do. We need to reassure the good people of this country that it has never been about us.”
In reply, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed said “In as much as I agree with such admonishing, I want to entreat myself and my colleagues that we shouldn’t be pretentious over such admonishment. It shouldn’t just come from our lips, we must be seen demonstrating that.
“If the four-wheel drive is a luxury to some members of parliament, I say that it is not a luxury to others. It is not an idea of us being admonished to demonstrate that we love the people of this country.
“That is our responsibility and let us see that in our action. I will want to caution myself and caution my colleagues when the cameras are before you don’t try to play saint when the cameras are before you don’t try to pretend to be who you are not because we know the conduct of everybody and if we begin to question the conduct of people, I don’t think that is what the people of this country want. I agree that don’t give us any car loan.”
Murtala Mohammed had told Mr Ablakwa to return the two cars he bought from loan facilities for legislators if he is a principled person.