Dr Rasheed Draman, the executive director of the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has bemoaned the lack of punitive actions against MPs who engage in scuffles in the chamber.
MPs shouted at each other and engaged in an open brawl in Parliament on Monday evening (20 December) as the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, vacated his seat to enable him also to cast a vote to pass the controversial E-Levy under a certificate of urgency.
Although both sides of the House have condemned the incident, Parliament is yet to punish any member caught in the act.
“If our MPs continue to avoid using ‘arguments’ on the floor of Parliament and rather resort to violence, yet they are not charged for it then nothing will change,” Draman said.
“It is not clear why the people involved in the scuffles in Parliament have not been charged. It is emboldening these people as they do not seem to think there will be repercussions.”
Draman added: “Just as happened in our Parliament, there was fisticuffs in the Parliament of Kenya. The people involved in the incident in Kenya were punished but we don’t see similar happening here.”
The executive director of Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs fears Ghana’s Parliament will witness more scuffle if the culprits in previous lawlessness are not penalised.
“Our current Parliament is unique in its structure and so if we do not see tolerance and mediation take a salient role then we will continue to see confusion and scuffles in Parliament.”
GhanaFeed.com
