The Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has lamented the enmity between MPs from the Majority Caucus and the Minority Caucus.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 2, 2023, K.T. Hammond said that deliberations in Parliament now always end in fights, with both sides of the House failing to compromise their stands in the nation’s interest.
He used himself as an example, saying that two weeks after his vetting to become the Minister for Trade and Industry, members of the Minority Caucus were still insisting they would not approve him.
“…This House, Mr Speaker, is disintegrating! It is. Mr. Speaker, there is so much shouting; there is so much animosity, no room for tolerance in this House. We have not been used to this.
“People get upset because these tantrums are thrown all over the place, and Mr. Speaker, the whole place breaks down into insanity; it isn’t right, Mr. Speaker.
“…Let us try and introduce some sanity in the House; Sometimes I sit here, and I get completely distressed… and now, Mr. Speaker, I have been vetted; almost two weeks, I am sitting here. They say they won’t approve me, so I am sitting here. Look at all of this; can you imagine?” he said.
The Trade and Industry Minister-designate made these remarks while reacting to a clash between the Deputy Majority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin and the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, over the former’s description of the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
He urged the Deputy Minority Leader to withdraw his comment about Afenyo-Markin rising to fame by twisting peoples’ words.