The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called on Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to apologize to Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin for referring to him as a “superintendent of chaos.”
This remark was made by Afenyo-Markin during a press conference at Parliament House after Speaker Bagbin adjourned parliamentary proceedings indefinitely.
Ablakwa defended the Speaker’s decision, arguing that with the absence of the committee responsible for the rescheduled session and a lack of order papers, there was no reason to keep MPs waiting in the chamber.
He pointed out that MPs have pressing commitments in their constituencies.
“Afenyo-Markin used very caustic language on the Speaker, virtually labeling us warlords and suggesting that the Speaker was superintending chaos. But was it the Speaker who asked you [NPP MPs] not to show up?” Ablakwa remarked.
“The Speaker followed Constitutional protocol, convening Parliament upon receiving the notice with your signatures to trigger the recall. He waited for you for more than an hour, yet you didn’t show up. Afenyo-Markin should be apologizing to the Speaker, not berating him.”
Ablakwa condemned the actions of the NPP caucus as “childish” and likened their conduct to a “Tom and Jerry” game that is undermining Parliament’s integrity.
He noted that every recall, especially during renovations, incurs significant costs, as Parliament must rent private facilities for sessions, leading to substantial financial waste.
“In the midst of our national crisis, this back-and-forth, these ‘Tom and Jerry games,’ and childish theatrics will do nothing to help. You don’t come to the chamber, then you wait on the sidelines to pounce on us and hold press conferences once we leave.”
Ablakwa also expressed frustration over the challenges he and his colleagues faced to attend the session.
“Some of our colleagues have to navigate through Togo to come to parliament due to the nature of the Bawku conflict just to be present at the recall and also put everything aside to respond to submit. Only for us to show up and our colleagues from the side refused to show up to waste our time.”
He praised Kennedy Agyapong as the only NPP member to have displayed “maturity, honesty, and truthfulness” by acknowledging the NPP caucus’ mistake and suggesting they should have at least informed the Speaker that they were holding a caucus meeting.
