The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Akatsi South, Mr Bernard Ahiafor, has cautioned Members of Parliament against making offensive or misleading comments during parliamentary proceedings.

According to him, such remarks violated the Standing Orders and rules governing parliamentary proceedings and could lead to disorderliness.

Mr Ahiafor’s caution followed comments made by the First Deputy Minority Whip, Mr Habib Iddrisu, on Friday while seconding a motion for the adjournment of the House.

Mr Iddrisu claimed he had received reports that tomato and onion sellers at various markets were unhappy with the mid-year budget statement presented by the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, on Thursday, and were waiting to meet him.

“Mr. Speaker, this morning I was getting a report from the market. You know normally the Finance Minister goes to the market before coming to Parliament. The tomato sellers were very angry, waiting for him to come to the market. He couldn’t attend,” Mr Iddrisu said.

He further alleged that some members of the Majority Caucus had failed to attend proceedings because they were not inspired by the budget statement.

The Majority Leader, Mr Mahama Ayariga, strongly rejected the claims and demanded that Mr Iddrisu withdraw his comments and apologise to Dr Forson.

“Mr Speaker, this level of irresponsibility cannot be tolerated in this House. How can you stand in this chamber and say that market women are planning to attack the Minister of Finance?” Mr Ayariga asked.

He stressed the need for MPs to take parliamentary business seriously, noting that they represented the interests of their constituents.

Mr Ayariga also disclosed that the House had agreed to begin debate on the mid-year budget statement on Tuesday after Mr Iddrisu appealed during a conclave for the debate to be rescheduled.

Mr Iddrisu, however, denied saying that the tomato and onion sellers were waiting to attack the Finance Minister, insisting that Mr Ayariga had interpreted his comments differently.

Presiding over the sitting, Mr Ahiafor said he had clearly heard Mr Iddrisu state that the Finance Minister would have been attacked by the tomato and onion sellers if he had visited the market before coming to Parliament.

“This is clearly on record and if you go back to play the record, the record will show that,” he said.

Mr Ahiafor noted that although MPs enjoyed constitutional immunity for comments made in the House, such remarks could still become matters of privilege.

He therefore urged legislators to be mindful of their utterances, adding that “A motion only became the business of the House after it had been seconded.”

Source: GhanaianTimes